CROSS 7 WHEAT

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23202, 13 December 1940, Page 13

CROSS 7 WHEAT

MOST IMPORTANT VARIETY TRIBUTE TO INSTITUTE’S WORK A tribute to the work of Dr. F. W. Hilgendorf and Dr. O. H. Franke] in producing Cross 7 wheat, now the mo.-.t important variety in New Zealand, was paid by Mr W. W. Mulholland at a meeting of the Wheat Research Institute at Lincoln College yesterday The production of a new wheat which in five years had become the leading variety in New Zealand was a rather remarkable achievement, he said. The initial work of Dr. Hilgendort. carried out before the Wheat Research Institute took over, was frequently carried out in rather primitive conditions, said Mr Mulholland. Dr. Hilgendorf usually suggested that the reason for the higher yield of Cross 7 as compared with Tuscan was that Cross 7 was grown on better land. That might account for some of the difference, but where the two wheats were grown in similar conditions, Cross 7 was found to yield one or two, or even more, bushels above Tuscan. "It. has been one of the greatest testimonials to the Wheat Research Institute. and a personal triumph for Dr. Hilgendorf," said Mr Mulholland. The chairman. Dr. H. G Denham, said that it must not be forgotten that the initial work was done by Lincoln College. "We would never have been able to do what we have done had it not been for the co-operation of the fields division of the Department of Agriculture.’ 1 said Dr. Frankel. "We musi almost certainly have failed to make the progress we have had we not been backed by the huge organisation o) the department.” Figures produced by the director. Dr Hilgendorf. showed that Cross 7 which accounted for M per cent, of the area sown for the 1937 harvest, accounted for 41.3 per cent, for the 1941 harvest In that period, the area under Tuscan fell from 65.3 per cent to 38.7 per cent “Tuscan has dropped from 70 per cent of the area in 1936 to 40 per cent, in 1940," the director reported "It is now grown chiefly on the lightest land and so gives the lowest yield of all the standard varieties. It still shows 70 per cent, or more of the area i in Ashley and Tawera, and from 50 per cent, to 70 per cent, in Oxford, i Malvern. Sclwyn, Ashburton upper t and middle plains, and in Tuapeka. 1 “Cross 7 accounted for 39 per cent iof the area and 40 per cent of the I yield. • Compared with Tuscan, it I covered 3000 acr less but yielded 1437.000 bushels more. Its most popular j regions were north of the Waipara, 62 to 73 per cent.: Mackenzie and Hakataramea, 60 to 72 per cent.; South Otago. 60 to 63 pet cent.; and Southland, 85 to 90 per cent. Important districts growing under 30 per cent, of Cross 7 are Ashley and the western part of Eyre, Paparua, Springs and Ellesmere, Waimate south-east and. Waitaki. the variety is gradually settling down to the areas to which it is most suited. Its yield over New Zealand as a whole was 5.7 bushels an acre above that of Tuscan. "Marquis showed an increase over a wide area in Canterbury and Marlborough, probably due to the purchase of certifiable seed by the Wheat Committee, In the Hunters counties it gave seven bushels less than Hunters, and in the Tuscan counties five bushels less than Tuscan, but of course much of it was spring sown. “Dreadnought continues to yield well in Waimate south-east and Waitaki, but its spread northwards is still slow. North of the Pareora there were 60 crops of Dreadnought in 1938 and 77 in 1940. The yields in the northern parts of Canterbury were not outstanding, but further experience will be needed. "Tainui contributed 43 crops to the total, but they were so scattered that the average yield cjpduced from them was of no significance. Further trials are warranted wherever spring sowing has become necessary. "Taiaroa accounted for 25 crops, all in Southland or adjacent thereto. The yields were good and the area will doubtless increase, at least for a time."