N.I. Wheat Potential Indicated By Trial

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30365, 14 February 1964, Page 7

N.I. Wheat Potential Indicated By Trial

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, Feb. 13. • Reports of a Manawatu | farmer’s success with seed of an Australian wheat variety, Gamenya, were pleasing in that they indicated the potential for profitable wheat growing in the North Island, said ' the Director of the Farm Advisory Division of the Depart- ■ ment of Agriculture, Mr S. H. Saxby, today. The Gamenya variety, and another named Mengavi that had also been used in North Island sowings, were selected lin Australia as being resistant to stem rust, which is a ; major problem of wheatgrow- ! ing in warm climates, said Mr : Saxby. New Wheats, New Rusts j Work in Australia on breeding resistant strains was continuous, as new races of rusts were constantly appearing. The same difficulty faced wheat-breeding work in New Zealand. Susceptibility to rust was especially a problem in the North Island, and every year merchants imported from Australia seed of resistant varieties. The Department of Agriculture recommended permits for reasonable quantities.

“Reference to the department’s certifying the Manawatu grower’s crop does not imply that the seed will enter the seed multiplication scheme. Its certification as standard seed applies only to the current crop,” said Mr Saxby. “Because strains may in time lose their resistance to known races of rust, or prove susceptible to new ones, work on breeding for resistance has to be continuous. “The wheat industry is so important in. Australia’s economy that much attention is given to this research, from which New Zealand has been able to benefit in the availability of seed of proved new

resistant strains. “These have been of particular advantage in the North Island, and have encouraged the growing of wheat in the Rangitikei and Manawatu districts particularly. ' Changing Conditions “We have had some outstanding successes in breeding new wheat varieties in New Zealand, but our commitment to work on selection for rust resistance must be conditioned by our susceptibility to new races windblown from Australia.

“The department, by keeping in close touch with developments in Australia and by its own variety trials, is well equipped to advise farmers in all districts on currently suitable varieties for their conditions. “Because recommendations may have to be altered from one season to another, it would be unwise for farmers to take the results in one season, and with a particular variety, as a rigid yardstick for the next.”