NEW WHEAT VARETY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22422, 17 November 1934, Page 3

NEW WHEAT VARETY

RELEASED BY RESEARCH INSTITUTE An event of considerable interest to wheatgrowere is the decision of the Council of the Wheat Research Institute to release the variety known as Cross 7 for commercial sowing next season, states the chairman of the New Zealand Wheat Purchase Board (Mr W. W. Mulholland). The decision was hardly made known before the whole of the seed likely to be available was applied for, so keen are farmers to get some of this variety for trial. The release of this wheat marks a milestone in the plant-breeding work of the institute, in that it is the first variety to' be actually bred by them to be released. All other improved varieties have been obtained entirely by selection from existing strains, but Cross 7 is the result of crossing two distinct varieties, and then careful selections of the resulting progeny over several generations. Cross 7 has shown itself on the average to be fully equal to Tuscan in yield and superior in quality of flour and several other characteristics. There have, however, been some districts where it has not been so satisfactory, as is the case with all other varieties, but generally speaking, where Tuscan is the best wheat to grow, Cross 7 has also done well. A more definite demarcation districts where it is suitable must await its actual use on a commercial scale. Dr 0. Frankel is firmly of opinion that it will prove a superior quality wheat to Hunters, and probably equal to the best Pearl and Velvet, while he believes it to be more wind resistant than Tuscan. Of course, many wheats of which great hopes were held have failed when grown under commercial conditions, and Cross 7 may be another in this category. But Mr Mulholland does not think so. It has been subjected to such a lengthy trial period and tried over such a wide area that any weakness could hardly have escaped detection. A wheat as prolific as Tuscan and of as good baking quality as Velvet must be of great importance to the industry. To the farmer, because quality offers the best way of keeping out unwanted imports of foreign flour; to the miller, because it will enable him consistently to make a high quality flour; and to the baker because he can get the quality of bread he desires with certainty and the minimum of effort.