To improve data accessibility, the 2024 WSU Extension variety testing data is presented in a different format this year than in the past. Rather than individual PDF tables posted for each location, tables are now embedded within the website and multiple locations are combined within precipitation zones. Single-year and two-year averages are provided for each table as well.
The top performing soft white spring wheat based on two-year averages in each precipitation zone was Bush, a new 2024 release from WSU’s spring wheat breeding program with some commercial availability in 2025. Second-year experimental soft white spring entries WA8327, WA8384, and WA8408 grouped with Bush at the top of yield performance across all precipitation zones. After Bush, familiar spring club and common varieties Hedge CL+ (club), Roger (club), Ryan, TMC Lochaven, Tekoa, Butch CL+, and Melba (club) ranked average or better across one or more of the precipitation zones. Based on the acres currently seeded to these varieties, inland PNW growers are doing well at planting high-quality wheat varieties with top yield performance on the vast majority of soft white spring acres.
Hard red spring wheat varieties were planted on about 33% of the spring wheat acres in Washington in 2024. Leading varieties based on two-year yield performance include Hale, MT Carlson, MT Dutton, and Net CL+ across precipitation zones. Second-year experimental hard red spring wheat IDO2105S was also among yield-leaders across precipitation zones. Growers should note that lines from Montana (MT) and Idaho (IDO) currently being tested in the WSU trials do not carry Hessian fly resistance, which increases risk of yield loss for much of Washington state.
In the spring barley variety trials, older feed varieties like Lenetah and Altorado continued to be competitive in the lower and intermediate precipitation zones, whereas Claymore topped the trial in the high precipitation zone. Carleton and Successor are the two newest released feed varieties, both having been in the trial since 2023. Carleton yielded very well in the high precipitation zone in 2024 where it landed in the top grouping on the two-year average. It landed number two overall in the 16-to-20-inch zone and above average in the 12-to-16-inch zone. Bred by Oregon State University, Successor is another IMI-tolerant variety intended to replace Survivor, however, yields were consistently less than Survivor for a second straight year, though test weight was excellent and heading dates were typically five to seven days earlier compared to Survivor.
The only malt barley varieties with two or more years of data included BC Lexy, LCS Diablo, and BC Leandra. Of these three, LCS Diablo was the only one landing in the top yielding group on the two-year average in all three precipitation zones. BC Lexy also landed in the top group in the intermediate and high precipitation zones over two years. KWS Enduris was a new malt entry in 2024 and yielded exceptionally well, landing in the number one spot in all three precipitation zones. This new malt release from KWS is a few days later maturing, similar height, and has similar straw strength compared with AAC Connect. AAC Connect, AAC Synergy, BC Leandra and LCS Odyssey are the only malt varieties in the trial that currently reside on the approved list of malting varieties as posted by the American Malting Barley Association.
View the 2024 spring wheat and barley variety trial results
Written by Clark Neely who is no longer with WSU. For questions or comments, please contact us at small.grains@wsu.edu.