Club Spring Wheat
Melba is intended as a replacement for JD club spring wheat in intermediate, high rainfall, and irrigated production areas of the Pacific Northwest. Melba has similar maturity as JD, with shorter plant height, lower protein content, excellent resistance to stripe rust, very good test weight, and superior yield potential in intermediate, high rainfall, and irrigated production areas. Like JD, Melba is susceptible to Hessian fly. Melba is broadly adapted and has performed well in all production regions in the PNW.
Agronomics
Yield Potential is Excellent
Test Weight is Very Good
Maturity is Medium-Late
Height is Short
Quality is Most Desirable
Straw Strength is Excellent
Disease Resistant
Stripe Rust is Excellent
Hessian Fly is Susceptible
Aluminum Tolerance is Not Tolerant
Two-Year Variety Testing Data from 2015-2016
| C.V.%
LSD (0.05) |
6
2 |
6
2 |
1
0.3 |
5
0.3 |
|
| Variety | >20″ Yield (BU/A) | 16″-20″ Yield (BU/A) | Test Weight (LBS/BU) | Protein (%) | Falling Numbers (SEC) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Melba* | 80 | 66 | 60.7 | 10.7 | 315 |
| Seahawk | 81 | 66 | 60.8 | 11.1 | 323 |
| Ryan | 81 | 65 | 60.0 | 10.6 | 325 |
| Tekoa | 82 | 60 | 60.8 | 10.7 | 304 |
| Diva | 79 | 63 | 60.5 | 10.6 | 358 |
| JD* | 76 | 62 | 61.7 | 11.3 | 324 |
| WB6121 | 77 | 61 | 61.0 | 11.8 | 287 |
| Louise | 74 | 63 | 59.4 | 10.7 | 332 |
| Whit | 74 | 62 | 59.5 | 10.9 | 299 |
| WB6341 | 72 | 63 | 59.3 | 10.0 | 252 |
| Babe | 66 | 57 | 59.6 | 10.5 | 304 |
| WB-1035CL+ | 58 | 54 | 59.1 | 12.1 | 295 |
>20″ Precip (Fairfield, Farmington, Palouse, Pullman) 2015-2016, 6 loc/years
16″-20″ (Dayton, Mayview, Plaza, St. John, Walla Walla) 2015-2016, 8 loc/years
Falling Number based on 9 location average in 2015 (5) and 2016 (4)
Availability
Foundation seed of Melba is maintained by the Washington State Crop Improvement Association. For variety inquiries contact Washington Genetics, or by phone at (509) 659-4020 U.S. Plant Variety Protection status for this cultivar is pending.
Dryland Wheat Areas >16″ Precipitation
Support for the development of this variety was provided by Washington State University, the USDA, and the Washington Grain Commission. For more information, please visit smallgrains.wsu.edu.