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Melba

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.

View WSU Variety Melba in pdf format (pdf).

Dryland Wheat Areas >16″ Precipitation

Dryland wheat areas with greater than 16" precipitation zone in eastern Washington and northern Idaho.


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

Washington State University