07/06/06 Otis could replace Blanca Grande

Farm and Ranch July 6, 2006 The most popular hard white spring wheat variety in Washington, Blanca Grande, has succumbed in California this year to a new strain of stripe rust. Kidwell: "The trend typically is if they see that race in California it will eventually get up here. And so bad news is that something new is coming our way." That's Kim Kidwell, Washington State University spring wheat breeder who says Blanca Grande has been popular in California because there was a market for it. In this case a domestic market. And with California looking for something to plant this fall, the wheat commission there is considering Kidwell's hard white spring wheat variety Otis, which she says has a different and good stripe resistance package. Kidwell adds there is plenty of foundation seed of Otis. Kidwell: "For me as a breeder I am glad it is going somewhere and I really hope it works down there. I'd rather it be grown in California than sit on the shelf in Washington state." Kidwell says having Otis get some name recognition in California may help with the market development of hard white in the Pacific Northwest. Kidwell: "I guess that would be the goal, to get people interested in Otis. It is almost all a domestic market down there and see if it moves through the system. It is always one of those deals when people get a hold of a variety and have some opportunity to use and they tend to like, market opportunities shift. So, I am hoping that happens." Kidwell says Otis has outstanding grain yield that equaled Blanca Grande and Idaho 377s across production zones for the last three years. In addition to both seedling and adult stripe rust resistance Otis is tolerant to Hessian fly. I'm Bob Hoff and that's the Northwest Farm and Ranch Report on the Northwest Ag Information Network.