Scottsbluff, Nebraska
August 27, 2003

Nebraska wheat growers considering new winter wheat varieties for their operation can see what varieties are recommended for various regions of the state by visiting the University of Nebraska-Lincoln's Wheat Varieties Virtual Tour online at panhandle.unl.edu/wheat .

At the Web site, growers can learn about a wheat variety's strengths and weaknesses, pedigree and release date, said Drew Lyon, dryland crops specialist at NU's Panhandle Research and Extension Center at Scottsbluff.

"Variety selection is one of the most important decisions made by a wheat grower," Lyon said. "This site will provide growers with the information they need to select the varieties best suited for their farm operation.

The site features hard white wheats, hard red winter wheats and irrigated wheats. Each variety description includes a photo and a contact list of certified seed producers handling that variety.

"The total package of wheat varieties on a farm needs to include varieties which are different or unrelated," said Lenis Nelson, NU crops variety and seed production spcialist. "By using the strengths of one variety to complement the weaknesses of another, the total production from the farm remains stable under various weather patterns."

Growers also can see and learn about winter wheat varieties that may be adapted for their location and compare variety characteristics such as winter hardiness, disease and insect resistance, straw strength and plant height.

"We know that not all wheat producers can attend our scheduled field plot tours," Nelson said. "We wanted to make the information available to people who could not attend."