When it came to developing new generation varieties for the extra strong wheat class, researchers didn't have to re-invent the proverbial wheel. Instead, they opted to update a proven performer, throwing in a few new bonuses sure to catch the eye of long-standing growers.

A newly registered extra strong wheat variety, ES54, is case in point. The variety is essentially an updated version of Glenlea, the variety that has been the class standard for the past decade. Expected to become available in 2005, it was developed in part with support from producers through the Wheat Check-off Fund, administered by Western Grains Research Foundation.

"The extra strong class is a niche class with limited market share and unique quality requirements, so the key there is consistency," says Dr. Gavin Humphreys, wheat breeder at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's Cereal Research Centre in Winnipeg. "With the new varieties, our goal has been to maintain the quality of Glenlea, while updating other characteristics to keep up with the changing needs of producers."

ES54 features similar yield and one percent higher protein compared to Glenea. It also matures two days earlier and has improved straw strength. The variety also boasts what Humphreys calls "the best leaf rust resistance in the extra strong class and testing system" - a key trait in southern Manitoba, where most extra strong wheat is produced.

"Normally, higher grain protein is associated with a loss in grain yield, but with ES54 we've been able to increase the protein while maintaining yield," he says. "The higher grain protein should be attractive to buyers because it means that end users can blend CWES and CWRS wheat with similar protein contents. In the past, CWES wheat tended to have lower protein content compared to CWRS wheats, which discouraged use of CWES wheat in spite of its quality benefits.

In addition to WGRF Check-off support, ES54 was developed in a project supported by Faurschou Farms Ltd. of Portage la Prairie, Man., and by the AAFC Matching Investment Initiative.

A second potential variety from Humphreys' program, ES74, is in its third year of registration testing. This semi-dwarf line shows five to seven percent higher grain yield than Glenlea with improved leaf rust and common bunt resistance compared to Glenlea. However, it has the challenge of poor flour colour.

Along with these "little brothers" of Glenlea, growers can also expect a more innovative quality type in the next year or two, he notes. CDC Rama, developed by the University of Saskatchewan's Crop Development Centre, provides yield and maturity similar to Glenlea, but with much higher protein content and improved disease resistance.

"This package of varieties should give producers enough options to carry the class for the foreseeable future," says Humphreys, noting most industry observers see the class winding down over the next decade in favour of higher-potential wheat classes.

The varieties in the Glenlea mold are mainly used to produce frozen doughs that maintain baking quality for long periods, he says. This type of medium-protein red spring wheat has very hard kernel characteristics and very strong dough properties.

The class has represented a significant niche opportunity over the years, but evolving technology in frozen dough along with tough competition from U.S. hard red winter wheats have led to the class being de-emphasized.

Western Grains Research Foundation is the largest grains research funding organization for farmers in Western Canada. It is funded and directed by producers, who allocate approximately $5 million annually to research through the Wheat and Barley Check-off Funds and the Endowment Fund.