The Rural Voice, 1982-09, Page 20Winter triticale:
an alternative crop
by Gregor Campbell
Got the winter wheat blues?
A new crop that is well suited to the
areas of this province where winter wheat
is marginal will be. available in commer-
cial quantities for seeding this fall. It's
winter triticale.
OAC Wintri is the first licensed triticale
variety in Ontario. It was developed by
the crop science department at the
University of Guelph and released to King
Grain Ltd. of Chatham for multiplication
and distribution two years ago. Triticale is
a man-made synthetic cross between
wheat and rye, which combines the
hardiness of the latter with the yielding
' ability and nutritional qualities of the
former. It is a stable, self -pollinating crop
that doesn't segregate back to wheat and
rye.
No cash commodity markets now exist
for the grain although it might be used by
the milling industry in the future, as its
high protein and lysine content will be
used at first as an on-farm feed source in
hog and poultry operations.
"This is the first variety of a completely
new crop," emphasized King Grain's
director of research and market develop-
ment Frank Scott -Pearse when announc-
ing the commercial availability of OAC
Wintri at a recent press conference at the
company's Listowel research farm. He
said the company is forecasting from
FARM NEWS
Froin left—Dr. Vaino Poysa, Department of Crop Science, University of Guelph and
Frank Scott -Pearse, Director, Research and Market Development, King Grain Limited
check a winter -triticale test plot on a Monkton area farm owned by John Bradshaw.
relatively few test plots in only a few areas
of the province, but is pleased the crop
fared better than winter wheat under the
extreme weather conditions that prevailed
in Essex and Kent counties last winter.
Dr. Vaino Poysa of the crop science
department at U of G said winter triticale
is not meant to compete with winter wheat
in areas where it thrives, but as "an
alternative crop particularly in those areas
where winter wheat is risky." He noted
triticale yields were very attractive and
production costs are lower than for other
crops because less nitrogen is required,
fewer herbicides are required and drying
costs are lower. He cautioned the crop is
susceptible to lodging.
King Grain states: "OAC Wintri has
demonstrated higher winter survival and
consistently higher yields when compared
against FREDRICK wheat in the Ontario
Regional Winter Triticale Tests and the
Eastern Co-operative Winter Feed Wheat
Trials... (it) has shown resistance to stem
rust, mildew, root rot and is moderately
resistant to leaf rust.
"Approximately two weeks later in
maturity than Fredrick wheat, the vari-
ety is highly resistant to head shattering
with the grain on a tall, strong straw.
AN/�
A bit of Simmental in your cattle
makes a lot of sense.
s/MMENA
We have an excellent choice of R.O.P. Tested
bulls for sale. Excellent indexes — reasonably
priced. Half bloods 7/8 and purebreds, some
polled.
Please contact.
HILBERT VAN ANKUM
R.R. #2, Wroxeter 519-335-3011
PG. 20 THE RURAL VOICE SEPTEMBER 1982