AAC Icefield hard white winter wheat

Abstract

AAC Icefield is the first hard white winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar registered in western Canada. It was selected from a population of F1-derived doubled-haploids of the cross McClintock/83W020007. Registration testing occurred from 2013 to 2017. These data, collected over 53 site–years, showed that AAC Icefield yielded significantly more grain than CDC Buteo, was similar in yield to Flourish, Moats, and CDC Falcon, and was significantly lower yielding than AAC Elevate and Sunrise. AAC Icefield expressed fair survival, intermediate maturity, short straw, and very good lodging resistance. Test weight and kernel weight were within the range of the checks. Ratings based on the prevalent disease races in western Canada were summarized as resistant to stem rust, moderately resistant to leaf and stripe rust, intermediate in resistance to Fusarium head blight, and susceptible to common bunt. The grain yield, agronomic characteristics, and disease resistance attributes of AAC Icefield provide good adaptation for all areas of western Canada. Despite lower grain protein concentration than Canada Western Red Winter wheat cultivars, AAC Icefield showed exceptional gluten strength per unit of protein. AAC Icefield is well-suited to a wide range of end-uses including white and whole-grain pan bread, French and flat breads, Asian steamed bread, and noodles. Currently designated in the Canada Western Experimental wheat class to facilitate test marketing, a decision on permanent class placement for AAC Icefield will be made by the Canadian Grain Commission following the assessment of market interest.