Idaho wheat and barley producers, through cooperative research and extension grants from the Idaho Wheat and Barley Commissions, provided partial funding for these small grain performance evaluations. Support was also provided by the University of Idaho Cooperative Extension System and by fees paid by plant breeding companies. This report represents the collective efforts of many individuals. Idaho Cooperative Extension System County Educators coordinated many of the off-station nurseries. Cooperator growers provided their time, land, and other inputs for management of these trials and appreciation is expressed to them for their support. The Idaho Wheat Quality Laboratory at Aberdeen determined the quality data for harvested wheat samples. Appreciation is also expressed to the numerous support workers who assisted with trial establishment, maintenance, harvest, grain processing, and data analysis. Finally, cereal breeders throughout the Northwest are recognized for their contributions since the nurseries would not be possible without their entries. The authors wish to thank all that have contributed to the success of this project.

Increases in cereal grain yields result from a combination of genetic improvements in varieties and from improved agronomic practices. Studies have shown that genetic improvements have contributed more than 50 percent of the total improvement in yield over the past 30 or 40 years. The objective of the University of Idaho Small Grain Performance Trials is to provide an unbiased appraisal and evaluation of currently available varieties and advanced experimental lines. This information will assist Idaho growers in comparing and selecting varieties best suited to their particular area and growing conditions.

Varietal development programs strive not only for greater yield potential, but also for improved end-use quality, better disease and insect resistance, and yield stabilization through improved winter hardiness, better straw strength, etc. A more detailed description of variety development, cooperative extension testing and evaluation, and seed production programs is given in the University of Idaho publication titled, "Small Grain Variety Development and Adaptation in Idaho", CIS 976. Bringing a new variety to the market place is a cooperative effort by many individuals.

Varieties are best evaluated by comparing performance over a number of locations and preferably over more than one year. Varietal performance can change in response to both environmental and cultural/management conditions. This report summarizes small grain trials conducted throughout south-central and southeastern Idaho that were harvested in 2001, as well as milling and baking data from trials harvested in 2000.

Cereal trials were established at four winter and eight spring locations throughout SC and SE Idaho during the fall of 2000 and the spring of 2001 (see Table 1). The Idaho Falls winter, Ririe spring, Fairfield, and Soda Springs trials were grown under dryland conditions, all other trials were grown under irrigation. The trials at Aberdeen were grown on a UI Research and Extension Center, and the remaining trials were grown in producers’ fields and received the same management inputs as the surrounding field.

Seeding rates were set at 1,000,000 seeds per acre for all irrigated locations (800,000 seeds per acre for spring barley) and 700,000 seeds per acre for all dryland locations (600,000 seeds per acre for dryland spring barley). This seeding rate corresponds to approximately 95 and 65 pounds of seed per acre for average sized wheat and barley seed. Row spacing was set at 7 inches for all trials except the Ririe winter trial that had 14 inches between rows. All entries were replicated 3 times at each location in a randomized complete block design. All trials were established and maintained under "grower management" conditions except for the Aberdeen site that was located on the University of Idaho Research and Extension Center. Except for planting, staking, alley maintenance, and harvest operations, each nursery received the same "grower management" or cultural operations as applied to the surrounding commercial wheat or barley field. Fertilizers and pesticides applied are listed in Table 1 for the sites where the information was reported. Planting and harvesting operations by university personnel were timed to approximately coincide with corresponding cooperator operations.

Each entry at each location was measured for grain yield, test weight, plant height, heading date, and where present, lodging. Yield was calculated for wheat at 60 pounds per bushel, 48 pounds per bushel for barley and 32 pounds per bushel for oats. Test weight is reported in pounds per standard bushel, and plant height is reported in inches from the soil surface to the tip of the heads, awns excluded. Heading date is reported as days from January 1 that 50 percent of the heads emerged from the boot, and lodging is reported as the percent of the plot area that was not standing straight prior to harvest. Spring stand is a visual rating of the total established stand on a 1-9 scale with 1 the poorest and 9 being the best. Emergence is a visual rating of speed of emergence prior to full stand establishment. This was taken at selected locations where dry soil was a factor in emergence.

Due to the time necessary to complete milling and baking evaluations, these test results are not available for the 2000 harvest. Data is given for these characteristics from the 1999 harvest.

Milling and baking tests and plump seed evaluations use standardized testing methods and are described below:

For hard wheat, additional dough and baking evaluations include the following:

For barley: