doi:10.1094/CCHEM-84-3-0214 |  VIEW ARTICLE

Classification of South African Bread Wheat Cultivars According to Hagberg Falling Number Reaction to Fertilizer Treatment.

M. Craven (1,2), A. Barnard (3), W. Otto (3), and M. T. Labuschagne (4). (1) Agricultural Research Council–Small Grain Institute (ARC-SGI), Private Bag X1251, Potchefstroom, 2520, South Africa. (2) Corresponding author. Phone: (018) 299 6100 (Int: +27 18). Fax: (018) 294 7146 (Int: +27 18). E-mail: <cravenm@arc.agric.za> (3) Agricultural Research Council–Small Grain Institute, Private Bag X29, Bethlehem, 9700, South Africa. (4) University of the Free State, Department of Plant Sciences. Bloemfontein, 9300, South Africa. Cereal Chem. 84(3):214-219. Accepted November 6, 2006. Copyright 2007 AACC International, Inc.

The effect of three fertilizer treatments (suboptimal = 0 N, P, K kg/ha; standard = 20 N, 5 P, 5 K kg/ha; and optimal = 60 N, 15 P, and 15 K kg/ha) on the Hagberg Falling Number (HFN) of 15 South African bread wheats were investigated. No statistical significant effect on the HFN of wheat in general could be seen. A split-plot analysis, however, indicated a cultivar effect for HFN response to fertilizer treatment. This allowed for the grouping of cultivars into four response groups: low, low-to-medium, medium, and high, according to HFN sensitivity to fertilizer treatment. A canonical variate analysis (CVA) was performed on the general performance of each cultivar with regard to three characteristics: yield, protein content, and HFN. This allowed for the refinement of risk groups as created by the split-plot analysis for HFN response. However, HFN measured were never below the 220 sec cut-off mark for grade.