The Cornell Small Grains Breeding and Genetics Project has released a new soft white winter wheat variety called CaledoniaResel-L with exceptionally high grain yield, grain quality, and disease resistance. This variety is moderately resistant to fusarium head blight and produces 5% more grain than older varieties, thus increasing the efficiency of production for the farmer, and thereby resulting in higher profits.

Small grains are grown on about 400,000 acres of New York farms annually. Improved varieties with high grain yields, resistance to plant diseases, and improved grain quality are required for our farmers to remain competitive domestically and internationally. Consumers’ increased preference for healthy and safe food products has increased demand for foods that not only taste good but also help to prevent heart disease and cancer. Locally produced farm products can result in substantial savings to the industry and to NY and helps maintain local economic vitality and reduce energy consumption. Cornell has the only active small grains breeding program in the Northeast region that is developing and testing wheat, oats, and barley.

The Cornell Small Grains Breeding and Genetics Project has released a new soft white winter wheat variety called CaledoniaResel-L with exceptionally high grain yield, grain quality, and disease resistance. This variety is moderately resistant to fusarium head blight and produces 5% more grain than older varieties, thus increasing the efficiency of production for the farmer resulting in higher profits. Fusarium head blight disease has been a growing problem throughout the major wheat growing regions of the U.S. because the inoculum for this disease comes from the crop land in conservation tillage. Resistance to this disease is especially important because the fungus produces a chemical that is toxic to humans. Winter wheat is a vital component of NY agriculture because it spreads the labor requirement over more of the year. It is an environmentally friendly crop due to its low requirements for pesticides and fertilizers, and it helps prevent soil erosion.

A 5% increase in grain yield of a variety grown on half of the NY wheat acreage can result in over a million dollars in increased income to the NY wheat farmer annually. Consumers are the ultimate beneficiaries of this project because the results are healthier, safer, cheaper food products that are produced locally. The livestock industry benefits from cheaper feed and the food processing industry benefits from access to locally produced raw materials. A healthy farm economy depends on locally adapted, competitive varieties of all crops and, in turn, contributes to the NY state economy. Because small grains are low input crops requiring minimal tillage, less fertilizer and fewer pesticides, they contribute to environmental conservation and a clean environment.