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I fear the rust problem on the high-performance wheat varieties is here to stay, it has now spread too fast and far. They may have to go back to more robust but lower-yielding varieties.

whoa!

Any idea of what cultivars are being affected?

by ATinNM on Tue Nov 10th, 2009 at 02:04:43 PM EST
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No names offhand. But this has been coming on for several years now, and the only answer offered by petro-farming is more applications of fungicide. It raises costs and still doesn't always work.
by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Tue Nov 10th, 2009 at 02:16:08 PM EST
[ Parent ]
but the vast majority of the crop in the Palouse is soft white winter wheat.

paul spencer
by paul spencer (spencerinthegorge AT yahoo DOT com) on Tue Nov 10th, 2009 at 03:58:43 PM EST
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Guess that strikes out "Let them eat cake."
by ATinNM on Tue Nov 10th, 2009 at 08:41:29 PM EST
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i've heard people say in italy that the strain of wheat most used now was selected for its shorter stem, making it easier to combine harvest. they also allege  that this strain is less healthy to eat, and could be responsible for the high numbers suffering from celiac disease, which affects one's ability to successfully metabolise wheat gluten.

anyone else hear anything else like this?

~"When an inner situation is not made conscious, it appears outside as fate." Karl Jung~

by melo (melometa4(at)gmail.com) on Tue Nov 10th, 2009 at 04:16:03 PM EST
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You're right that the preferred varities have short stems, but that makes it harder to combine harvest, not easier, cos you have to keep the blades below the head but above stones and other obstructions in the field; this is harder with a short stem.

the idea of short stem varieties is that more plant energy goes into the seed head and less into growing and sustaining a long stalk.

No idea about the other stuff

keep to the Fen Causeway

by Helen (lareinagal at yahoo dot co dot uk) on Tue Nov 10th, 2009 at 04:35:15 PM EST
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Not only are short-stemmed cultivars used, but plant hormones are sprayed to restrict stem growth. This is to keep wheat (barley etc) standing even when heavy applications of nitrates are made. While increasing yield, these also increase stem length and propensity to flatten (stems bend and fall, the combine harvester can't harvest them properly).

This is a classic example of more chemicals to solve a problem created by chemicals.

I don't know (ie am ignorant of) a connection between short-stemmed wheat cultivars and gluten intolerance.

by afew (afew(a in a circle)eurotrib_dot_com) on Thu Nov 12th, 2009 at 04:32:02 PM EST
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