‘Egan’ hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (Reg. No. 1102, PI 671855) was developed by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 2014. Egan is intended for production in areas of Montana infested with the orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM) (Sitodiplosis mosellana Géhin). Egan is resistant to OWBM due to antibiosis conferred by resistance gene Sm1. Egan also contains a chromosome segment originally introgressed into wheat from T. turgidum ssp. dicoccoides containing a gene for high protein (Gpc‐B1) and a gene for stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici) resistance (Yr36). Egan has shown high yield potential and high grain protein in nurseries grown under OWBM pressure in the Flathead Valley of Montana. Egan is the first hard red spring wheat cultivar with resistance to OWBM developed for Montana.
Rapid development of the Montana pulse crop industry has created a strong demand for breeding efforts and cultivar recommendations. We evaluated adaptation and yield stability of diversely sourced dry pea (Pisum sativum L.) and lentil (Lens culinaris Medik.) genotypes across Montana from 2009 to 2011. Mega‐environments in Montana and superior genotypes were identified using additive main effect and multiplicative interaction (AMMI) methodology. Grain yield of both crops varied among the locations and across years. A large portion of the total variation (genotype [G] and environment [E] plus their interaction G × E) was explained by E (93% for dry pea and 89% for lentil), while G only explained 0.7% and 3.6% of the total variation for dry pea and lentil, respectively. Dry pea cultivars Delta, Majoret, and Cruiser were found to be suitable, with general adaptation to Montana. Three mega‐environments were identified for pea including: (i) Richland (northeastern Montana); (ii) Bozeman, Conrad, and Corvallis (southwestern and western Montana); and (iii) Havre, Moccasin, and Huntley (northern, central, and southern Montana). Among lentil cultivars, CDC Richlea was judged as the most promising cultivar as a result of general adaptation. Lentil cultivars Essex and LC01602300R showed higher yield potential than CDC Richlea but more specific adaptation. Four mega‐environments were also distinguished for lentil including (i) Creston and Conrad (northwestern Montana), (ii) Havre and Richland (northern and northeastern Montana), (iii) Moccasin (central Montana), and (iv) Huntley (southern Montana).
Euxestonotus error (Fitch) (Hymenoptera: Platygastridae) is considered part of the natural enemy complex of the wheat midge Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae). Although previously reported in the United States of America, there is no record for this species outside the state of New York since 1865. A survey conducted in the summer of 2015 revealed that E. error is present in northwestern Montana and is likely playing a role in the suppression of wheat midge populations.
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