Recent efforts to expand markets for winter barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) in the mid‐Atlantic have focused on hulless types due to higher energy density. The exposed endosperm of hulless barley makes damage more likely than with hulled barley, and emergence is typically lower. Information to determine the optimum seeding rate for winter hulless barley is presently unavailable. Experiments were conducted over six site‐years in Virginia to evaluate seeding rate effects on grain yield and yield components of six hulless and three hulled barley lines. Seeding rates ranged from 278 to 742 viable seeds m−2. At similar seeding rates, final plant stands for hulless lines were 75% of that for hulled varieties. At equivalent plant density of 320 plants m−2, average grain yield for hulled lines was 6000 kg ha−1 and 4500 kg ha−1 for hulless lines. Yield of the best hulless barley line was 80% that of the hulled lines. A large portion of this is attributable to lower individual kernel weight, due to the absence of the hull weight. Hulless barley lines also had 5% fewer heads per square meter and 29% fewer grains per head. Seeding rates for hulless barley in a conventional, tilled seedbed should be at least 400 seeds m−2 to approach optimum yields. These results also support the conclusion that seeding at 480 to 520 seeds m−2 is appropriate for sites with high yield (5000 kg ha−1) potential.

‘Jamestown’ (Reg. No. CV‐1041, PI 653731) soft red winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed and released by the Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station in March 2007. Jamestown was derived from the cross ‘Roane’/Pioneer Brand ‘2691’ and was tested under the experimental number VA02W‐370. Jamestown is an early heading, awned, short‐stature, semidwarf (Rht2) cultivar possessing resistance to the predominant insect and disease pests in the eastern soft wheat region. Jamestown most notably has resistance to Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)], stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend.), and Fusarium head blight [caused by Fusarium graminearum (Schwabe)]. In USDA–ARS Uniform Southern Soft Red Winter Wheat Nursery Trials conducted at 27 locations in 2005 and at 26 locations in 2006, Jamestown produced average grain yields of 5496 and 5563 kg ha−1, respectively, compared with nursery mean yields of 4959 kg ha−1 in 2005 and 4878 kg ha−1 in 2006. Milling and baking quality of Jamestown exceeds that of ‘USG 3209’. On an Allis Chalmers Mill, Jamestown has higher break flour yield (305 vs. 283 g kg−1), softer flour texture (softness equivalent score 57.4 vs. 54.1 g 100 g−1), lower sucrose solvent retention capacity (93.8 vs. 104 g 100 g−1), and larger cookie diameters (17.0 vs. 16.8 cm).

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