3 MONTANA EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 457 



have been observed. In the extreme northeastern counties, late 

 seeding plus extensive use of Rescue wheat, have resulted in very 

 decided reductions in sawfly population. In the western area 

 where Rescue wheat was used, populations were greatly reducea 

 in spring wheat, but the amount of infested winter wheat will 

 probably equalize any general reduction in population resulting 

 from the increased Rescue wheat acreages. 



The performance of Rescue wheat is as yet a debatable ques- 

 tion. In the northeastern counties it appeared to yield significantly 

 lesE than Thatcher, when sawfly damage was not a factor. In addi- 

 tion, it appeared to be less drouth hardy, and more susceptible to 

 lodging. In the western area, yields were excellent and lodging 

 was on the same level with other standard varieties. Some discus- 

 sion was heard regarding combining difficulties, both in handling 

 the straw and knocking out the kernels. On the other hand, claims 

 were made that it shattered easily. From these widely divergent 

 opinions, it would seem that more experience with Rescue wheat 

 is needed before it can be best evaluated. It is then very probable 

 that it will be found better suited to some areas than others. 



Milling and baking tests have shown Rescue wheat to be a 

 satisfactory bread wheat. When used alone it has about 3 percent 

 less water absorption than does Thatcher, a rather important 

 criticism from the standpoint of the millers and bakers. In other 

 milling characteristics it is equal to Thatcher and there are indica- 

 tions that proper blending will reduce the absorption difficulties. 

 Most of these tests have been conducted by the Northwest Crop 

 Improvement Association and cooperating cereal laboratories. 



The problem of controlling the sawfly in winter wheat is made 

 more difficult by the lack of any resistant winter wheat varieties. 

 A breeding program has been initiated by the Department of 

 Agronomy and Soils at Montana State College which is attempting 

 to breed some of the resistance from Rescue wheat into our better 

 winter wheat varieties. A program has also been started as a 

 cooperative effort of the Department of Zoology and Entomology 

 and the Department of Agronomy and Soils of Montana State 

 College together with the United States Bureau of Entomology 

 and Plant Quarantine and the Bureau of Plant Industry, Soils and 

 Agricultural Engineering to test 2,000 foreign wheat introductions 

 for new sources of sawfly resistance. 



ARMY CUTWORMS {Chorizagrotis auxiliaris) 



These cutworms, although not a serious problem during the 

 last biennium, caused some damage in small areas in the eastern 

 two-thirds of the state. They were observed feeding on small 



