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 2. Spring Wheat Breeding 



The area devoted to the cultivation of spring wheat in Sweden is com- 

 paratively small, representing only 1-6% of the total area devoted to all field 

 crops. This is due to the larger yields obtained from autumn sorts, and to 

 .the greater suitability of the latter for most districts. In certain districts, 

 notably on sand soils where autumn wheat does not thrive, spring wheat 

 can be grown with very good success, and in such localities occupies a place 

 on practically every farm. Work at Svalof with this crop has been carried 

 on with a view to producing more suitable and profitable sorts for the strictly 

 spring wheat districts. 



When this work was undertaken there existed in the country several 

 common types which were characterized by very early maturity, small kernel, 

 narrow open head, rather weak straw and rather high susceptibility to rust. 



Importations of foreign sorts were made and while practically none of 

 these proved superior to the old sorts of the country some were used to good 

 advantage in breeding work. The German sort Kolben, resembling Red Fife 

 closely in character, excelled the Swedish sorts in ability to resist rust, in 

 strength of straw and in size of kernel. It consequently became widely dis- 

 tributed throughout the southern parts of Sweden but was too late to thrive 

 to advantage farther north. In the greater part of Sweden, particularly in 

 the spring wheat districts, early maturing sorts are imperative owing to the 

 prevalence of early summer-night frosts. For this reason the greater part 

 of line-breeding work is now confined to the early Swedish varieties. A 

 large collection of different stocks of these varieties has been obtained from 

 farmers and others living in the northern and western provinces and efforts 

 are being put forth to discover within them, strains of superior value. While 

 these varieties seem to possess very few distinct botanical forms, yet recent 

 work in line-breeding has revealed physiological differences in sufficient 

 measure to warrant a thorough analysis of the most promising stocks. 



Among other foreign importations, the German sort Emma has given 

 a couple of strains of considerable value, viz., Pearl and No. 0201. Pearl 

 has given about the same average yield in Skane as has Kolben but has a 

 stiffer straw. It is unfortunately, more susceptible to rust and is too late 

 in maturing for points outside of the Southern province. 



No. 0201 gives", on the average, about 10% higher yield than either 

 Pearl or Kolben while in strength of straw and date of maturity it stands 

 practically on a par with the former. In quality it is inferior to Pearl so has 

 been crossed with this sort. The above two sorts, although taken from the 

 same old variety (Emma) are essentially different in respect of certain char- 

 acters. 



