26 BULLETIN 1046, TJ. S. DEPARTMEI^T OF AGEICULTUEE. 



RESISTANCE TO LEAF BUST. 



Obseryations {31) made at Manhattan, Kans., during the o-year 

 period from 1915 to 1919, inclusive, and field notes recorded in all 

 sections of the State in 1919, 1920, and 1921 show that these three 

 pure lines of Crimean wheat are remarkably resistant also to leaf 

 rust {Puccinia triticina) as it occurs in Kansas. Mains and Jackson 

 (27) also have found these three varieties to be very resistant to leaf 

 rust under field conditions and where the plants were approaching 

 the heading stage. According to these workers, however, seedlings 

 of these varieties do not prove to be resistant to leaf rust when 

 inoculated and maintained under greenhouse conditions. 



The resistance to leaf rust has been manifested also in experimental 

 field sowings made in the States of Alabama, California, IVIissouri, 

 North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, 

 Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin, and also in New South Wales, 

 Australia. Present knowledge of the leaf -rust, problem and the 

 records from a wide range of sowings subjected to severe epidemics 

 of leaf rust indicate rather definitely that Kanred, P1066, and P1068 

 will maintain this high degree of resistance under a wide range of 

 conditions. It should not be supposed, however, that the resistance 

 of these varieties to leaf rust will be absolute under all conditions or 

 in the presence of all the biologic strains of leaf rust which may exist. 



AGRONOMIC VALUE OF KANRED WHEAT. 



Kanred wheat presents a unique combination of desirable agro- 

 nomic characters, a fact which is of even greater significance than its ■ 

 resistance to rusts. Jardine (19) described the origin and history 

 of Kanred wheat and called attention to its higher yield, earliness, 

 and cold resistance. 



Call and Salmon (6) state that ''at Manhattan, the average pro- 

 duction of Kanred has been 4.5 bushels per acre more than Turkey 

 and 4.7 bushels more than Kh.arkof." It has outyielded these 

 varieties in every season but one and in that season (1914) practically 

 equaled the others. Salmon (36) presents further experimental data 

 on the superiority of Kanred and gives statements regarding the 

 value of Kanred from a large number of farmers who have grown 

 the new variety. 



It is estimated that at least 1,500,000 acres were sown to Kanred 

 wheat in Kansas in the fall of 1920, and it is expected that within a 

 few years this variety will occupy a large percentage of the hard 

 winter-wheat acreage of Kansas. If the area sown to Kam-ed should 

 reach 7, 000, 000 acres and the yield should be increased 3 bushels 

 per acre, with wheat selling at SI per bushel, other factors re- 

 maining unchanged, the annual value added to the Kansas wheat 



