Registration of ‘Scorpio’ hard red winter wheat

Authors: CARTER, A - Washington State University; BALOW, K - Washington State University; SHELTON, G - Washington State University; BURKE, A - Washington State University; HAGEMEYER, K - Washington State University; STOWE, A - Washington State University; WORAPONG, J - Washington State University; HIGGINBOTHAM, R - Highline Grain Growers, Inc; Chen, Xianming; ENGLE, D - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA); MURRAY, T - US Department Of Agriculture (USDA); Morris, Craig

Submitted to: Journal of Plant Registrations
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/27/2020
Publication Date: 10/30/2020
Citation: Carter, A.H., Balow, K.A., Shelton, G.B., Burke, A.B., Hagemeyer, K.E., Stowe, A., Worapong, J., Higginbotham, R.W., Chen, X., Engle, D.A., Murray, T.D., Morris, C.F. 2020. Registration of ‘Scorpio’ hard red winter wheat. Journal of Plant Registrations. 15(1):113-120. https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20076.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/plr2.20076

Interpretive Summary: The development of hard red winter (HRW) wheat varieties for the Pacific Northwest region of the United States has been challenged in recent years by both cultural and environmental changes that have had an impact on creating a successful variety in the >500 mm average annual precipitation zones of eastern Washington State. The use of nitrogen fertilizer, an increase in no-till production, and farming on previously forested land have all lead to the decrease in soil pH to a level that can be toxic to wheat, especially in already compromised soils such as previously forested land. The objective of this research was to develop a HRW variety that combines tolerance to low pH soils with other important traits such as high yield potential, high grain volume weight, high grain protein concentration, acceptable end-use quality, winter hardiness, and stripe rust resistance. ‘Scorpio’ HRW wheat was developed and released in March 2019 by the Agricultural Research Center of Washington State University. Scorpio is a semi-dwarf cultivar adapted for the high rainfall wheat production regions of Washington State. Scorpio is tolerant to low pH soils, has high-temperature adult-plant resistance to stripe rust, is short in height, and has mid-season maturity, high grain volume weight, high grain protein concentration, and high grain yield potential. Scorpio has end-use quality properties comparable to those of ‘LCS Jet’, ‘Keldin’, and ‘Whetstone’, and acceptable for both domestic and export markets.

Technical Abstract: The development of hard red winter (HRW) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars for the Pacific Northwest region of the United States has been challenged in recent years by both cultural and environmental changes that have had an impact on creating a successful variety in the >500 mm average annual precipitation zones of eastern Washington State. The use of nitrogen fertilizer, an increase in no-till production, and farming on previously forested land have all lead to the decrease in soil pH to a level that can be toxic to wheat, especially in already compromised soils such as previously forested land. The objective of this research was to develop a HRW cultivar that combines tolerance to low pH soils with other important traits such as high yield potential, high grain volume weight, high grain protein concentration, acceptable end-use quality, winter hardiness, and stripe rust resistance (caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Erikss.). ‘Scorpio’ (Reg. No. CV-xxxx, PI xxxxxx) HRW wheat was developed and released in March 2019 by the Agricultural Research Center of Washington State University. Scorpio was tested under the experimental designations HRW11064-1-DH-1-4 and WA8268, which were assigned through progressive generations of advancement. Scorpio is a semi-dwarf cultivar adapted for the high rainfall wheat production regions of Washington State. Scorpio is tolerant to low pH soils, has high-temperature adult-plant resistance to stripe rust, is short in height, has mid-season maturity, high grain volume weight, high grain protein concentration, and high grain yield potential. Scorpio has end-use quality properties comparable to those of ‘LCS Jet’, ‘Keldin’, and ‘Whetstone’, and acceptable for both domestic and export markets.