The new OSU release Okfield is a great choice for growers wishing to plant an
Oklahoma-bred, herbicide-tolerant wheat.

 

Some benefits of Okfield include:

• Oklahoma-bred and Oklahoma tested
• Part of the CLEARFIELD herbicide system to combat problem weed species
• Suitable for dual-purpose production systems
• Late first hollow stem (18 days later than Jagger in 2005)
• Good resistance to powdery mildew
• Great straw strength

Okfield is one of two hard red winter wheat varieties released by Oklahoma State University in 2005. Experimentally tested as OK02909C, Okfield is the result of a cross between 2174 and a sister line of TAM 110 that resulted from backcrossing with an imidazolinone-tolerant French cultivar.

Okfield is a great choice for producers who want to give the CLEARFIELD 1 herbicide program a try, but have been disappointed by the limited number of cultivars that are adapted for Oklahoma conditions. Okfield fills this void. In fact, at 12 of 13 locations Okfield produced grain yield statistically equal to or greater than other herbicide tolerant wheats tested in 2004-2005. Okfield particularly shined in western Oklahoma and the Panhandle.

 

Okfield is a product of the GRAZE-N-GRAIN breeding program, which speaks to its ability to perform in a dual-purpose management system. It has above average forage production and good ability to re-tiller and recover from grazing pressure. First hollow stem is late. In fact, it was 18 days later than Jagger in 2005. High temperature germination sensitivity, however, limits the suitability of Okfield for producers wishing to plant prior to September 15 into hot soil conditions. Growers should also exercise caution in areas prone to wheat soilborne and/or spindle streak mosaic viruses.

Okfield’s foliar disease package is average when compared among all commercially available varieties but ranks above average when compared to commercially released, herbicide-tolerant hard red winter varieties.

In summary, Okfield is an Oklahoma-bred and Oklahoma-tested Clearfield wheat that increases the ability of Oklahoma wheat producers to combat some of their most problem weed species.