Agricultural News
It's All About the Endpoint - Dr. Brett Carver's Vision at the Helm of OSU's Wheat Breeding Program
Mon, 03 Oct 2016 15:18:35 CDT
Last week, Wheat Breeder Dr. Brett Carver of the Oklahoma State University Wheat Improvement Team had the opportunity to meet with a group of flour millers from Mexico representing one of the largest milling companies in the country, that were touring wheat facilities throughout the US Breadbasket. Farm Director Ron Hays spoke with Dr. Carver to find out what exactly his program is doing to help groups like the one he met with and producers here domestically. He explained to Hays that during his meeting with the group, he stressed the fact that his program is not just focused on high yields and agronomics, but quality, too.
"That's what it's really all about, it has to serve a purpose at the table," Carver said. "We talk so much with farmers about what that variety can do in the field, but that's not the endpoint. The end point is when we get to the table," Carver said, expressing how much he enjoyed talking with the Mexican millers. "I want to learn more about what they're looking for, so that helps me drive the breeding program."
Dr. Carver explains that when breeding a new experimental line that will eventually become a new variety, there are generally a couple cuts that are made during the process to help narrow things down a bit in the balancing of agronomics and baking test outcomes.
"Well we always get the first indication on agronomics, that's the one that comes first," Carver said. "So we're often going to make that first cut based on how that experimental line does in the field. Then we have to go in and decide - within this yield level, what's going to give us the best end use quality."
This is a process that takes time; three years being the industry standard, according to Dr. Carver. However, he says for him to feel comfortable about releasing a new variety, he actually prefers at least six years of test data. Although it is certainly more time consuming, Dr. Carver believes his efforts are paying off.
"I feel like over time we're making strides," Carver said. "I really feel like our quality is just as good if not better than what I started with in the 1990s. If I can keep that going and drive that yield curve up, I'll be pretty happy and I think everybody else will be too."
Listen to Dr. Brett Carver's full conversation with Radio Oklahoma Network's Farm Director Ron Hays on his direction of the OSU wheat breeding program by clicking on the LISTEN BAR below.
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