NEWS for North Dakotans
Agriculture Communication, North Dakota State University
7 Morrill Hall, Fargo, ND 58105-5665

November 5, 1998

NDSU Releases New Durum Varieties: Maier and Mountrail

The Agricultural Experiment Station at North Dakota State University announces the release of Maier and Mountrail durum. Maier has been tested since 1990 and Mountrail since 1991 at locations across the Dakotas, Minnesota, Montana and in Canada.

Maier was named in honor of the late Mel Maier, former administrator of the North Dakota Commission. This variety is being released for its high yield and high protein content, says Elias Elias, who serves as NDSU's durum breeder and leader of the durum breeding team, which also includes plant pathologists and cereal scientists.

In replicated trials, Maier consistently outperformed Renville and Monroe by an average of 3.6 bushels per acre. Maier's protein content was 0.5 percent higher than all the other durum varieties currently available. In addition to a higher protein content, Maier is a strong gluten durum and has good semolina extraction. On average, Maier has a test weight similar to Renville and Vic. Maier is medium to late in maturity and of medium height.

Maier is not resistant to Fusarium head blight (FHB or scab), but it is not highly susceptible either. Maier's scab tolerance is similar to that of Renville. Maier is resistant to leaf- and stem-rust diseases but has higher Tan spot and Septoria ratings than Ben and Rugby.

Named after Mountrail County, the state's current leader in durum acreage, Mountrail is an exceptionally high-yielding variety with an overall protein content and a semolina protein content comparable to other current varieties, Elias says. Mountrail's yield advantage over Renville and Monroe averaged 4.5 bushels in the trials, and Mountrail maintained its yield advantage in all areas of North Dakota.

Mountrail's protein content is comparable with the other available durum varieties, and its protein quality, measured as gluten strength, is similar to Monroe and Renville. However, Mountrail's gluten strength is not as good as that of Belzer or Maier. Mountrail is a medium- to late-maturing variety and is of medium height.

In terms of disease, Mountrail possesses a scab tolerance similar to other varieties, although its scab rating is higher than Belzer and Rugby. Mountrail is resistant to leaf- and stem-rust diseases; its ratings for Tan spot and Septoria are higher than those for Ben and Vic but similar to those for Belzer, Munich, Renville and Monroe.

When combining average yields, Maier and Mountrail have a 4.1-bushel yield advantage, compared to Renville or Monroe, says Al Schneiter, chair of NDSU's plant sciences department. In 1997, North Dakota durum producers planted 855,000 acres of Renville and 767,500 acres of Monroe. Schneiter estimates that if Maier and Mountrail were to replace only half of the current acres of Renville and Monroe, these new NDSU varieties should generate an additional $15 million per year in income for North Dakota durum producers, based on 1997 acreage and a $4.50-per-bushel durum price.

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Source: Al Schneiter (701) 231-8137

Editor: Dean Hulse (701) 231-6136