Research Advisor: Joshua Hegarty (jmhegarty@ucdavis.edu)
Student Lead: Ali Said Yusuf (alisaid@ucdavis.edu)
The breeding goal of the small grains team is to combine improved yield, weed competitiveness, lodging, and disease resistance with unique flavor profiles and quality characteristics, with a focus on bread wheat. Organic wheat farming in California is primarily low input, including dryland farming. Whole grain baking quality and grain quality is assessed at the California Wheat Commission in Woodland.
Current trials include heritage varieties, varieties no longer under Plant Variety Protection (ExPVP), high anthocyanin varieties, and advanced experimental lines from UC Davis grain breeding programs. The small grains team is currently advancing several lines of blue, charcoal, heritage x modern, and awnless wheats.
In 2019, the wheat breeding program released UC Amarillo, a hard, white wheat variety with yellow pigment.
Watch our virtual small grains field day!