Heat-Resistant Wheat 895 Has High Yield in the Field Test

Climate change has become an important restrictor to wheat production and food security in China. Affected by the 38-degree heat in the main producing areas days ago, the wheat varieties resistant to heat withered, shriveling the seeds and reducing the yield, and the processing and nutritional quality was also dramatically impaired. With joint effort, researchers from the Institute of Crop Sciences(ICS) and the Institute of Cotton Research (ICR) bred a high-yielding, disease-resistant, adaptable wheat variety called ‘ZhongMai 895’. Highly resistant to heat and quick in grouting, this new variety matures with green leaves and the grain is large and plump. In a strengthened effort to promote the variety, live demonstrations were presented in Yingshang County, Fuyang City, Anhui Province and in Jingyang County, Xianyang City, Shaanxi Province respectively on May 15 and 25, 2014. Shaanxi News, Anhui Daily News, and China Science Daily delivered a detailed coverage.
More than a perfect combination of yield potential and disease resistance, this new wheat variety presents high resistance to fall and heat and large and plump grains. Recognized as a national wheat variety in 2012, ZhongMai 895 is the ideal variety in response to climate change, and highly worth promotion in the areas south of the Yellow River and north of the Huaihe River.

ZhongMai 895 has four prominent characteristics:

First, high and stable yield and resistance to fall. In the winter water plot, the average yield registers 547 kg/mu, 4.8% higher than the control group ZhouMai 18, and the performance is even more prominent in large-scale demonstration. In Hongxing Town, Yingshang County, Anhui Province, this variety has been planted in an area of nearly 1000 mu, and without irrigation, the average yield is expected to attain 643.7 kg/mu. In Xiaoji Town, Xinxiang County, Henan Province, this variety has been planted in an area of more than 2500 mu, and with only two times of irrigation, the average yield is expected to attain 600.2 kg/mu. Shaanxi Provincial Department of Agriculture has arranged more than 30 100-mu plots, and the yield is generally higher than other varieties of wheat. In 2012, a provincial record high yield of 704.2 kg per mu was made in Ximao Town, Sanyuan County. Generally, the high and stable yield can be attributed to the compact planting and shorter plants, where the former allows for 10% more plants in a unit area and the latter, about 70-75 cm each, are strongly resistant to fall.

Second, great disease resistance. Identified by the Institute of Plant Protection (IPP) of CAAS, ZhongMai 895 is resistant to stripe rust and powdery mildew, and slightly subject to gibberellic disease. In the massive explosion of gibberellic disease in the producing area in 2012, the incidence among ZhongMai 895 was lower relative to existing commercial varieties. Averagely, the incidence reads 6.2% among ZhongMai 895, but was up to 15.6% among another wheat variety, the AiKang 58.

Third, strong resistance to late-stage heat and adaptability.ZhongMai 895 is an ideal variety against climate change. Late-stage heat has become an important restrictor to wheat production and results in premature aging of existing varieties to varying degrees. However, by virtue of strong root and leaf functions, ZhongMai 895 is resistant to heat and quick in grouting, and delivers quality products. Grains are large and plump, weighing about 50 grams per 1000 pieces, five grams higher than other varieties, which guarantees the stable production. As great commodities, the grains are favored by wheat farmers and buyers.

Fourth, the quality of noodle and steamed bun achieves the standards for quality all-purpose wheat.

ZhongMai 895 is suitable for planting in north-central Henan Province, north Jiangsu and Anhui, and central Shaanxi where the irrigation conditions are favorable. It is better sowing in early and middle October, with an amount of 8-12 kg per mu. Attention should be paid to the integrated prevention and control of aphids, sheath blight and gibberellic disease.