Phil Bruckner and Jim Berg, Winter Wheat Breeding Program, Montana State University
(Updated 1/2020)
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Bobcat is a hard red winter wheat with improved yield potential (Tables 1 and 2) relative to other solid stemmed varieties. Bobcat was developed by the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station and will be released to certified seed growers in fall 2019. Bobcat is a selection from a composite cross of 2 unreleased MT solid-stemmed experimental lines with an unreleased Mt hollow-stemmed line. Bobcat is an awned, white-glumed semi-dwarf wheat with medium to late maturity. Bobcat is the top performing line in locations where sawfly cutting has occurred (Table 2). Stem solidness is excellent, significantly higher than to Warhorse (Table 3). Bobcat has above average test weight and average protein, and average winter hardiness (Table 4). Bobcat is resistant to prevalent races of stripe and stem rust, but susceptible to leaf rust. Bobcat is a medium high PPO variety with above average mill and bake properties (Table 5). 

To be sold by variety name only as a class of certified seed. Montana State University Research Fees due on seed sold.

 

Table. 1 Yield of Bobcat vs. a Set of Varieties (2015-2019)1/

Variety
Districts
All Locations
1
2  
3  
4 
5 
6 
7  
Kalispell
Bozeman
Huntley2/
Moccasin3/
Conrad4/
Havre5/
Williston and Sydney
Location years 2 8 19 16 16 25 5 91
Bobcat
 105.9 104.5 74.0 59.1 70.6 62.1 54.4 69.8
Loma
 109.0 108.4 74.1 61.4 68.8 55.9 57.0 68.8
Judee
 114.8 100.4 71.3 59.5 62.1 55.0 50.9 65.5
Decade
 81.7 90.2 75.9 63.1 61.1 54.2 57.0 65.4
Warhorse
 105.2 99.5 75.9 58.7 60.2 53.5 50.2 65.2
LSD (0.05) ns 10.3 ns 2.8 2.9 2.9 ns 1.9
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column
  • bold indicates values equal to highest variety within a column based on Fisher's Protected LSD (p = 0.05)
  • ns = non-significant
  • 1/ includes 2017-2019 intrastate and 2017-2019 off station, and 2015-2019 sawfly tests
  • 2/ includes data from Fort Smith, Hardin area, Hysham Molt, Rapelje
  • 3/ includes data from Belt, Denton, Geraldine, Highwood
  • 4/ includes data from Choteau, Cut Bank, The Knees, Shelby
  • 5/ includes data from Big Sandy, Fort Benton, Gildford, Loma, Turner

 

Table 2. Bobcat Yield Performance Under Sawfly Pressure (test average cutting >10%) and % Sawfly Cutting (2017-2019)

Variety
Yield (bu/a)
Sawfly Cutting (%)
Location years 16 16
Bobcat
 64.5 8
Loma
 60.2 31
SY Monument
 59.2 53
Northern
 58.7 50
Keldin
 58.3 53
Brawl CLP
 57.9 39
Yellowstone
 57.0 59
FourOsix
 56.8 60
Decade
 56.0 42
SY Clearstone 2CL
 56.0 63
Judee
 55.8 39
Ray
 54.4 53
Warhorse
 53.4 10
LSD (0.05) 3.6 9.3
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column
  • bold indicates values equal to highest variety within a column based on Fisher's Protected LSD (p = 0.05)

 

Table. 3 Stem Solidness Ratings of Bobcat Compared to Other Solid-Stemmed Varieties (2015-2019)

Variety
Stem Solidness Rating
(scale 5-25, higher = more solid)
Stem Solidness by Location, 2015-2019
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2015-2018
Billings
Bozeman
Conrad
Havre1/
Moccasin
Location years 9 9 11 6 3 38 2 8 6 19 3
Bobcat
 23.9 23.8 22.8 22.3 22.0 23.2 23.0 22.8 23.3 23.4 22.5
Judee
 20.7 22.3 18.4 20.0 19.4 20.2 22.0 17.8 21.4 20.5 21.7
Loma
 21.0 22.5 19.3 17.9 17.3 20.1 22.8 17.2 20.4 21.0 19.8
Warhorse
 22.3 22.5 21.1 21.4 21.9 21.8 22.6 20.5 22.2 22.2 22.2
LSD (0.05) 0.9 ns 1.3 2.0 ns 0.7 ns 1.7 1.4 0.9 ns
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column
  • bold indicates values equal to highest variety within a column based on Fisher's Protected LSD (p = 0.05)
  • 1/ includes Carter, Gildford, and Loma

 

Table 4. Agronomic Characteristics of Bobcat vs. a Set of Varieties (2015-2019)1/

Variety
Test Weight (lb/bu)
Winter survival (%)
Heading date
Plant height (in)
Lodging (%)
Protein (%)
Stem solidness
(5-25)
Sawfly cutting (%)
Stripe rust (%)
Coleoptile length (in)
Julian
Calendar
Location years 89 2 36   86 9 91 38 27 5 1
Bobcat
 61.2 43 162.4 11-Jun 27.9 4 12.6 23.2 8 6 2.9
Decade
 60.5 52 160.4 9-Jun 30.3 21 12.8 7.0 38 52 2.9
Judee
 61.5 53 161.1 10-Jun 30.0 21 13.0 20.2 33 6 3.7
Loma
 60.3 49 163.9 13-Jun 28.4 17 12.6 20.1 28 6 2.8
Warhorse
 60.6 46 162.1 11-Jun 29.3 11 13.2 21.8 9 4 3.2
LSD (0.05) 0.2 ns 0.4   0.4 9 0.1 0.7 6 15 0.2
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column
  • bold indicates values equal to highest variety within a column based on FIsher's Protected LSD (p = 0.05)
  • 1/ includes 2017-2019 intrastate and 2017-2019 off station, and 2015-2019 sawfly tests

 

Table 5. Mill and Bake Characteristics of Bobcat vs. a Set of Varieties (2015-2018)

Variety
PPO1/
Kernel hardness
Flour
Mixograph
Baking
Yield (%)
Protein (%)
Ash (%)
Tolerance (1-6)
Mix time (min)
Absorption (%)
Mix time (min)
Absorption (%)
Volume (cc)
location years 19 12 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19 19
Bobcat
 0.285 69.2 72.0 12.5 0.39 3.2 6.5 68.1 14.9 78.3 1080
Decade
 0.273 75.2 70.3 12.2 0.40 3.1 8.3 69.2 18.6 79.3 1077
Judee
 0.250 78.4 70.4 12.6 0.40 3.4 5.7 66.0 9.0 75.9 1162
Loma
 0.153 79.1 72.0 12.2 0.40 3.1 7.1 68.0 15.2 78.5 1131
Warhorse
 0.258 87.5 69.7 12.8 0.42 2.3 4.9 67.2 7.9 77.2 1119
LSD (0.05) 0.027 3.1 0.5 0.31 0.01 0.4 1.1 1.4 2.2 1.4 32
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column
  • bold indicates values equal to highest variety within a column based on FIsher's Protected LSD (p = 0.05)
  • 1/ polyphenol oxidase low is best for noodles