Mike Giroux and Andy Hogg 
Updated February 2026

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General variety descriptions are based on performance in multi-year/location yield trials that were grown using recommended conventional wheat farming practices. Actual variety performance may vary, depending on local growing conditions and farming methods. All varieties listed are PVP protected.

 

MT BLACKBEARD (MAES release 2022):

A top yielding cultivar in dryland and irrigated environments. Hollow stemmed, taller plant height, black awned, high protein, good test weight, and later maturing. Excellent end-use qualities with a large individual seed weight, high gluten index, high yellow color semolina, and low cadmium uptake. MT Blackbeard is adapted to the dryland durum growing environments in Montana and parts of North Dakota.

MT Raska (MAES release 2022):

High yielding, hollow stemmed, semi-dwarf height, excellent straw strength, low sawfly cutting, high protein, excellent test weight, and early maturing. Good end use qualities with average gluten strength and yellow semolina color, and high milling yield. MT Raska is adapted to the dryland durum growing environments in North Central and Northeast, MT.

MTD19011 (name pending, MAES release 2026):

One of the top yielding cultivars in dryland environments. Hollow stemmed, tall plant height, good protein, good test weight, with average maturing date. Good end use qualities with a large individual seed weight, average gluten strength, good yellow color semolina, high milling yield, and low cadmium uptake. MT19011 is adapted to dryland durum growing environments in North Central and Northeast, MT.

MTD19241 (name pending, MAES release 2026):

One of the top yielding cultivars in dryland environments. Solid stemmed with low sawfly cutting, tall plant height, high grain protein, good test weight, and average maturity date. Good end use quality with a smaller individual seed weight, good gluten index, excellent yellow semolina color, and low cadmium uptake. MT19241 is adapted to dryland durum growing environments in North Central and Northeast, MT.

 

Table 1. Agronomic Performance From Advanced State Durum Trials for Selected Varieties in Dryland and Irrigated Conditions (2022-2025, 31 location years)
ID
Yield (bu/ac)
Test weight (lbs/bu)
Protein (%)
Plant height (in)
Heading date (Julian)
Heading calendar date
MTD19011
 68.7 60.7 14.6 33.7 180.6 Jun-29
MTD19241
 68.6 61.1 14.8 32.6 181.0 Jun-30
MT Blackbeard
 68.4 61.3 14.6 36.5 182.5 Jul-1
ND Riveland
 65.5 60.9 14.8 35.5 181.5 Jun-30
Lustre
 65.0 60.2 14.7 33.9 181.6 Jun-30
MT Raska
 64.3 61.9 14.7 26.2 178.0 Jun-27
Divide
 64.3 61.0 14.7 34.4 181.2 Jun-30
Joppa
 64.0 61.1 14.4 33.9 180.8 Jun-29
Alzada
 63.1 60.2 14.4 28.0 178.0 Jun-27

Mean

 65.5 60.9 14.6 32.8 180.6  

LSD (0.05)

 2.3 0.2 0.2 0.6 0.4  
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column
Table 2. Agronomic Performance from Advanced State Durum Trials for Selected Varieties in Dryland Conditions (2022-2025, 22 location years)
ID
Yield (bu/ac)
Test weight (lbs/bu)
Protein (%)
Plant height (in)
Heading date (Julian)
Heading calendar date
MTD19011
 54.1 60.1 15.1 32.1 179.8 Jun-28
MTD19241
 53.4 60.3 15.3 31.3 180.5 Jun-29
MT Blackbeard
 53.1 60.6 15.2 34.5 181.7 Jun-30
Alzeda
 51.7 59.7 14.8 27.2 117.2 Jun-26
MT Raska
 51.0 61.4 15.1 25.3 177.3 Jun-26
Divide
 49.9 60.3 15.2 32.7 180.3 Jun-29
ND Riveland
 49.7 60.0 15.4 33.6 180.9 Jun-29
Lustre
 49.4 59.3 15.3 32.2 180.9 Jun-29
Joppa
 47.5 60.3 15.0 32.2 180.2 Jun-29

Mean

 51.0 60.2 15.1 31.2 173.6  

LSD (0.05)

 2.0 0.3 0.2 0.7 0.5  
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column

Table 3. Agronomic Performance from Advanced State Durum Trials for Selected Varieties in Dryland Trials from North Central and Northeastern, MT (2022-2025, 16 location-years)

ID
Yield (bu/ac)
Test weight (lbs/bu)
Protein (%)
Plant height (in)
Heading date (Julian)
Heading calendar date
MTD19011
  51.6 60.3  15.1 31.4  173.6 Jun-22
MTD19241
  51.5 60.5 15.3 30.6 174.2 Jun-23
MT Blackbeard
 49.7  60.6  15.3   33.5 175.2 Jun-25
MT Raska
 48.9   61.7 15.2  25.4 170.8  Jun-19
Alzeda
 48.9   60.0 14.8   27.2 170.6  Jun-19
Divide
 47.7  60.5   15.2  32.0 174.1  Jun-23
Lustre
  47.5 59.5   15.3 31.4 174.6 Jun-23
ND Riveland
  45.8  60.1  15.4 32.7  174.9  Jun-23
Joppa
  44.7  60.5 15.0   31.3 174.1  Jun-23

Mean

 48.3  60.4  15.2  30.6  173.6   

LSD (0.05)

 2.0  0.3 0.2  0.7  0.6  
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column

Table 4. Seed Quality Traits of Selected Varieties Evaluated by USDA-ARS Hard Spring and Durum Wheat Quality Lab (2022-2024)

ID
Test weight (lbs/bu)
Large seed (%)
Individual seed diameter (mm)
Grain protein (%)
Falling number (sec)
MTD19011
 60.2 54.3 40.3 2.85 477.2
MTD19241
 60.5 39.0 35.3 2.73 468
MT Blackbeard
 60.7 66.4 41.2 2.93 482.7
MT Raska
 61.2 52.2 36.4 2.82 454.8
WB8148
 60.2 41.8 36.7 2.79 484.3
Alzeda
 59.7 66.7 41.5 2.99 516.1
ND Riveland
 60.2 51.6 40.1 2.83 480.5
Divide
 60.5 47.3 38.6 2.8 437.5
Joppa
 60.6 41.1 38.8 2.76 438.4
Mountrail
 59.9 34.7 38 2.76 441.5

Average

 60.4 49.5 38.7 2.83 468.1

LSD (0.05)

 0.7 6.4 1.7 0.06 26.6
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column

Table 5. Semolina Qualtiy Traits of Selected Varieties Evaluated by USDA-ARS Hard Spring and Durum Wheat Quality Lab (2022-2024)

ID
Semolina yield (%)
Semolina protein (%)
Semolina Ash (%)
Brightness
Yellowness
Gluten index (0-100)
MTD19011
 63.9 13.1 0.64 84.3 30.7 68.5
MTD19241
 61.1 13.3 0.63 84.1 31.8 62.3
MT Blackbeard
 63.6 13 0.68 84.4 30.6 93.2
MT Raska
 64.3 13.4 0.64 84.3 28.8 75.9
WB8148
 62.6 13.6 0.68 83.8 31.6 91.1
Alzeda
 63.9 13.2 0.71 83.9 31.3 93.7
ND Riveland
 60.4 13.3 0.65 84.4 30.5 86
Divide
 63.4 13.2 0.64 84.6 27.9 73.9
Joppa
 63.1 13 0.65 84.6 30.8 82.9
Mountrail
 63.4 13.6 0.67 84.7 26.4 17.5

Average

 63.0 13.3 0.66 84.3 30.0 74.5

LSD (0.05)

 0.6 0.5 0.03 0.2 0.5 8.6
  • bold-italics indicates highest value within a column