Wheat field captured by Steve Beckley at Reclamation District 108 in Colusa County on April, 2019
2019 California Wheat Variety Survey Available
The California Wheat Commission publishes an estimate of the wheat varieties planted each year in the state. This report is released in April and includes winter and spring seeding estimates. SY-Summit 515 and Yecora Rojo are the most planted Hard Red varieties; and Blanca Grande 515 is the most Hard White variety planted. UC Desert King HP and Tiburon are the most planted Durum varieties. Read more about the 2019 Variety Survey results here:
Mark Lundy, Assistant Cooperative Extension Specialist: The 2018-19 season has been characterized by higher than average precipitation throughout California. Locations in the Sacramento Valley received more than 125-150% of their average annual precipitation totals by April 1, while locations in the San Joaquin valley were also well above average annual totals (105 – 120%). Early season night-time temperatures were higher than normal resulting in faster early vegetative development than normal for fall-planted crops. However, beginning in February, temperatures fell to below average until the end of March and crop development slowed to below average for the season as of April 1st. To date, there have been few diseases of note.
Preliminary Results for the California Wheat Preferred Variety List for Bread Products
The California Wheat Commission in collaboration with the University of California, Davis and industry representatives are working to establish a California Wheat Preferred Variety List based on quality for specific baked products. The first list will include two-years data of quality analyzed from different locations. The first list will include a classification such as: Recommended, Acceptable, and Not Recommended for Bread Quality. Results will be available this year.
Do you know the Quality Traits from California Hard Red and Hard White Varieties?
The California Wheat Commission has the opportunity to test all California Wheat Quality on-site. Allow us to tell you our wheat quality classification based on years of experience baking with these varieties. Lab Manager Teng Vang has worked for more than 10 years with California Wheat varieties, and Alejandra Andrade Lab Assistant for over two years.
What happens after you test specific wheat varieties for several years? You know everything about those varieties. Referring to flour quality, most California wheat varieties can offer you:
The California Wheat Commission Quality Lab wheat variety classification is:
- Extra Strong -WB9350 (high stability, highly elastic dough). Excellent as a blending wheat.
- Very Strong – WB9229, SY-Sienna (elastic). Blending wheat for baked products.
- Strong – WBJoaquin Oro, Yecora Rojo, UC-Central Red, SY-Blanca Grande 515 (well balanced dough strength). These varieties can be used 100% or for blending. Perfect for Pan-Breads and Tortillas.
- Medium – UC-Patwin 515 and HP, and SY-Summit 515 (more extensible dough). Perfect for products such as tortillas. Patwin 515 is great for artisan breads.
California Wheat gives you high water absorption, high viscosity, and based on the classification above, most high stability and gluten strength. We also focused on varieties that contain low PPO. The key is to know your varieties and the blending percentage for the final baked product. If you have any more questions about our wheat, please call or visit us.
Remember that most of California Wheat is sold as Winter Wheat; however, genetically it is Spring Wheat. To learn more about last year’s Crop Quality Report, click below:
California Wheat Welcomes Bakers, Pasta Makers, and more
The CWC team is actively engaging with Bakers, Pasta Makers and others to provide training in Wheat Science and in utilizing California Wheat in their products. We have started to develop a close partnership with them as they support our California Wheat growers.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
Bringing in more Research Collaboration with other Quality Labs
- Collaborated with 10 other Labs from 10 different regions around the world to develop a new Scientific Method for Pasta Quality.
- Collaborating with CIMMYT and other Labs in a Soft Durum research project.
- Working with Allison Krill-Brown at UC Davis to write an article for the Cereal Foods World about Whole Grain Sourdough.
EVENTS
MAY 15th UC Davis FIELD DAY
Please Join us at the California Wheat Field Day. For more information, please click below:
Where can you find us the following two months? We are going to be at:
May 3: Yolo County Farm Connection Day in Woodland, CA
May 7 & 8: Baking with Central Milling – Keith Giusto
May 15: UC Davis Field Day
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ May 30: OPEN HOUSE at 2 PM ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
June 3-5: Introduction to Wheat Quality Course – Only 2 more spots available
June 27-28: California Food for California Kids® Statewide Conference
AND MORE!