Sue Holmes, age 14, of Decatur, I11., for her question:
WHAT IS WINTER WHEAT?
Wheat is the world's most important grain crop. Wheat kernels are ground into flour to make bread and other products. There are two general groups of wheat: winter wheat and spring wheat. The kind a farmer plants depends on the climate in his area.
Winter wheats are used in mild climates; spring wheats are found in areas where the winters are extremely cold. Each major wheat group includes varieties of both hard and soft wheat.
Winter wheat is planted in the fall and harvested the following spring or summer. Winter wheat gets a start before cold weather sets in. Growth stops during the winter and then starts again in the spring.
If winter wheat is planted in the spring, it ordinarily will not "head" or produce a crop. Winter wheat needs some fairly low temperatures after it is planted so that it can develop properly during heavy growth in spring.
Among important varieties of winter wheat grown in the United States are Triumph, Wichita, Pawnee, Cheyenne, Comanche, Knox and Seneca.
Spring wheat is planted in the spring and ripens the same summer, usually a few weeks after the winter wheat. If spring wheat is planted in the fall, it will not live through the winter except in mild climates or during unusually warm winters.
Among important varieties of spring wheat grown in the U.S. are Selkirk, Lee, Thatcher, Conley, Rescue, Rushmore and Centana.
All wheat grown throughout the world belongs to one of 14 species. Seven of these species are grown in the U.S., but only three are of special importance: common, club and durum wheats.
Common wheat is bread wheat. Club wheats grow only in the Pacific Coast states. Durum wheat is tough and is usually used to make pasta.
Common wheat is closely related to club wheat. It probably originated in Turkey and southern Russia. The most important common wheat states are Texas, Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma, Colorado, North and South Dakotas, Montana and Minnesota.
Club wheats are grown only in the Pacific Coast states; Elgin and Hymar are the two leading varieties.
Durum is a hard, tough wheat. It is similar to Polish and English wheats, but is much more important commercially. Macaroni and spaghetti makers like it because it holds together well while cooking. In North America, durum wheat grows is parts of Canada as well as in North and South Dakota, Montana and Minnesota.
About 30,000 varieties of wheat are grown in various parts of the world. More than 200 of them are grown in the U.S. Each is different from the others in some ways.
Hybrid wheats are developed by crossbreeding varieties of wheat. As an example, one variety may be especially valuable because it will resist rust and other diseases. Another may be particularly good for its bread baking qualities. The plant breeder crosses the two in an attempt to get a good, rust resistant bread wheat.