Seed Co wheat varieties on the market

Wheat is the second most important cereal crop in the world after rice. It provides 21% of the food calories and 20% of the protein to more than 4.5 billion people in 94 developing countries. Despite being a temperate crop (C₃), wheat is a widely adapted crop. It is grown from temperate, irrigated to dry and high rainfall areas and from warm, humid to dry, cold environments. Wheat’s plasticity allows it to be grown with water requirements ranging from 200 – 600 mm on well drained soils. Winter wheat (hard) is grown in Temperate climates and need sub-zero temperatures (vernalization) to flower while Spring wheat is grown in Tropical and Subtropical climates.

The primary goal of Seed Co’s wheat breeding programme is to breed, develop and register superior or competitive varieties that help growers maximise productivity and profitability. The wheat varieties are the end result of long term scientific breeding and testing. The varieties are bred to add value to every farming operation. They bring with them appropriate resistance or tolerance to diseases, excellent standability, desired maturity and reliable high yield performance. The combination of high yields and baking qualities coupled with good agronomic traits is a rare fit and farmers must duly take advantage of this fit in their farming set ups.

SC Nduna (White): Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi

• Chief of all varieties – high yield and wide adaptability
• Yields of up to 11 tonnes/ha have been achieved in the 3 markets
• Slow rusting characteristics
• Good milling and baking properties
• Resistant to lodging
• Best yielder with late plantings
• Medium – Late maturing
• Medium plant stature

SC Smart (Red): Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi

• “Clean” of the prevalent diseases; leaf rust (Puccinia recondite tritici), stem rust (Puccinia graminis tritici) and powdery mildew (Erysiphe   graminis tritici).
• High grain yielder
• Combines both good milling and baking qualities
• Medium – Late maturing
• Medium Plant Stature

SC Stallion (Red): Zimbabwe and Malawi

• High grain yielder up to 10t/ha
• Good baking and milling properties
• Best variety at low altitude with high temperatures
• Good disease resistance
• Medium – Late maturing
• Medium Plant Stature aiding good standability

SC Shield (White): Zimbabwe and Zambia

• Best variety for very early planting in March
• High yield potential and wide adaptation
• High level of disease resistance
• Late maturing
• Tall in plant stature

SC Shine (White): Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi

• High grain yielder
• Good baking and milling qualities
• Good standability
• Affected by Leaf Rust in prone areas – use fungicides
• Medium – Late maturing
• Medium Plant stature

SC Sahai (White): Zimbabwe and Zambia

• Rain-fed wheat: Plant mid January – Mid February.
• High yielding (3 – 4 tonnes per hectare)
• Resistant to major rust diseases
• Good standability
• Good quality
• Medium – Late maturing

SC Sky (Red): Zimbabwe

• Released in 2009
• Yields of up to 12 tones/ha have been achieved in Zimbabwe
• Outclassed all the commercials in research trials
• Good milling and baking qualities
• Good standability
• Medium – Late maturing
• Medium Plant Stature

SC Sekuru (Red): Zimbabwe and Zambia

• Excellent milling and baking quality – for gristing purposes
• Lower yielding compared to the best yielders (1 -2 tonnes lower)
• Tall in plant stature but good standability because of thick straws
• Medium – Late maturing

SC Select (White): Zimbabwe

• Released in 2012
• Have shown a 7-11% yield advantage over Nduna in Zimbabwe
• Yield potential 8-11 tonnes/ha
• Medium – Late maturing but 5-7 days earlier than Nduna
• Resistant to the current leaf rust pathotypes
• High yielding variety across all agro-ecological zones
• Excellent milling and baking qualities
• Moderate plant height aiding good standability

SC Serena (White): Zimbabwe

• Released in 2012
• Late maturing – Similar to SC Sky
• Resistant to the current leaf rust pathotypes
• High yielding across all agro-ecological zones especially in the middle and lowveld areas
• Good milling and baking qualities
• Characterised by erect leaves with a moderate plant height

SC Shungu (2009 release in Zambia)

• Large seeded soft white grain wheat variety with strong dough of premium quality
• SC Shungu has stable high grain yield, high disease resistance and excellent milling and baking properties
• Short stature with good stand ability
• Wide adaptation and suitability across all wheat producing areas of Zambia
• Shungu  is an erect growth habit variety with medium to short stature
• A suitable complement to SC Nduna which is breaking down in disease resistance

SC Sicho (2011 release in Zambia)

• Large seeded hard red grain wheat variety with strong dough of premium quality
• High grain yielder, combines stable grain yield with high disease resistance and excellent qualities (milling and baking properties)
• Medium stature with good stand ability
• Wide adaptation and suitability across all wheat producing areas of Zambia
• A suitable complement to SC Sekuru whose grain yield has been low yielding despite its excellent baking qualities