PIONERO-INIA: THE FIRST DOUBLE PURPOSE WHEAT FOR CHILE

Abstract

Pionero INIA is the first double purpose wheat cultivar released in Chile by the National Wheat Program from INIA Carillanca. It is a winter wheat variety (Triticum aestivum L.) obtained from a germplasm selected from the Saaten Union Research Company of France. It showed excellent adaptability to agro-climatic zones with early sowing, long winters and wet spring. The adult plant reached a mean height of 90 cm, so that Pionero INIA can be classified as a semi-dwarf to dwarf wheat variety. The mean grain yield was significantly higher than the control, Kumpa INIA, for the different locations and years of evaluation, while its performance was particularly higher in terms of disease resistance and agronomic type. Its milling and starch quality characteristics allow for its use in the cookie industry, as well as in the animal and fish feed manufacturing industries.