By Mandy Gross
“Oklahoma, where the wind comes sweepin’ down the plain, and the wavin’ wheat can sure smell sweet when the wind comes right behind the rain.”
These lyrics from “Oklahoma!” by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II describe iconic images of the state, but for many, it’s a way of life.
Oklahoma is known for its rolling and expansive wheat fields because wheat is one of the top crops produced in the state. More than 70% of all wheat acres are planted with varieties developed at Oklahoma State University, including 36 varieties commercialized by the university since 2000.
“Wheat is the cornerstone of Oklahoma’s agricultural economy,” said Dr. Jayson Lusk, vice president and dean of OSU Agriculture. “It not only supports our local farmers but also contributes significantly to the state’s overall economic health. The advancements in wheat research and production techniques at OSU are pivotal in ensuring sustainable and profitable farming practices for future generations.”
Once a new variety is developed at OSU, the university works with entities like Oklahoma Genetics Inc. to license the wheat variety for marketability.
About Oklahoma genetics inc.
OGI is a nonprofit corporation comprised of Oklahoma seed producers and processors who distribute pedigreed seeds in Oklahoma and surrounding states.
This means every dollar generated from seed sale royalties goes directly or indirectly back into the breeding program and/or marketing infrastructure, said Mark Hodges, OGI executive director.
The organization plays a significant role in the wheat industry and is also the licensee for the peanut program in Oklahoma.
“OGI serves as the direct marketing link between OSU wheat genetics and seed producers across the Central and Southern Great Plains,” Hodges said. “OGI’s mission is to educate our producers on the importance of being good stewards of exciting new plant breeding technology designed to meet current and future consumer demands and to give producers the tools to succeed.”
The corporation offers full and provisional memberships, where members work to promote stewardship and market the use of improved genetic traits and benefits of quality pedigreed wheat seed.
OGI also promotes educational programs and scientific research for the benefit of crop producers and markets, as well as plant breeding programs to meet current and future consumer demands.
Commercializing a New Wheat Variety
Dr. Brett Carver, regents professor and wheat genetics chair in the OSU Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, said producing a new OSU wheat variety involves several key steps: breeding and selection, agronomic and quality testing, DNA analysis, data analysis, release and distribution, and ongoing research.
Carver, Big 12 Faculty Member of the Year, leads OSU’s Wheat Improvement Team, which uses traditional breeding techniques and modern genetic tools to develop new wheat varieties. This involves crossbreeding different wheat lines to combine desirable traits such as disease resistance, drought tolerance and high yield potential.
The Wheat Improvement Team consists of scientists from various disciplines, including genetics, agronomy and plant pathology.
“Our breadth of expertise enables wheat growers to know how new OSU wheat varieties perform under the broadest possible environmental and agronomic conditions,” Carver said. “This collaborative approach ensures that OSU wheat varieties are well-rounded and genetically diverse.”
As potential new varieties are developed, they undergo extensive field testing across various locations in Oklahoma and beyond. More controlled testing occurs in greenhouses and laboratories to fill knowledge gaps created by missed opportunities in natural field environments. Researchers look at factors such as grain yield, quality and resistance to pests and diseases.
“This intense level of scrutiny is what I feel gives OSU wheat varieties staying power in Oklahoma,” Carver said. “Varieties developed at OSU for the specific conditions of Oklahoma provide confidence to wheat growers that their operation is sustainable and profitable.”
After rigorous testing and seed production through the Oklahoma Foundation Seed Stocks, the best-performing wheat varieties are released to seed producers. OSU works closely with companies like OGI to ensure high-quality seeds are available for commercial production.
The process is continuous, with ongoing research and development to improve existing varieties and develop new ones that meet the evolving needs of wheat producers and, more recently, consumers.
Creating a new wheat variety typically takes about 11 years from the initial cross to release as a commercial variety. While the duration has stayed the same, two things have changed, Carver said.
“First, varieties are launched with far greater confidence due to the deeper involvement of the Wheat Improvement Team and other scientists in the development process,” he said. “Second, the time from launch to commercial grain production is shorter because foundation seed increase is initiated earlier in the breeding process.”
The result is a shorter time from when variety development starts in the greenhouse to when commercial grain hits the elevators, Carver said.
“With few exceptions, I have not felt compelled to speed up the clock on final field testing,” he said. “Improper vetting of OSU wheat varieties could place growers at even greater risk than where they stand with nature and commodity prices.”
Working With OSU
OGI collaborates closely with the Wheat Improvement Team to enhance wheat production in Oklahoma.
Carver took over the modern wheat breeding program in 1998, and 27 years later, he is one of the most recognized faces nationwide in wheat breeding and genetics.
“Dr. Carver is a dynamic leader not only in the state but also nationally and internationally,” Hodges said. “He is recognized as leading one of the top wheat breeding programs in the world that delivers immeasurable value to the producer, industry, consumer and the university.”
OGI is responsible for licensing and distributing the wheat varieties developed by the Wheat Improvement Team, ensuring high-quality seeds are available to farmers and ranchers and helping them access the latest advancements in wheat breeding.
In addition, OGI works to commercialize wheat varieties developed by OSU by promoting these varieties to farmers, ranchers and milling companies. This ensures the benefits of OSU research extend from the agricultural community to the retail market.
In return, OGI provides valuable feedback from farmers, ranchers and the market to the Wheat Improvement Team, helping the researchers understand the performance of their varieties in real-world conditions and guiding future breeding efforts.
“The collaboration between OGI and the Wheat Improvement Team ensures that the wheat varieties developed at OSU are effectively brought to market and benefit the local agricultural community,” Hodges said.
OGI created a pulling force on OSU wheat genetics that did not exist before the mid-2000s, Carver said.
“Before then, we were pushing OSU germplasm into the open market and hoping something would stick,” he said. “A healthy wheat seed industry, underpinned by OGI, has been the key to shaping and motivating OSU wheat research and education to where it is today.”
Funding The Future
Not only does OGI support the Wheat Improvement Team’s research efforts by providing funding and research, but OGI is also investing in the future of OSU’s wheat breeding program.
A $5 million gift from OGI helped jumpstart a fundraising initiative for the new Agronomy Discovery Center, a planned upgrade to the existing Agronomy Research Station at OSU.
“OSU has the premier wheat breeding program in the nation with a wheat breeder and wheat breeding team that are the envy of virtually every other U.S. wheat breeding program,” Hodges said. “This is a testament to the quality of the program.”
Discoveries made at the research station significantly impact the state’s $42 billion agricultural industry and influence food security worldwide.
Plans for the Agronomy Discovery Center include the construction of a new headhouse, 12 research greenhouses and a dynamic and multipurpose Research and Education Center. The new center will also house laboratory spaces for the Wheat Quality Laboratory; Soil, Water and Forage Analytical Laboratory; and the Plant Disease and Insect Diagnostic Laboratory.
“We are incredibly thankful to OGI for enabling us to begin the initial phase of the Agronomy Discovery Center, which will provide the infrastructure we need to compete in the modern era and achieve our mission of feeding and nourishing the world,” Lusk said.
Carver said the new construction could not have happened at a more opportune time.
“OSU wheat improvement — both practical and the more basic components — is as strong as ever,” he said. “And there is strength yet to be gained with new and consumer-relevant traits that create value throughout the wheat supply chain, starting with our seed and grain producers. A shared progress is a lasting progress.”
Source : okstate.edu