Rasad, A New Winter Bread Wheat Cultivar for Cold and Mild-Cold

Research was conducted to develop and release new improved winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivar suitable for cold and mild-cold rainfed areas of Iran. In 1988/89 cropping season Fenkang15/Sefid was created by crossing between Fenkang15 and Sardari (Sefid local cultivar)) in Karaj. Based on agronomic traits, and biotic stress tolerance under field conditions, a new line of Fenkang15/Sefid was selected. The new line was evaluated in main cold and mild-cold DARI research stations together with 16 other wheat lines, including the widely grown improved check cultivars Sardari and Azar 2. Results indicated that the new line had higher and stable grain yield at Maragheh and Ardebil areas. It was early-mild in maturity, with mean grain yield of 2420 kgh-1 (in seven years of evaluation in cold and mild cold research stations). The plant height of the new line is 81cm, 1000 kernel weight is 36 g, grain color is red and its protein content is 11-12.5%. Based on these results, the new line was officially released in 2007 through the Agricultural, Education and Extension Organization, under the name of Rasad.