Mowhawk is a new AH wheat variety bred by LongReach plant breeders, and we think it will be one to watch. Currently, it’s only in WA, where there is a lot of interest in it as it will suit their systems, with early indications that it will also be a good fit in other states. But we hope that in years to come, it will move across the border and be bulked up for use in the rest of the country.
Why should we keep an eye on it?
An exciting thing about the variety is its maturity habits. Early in the season, it behaves like a winter wheat; however, in spring at elongation it finishes quickly like normal spring wheats. This is because it only needs a small amount of cold weather to reach vernalisation requirements and will develop quickly past GS31 into grain fill. It shows excellent early vigour and has been out yielding other winter wheats by up to 10-15% in early sowing situations in WA.
It has the opportunity to be a very competitive variety in our area due to its early vigour and low vernalisation requirements, with it also showing a high tillering rate. Early disease ratings indicate good rust resistance and tolerance to mildew, acidic soil, aluminium, and boron. Tolerance to Cereal Cyst Nematode is the same as that of both Scepter and Mace.
Mowhawk is likely to be a high-yielding option that presents a very low risk in areas of high to medium rainfall, especially when sown early. It could be a safer winter/early sowing option for us than current Winter wheat varieties we grow such as DS Bennett and Denison. As mentioned, it is currently only available in WA, but keep an eye out for years to come.
