Limagrain Cereal Seeds introduced two new wheat varieties

The varieties, LCS Artdeco and LCS Azimut, have performed extremely well in PNW growing conditions, according to Jean-Bruno Beaufumé (photo), who heads Limagrain Cereal Seed’s Pacific Northwest breeding program.

LCS Azimut is a Hard Red Winter Wheat variety – aimed for the bread and general baking markets -- and LCS Artdeco is a Soft White Winter Wheat, targeted for export to the Far East, where it will be used in noodles, flatbreads and cookies.

“These varieties like our Pacific Northwest conditions,” said Jean-Bruno. “LCS Artdeco does especially well in areas of southeast Washington and northeast Oregon, while LCS Azimut has a wider range because it can withstand a harder winter.”

Both varieties have now proven themselves over three years, Jean-Bruno said, showing very high yields, especially in irrigated fields or areas with high rainfall. The two varieties also show good response to nitrogen management, he noted.

Growers and seed industry representatives attended a Field Day earlier this summer at LCS’s wheat breeding test site at Waitsburg, Washington and were impressed with the results they saw, according to Jean-Bruno.

“They were very interested in our two new varieties,” he said. “I think they were also very impressed by the size of the program and how quickly we’ve been able to develop it.”