Does White Wheat Have a Future in the Northern Plains? White
wheat has desirable end-use characteristics, but must overcome
agronomic and marketing risks While hard red spring and hard red
winter dominate wheat acreage in the Northern Plains, research,
market demand, and even a new federal program may encourage more
hard white wheat production. What exactly is the difference
between red and white wheat? Genetically, the main differences
are three genes that confer bran color. Because white bran color
is a recessive trait, all three genes would have to be present
for the kernel to be white. All other agronomic traits, such as
grain yield, protein, disease resistance, and production
practices including planting, fertilizing, and harvesting, are
about the same. As with red wheat, there are both soft and hard
kernel traits, and winter and spring growth habits for white
wheat. Hard white spring wheat could be grown in the Northern
Plains, but hard white winter wheat is a possibility too, just
like hard red winter