Embrapa presents tropical wheat genetics at Field Day

At the 2025 Irrigated Wheat Field Day, held at the Maragato and Chimango Farms in the PAD (DF), Embrapa presented its main irrigated tropical wheat cultivars, known for their high productivity and industrial quality, as well as recommended practices to reduce plant lodging. The event, promoted by the Agricultural Cooperative of the Federal District Region (Coopa-DF), brought together approximately 200 producers, technicians, resellers, and consultants from the region.

According to Cláudio Malinski, an agricultural engineer in the technical department of Coopa-DF, wheat has gained prominence in Central Brazil as a high-tech crop. "It's a super important crop in the production system, as it breaks the pest cycle, reduces nematode and weed infestation, and offers wheat of unparalleled quality," he stated. The estimated area cultivated with wheat in the region is approximately 400 hectares.

Varieties highlighted by Embrapa

Researcher Júlio Albrecht of Embrapa Cerrados (DF) presented the cultivars BRS 254, BRS 264, BRS 394, and BRS 404, developed for the Cerrado and recommended for irrigated cultivation in regions with altitudes above 500 meters. Sowing is recommended between April 11 and May 31, with the first half of May being ideal, to maximize yield and reduce the risk of blast, the main wheat disease in the region.

• BRS 254: improving wheat with gluten strength of 340 x 10⁻⁴ J, stability above 12 minutes and hectoliter weight (HW) of 80 kg/hL. It has an early cycle (120 to 125 days) and productive potential of 110 to 125 bags/ha, having reached 147,5 bags/ha in 2021 in a 101-hectare pivot.
• BRS 264: High-yielding cultivar, with gluten strength above 262 x 10⁻⁴ J and pH above 81 kg/hL. Recorded productivity of 160,5 sc/ha in a 119-day cycle in Cristalina (GO) in 2021. It is super early (110 to 120 days), ensuring energy and water savings.
• BRS 394: Bread wheat and improver, with gluten strength above 314 x 10⁻⁴ J, early cycle (115 to 125 days) and greater tolerance to lodging. Productive potential of 115 to 130 bags/ha, with a record of 137 bags/ha in 2017.
• BRS 404: Originally developed for dryland or off-season crops, it is also adapted to irrigated systems due to its hardiness. Gluten strength of 280 x 10⁻⁴ J, early cycle (90 to 125 days), and average productivity of 45 bags/ha in the off-season, reaching 71,9 bags/ha in 2023.

New for 2026

Embrapa is preparing to launch BRS Savana, suitable for both dryland and irrigated land, with greater tolerance to blast thanks to the 2NS/AS translocation of a wild relative of wheat (Aegilops ventricosa). According to Bruno Lemos, an analyst at Embrapa Trigo (RS), the cultivar is in the basic seed production phase and has shown productivity of up to 118 bags/ha in irrigated areas in the PAD-DF. The official launch is scheduled for May 2026, at AgroBrasília.

Management to reduce lodging

Embrapa Wheat researcher Jorge Chagas highlighted management practices to minimize lodging, a problem that affects yield before grain filling. Among the recommendations are:

• Know the history of the area, the soil, previous crops and straw level.
• Choose the cultivar suited to the objective of the production system.
• Adjust seeding density, considering the weight of a thousand seeds and germination capacity.
• Apply nitrogen fertilization correctly, avoiding excess that favors lodging.
• Use of growth reducer (trinexapaque-ethyl) on the first visible node of the plant.
• Irrigation management, avoiding excess irrigation during critical grain filling periods, especially on windy nights.

Embrapa provides the “Irrigation Monitoring” software to assist in wheat irrigation management, accessible free of charge on the Embrapa Cerrados website (https://hidro.nuvem.ti.embrapa.br).