Funding information USDA-ARS; Washington Grain CommissionBackground and objectives: Wheat Hagberg falling number (FN) is a longstanding quality test that, by means of measuring the viscosity of a heated watermeal or water-flour mixture, characterizes the activity of endogenous a-amylase, the enzyme primarily responsible for starch hydrolysis. The accuracy, time requirement, and cost of this test have come under heightened scrutiny, particularly in seasons when weather conditions have been favorable to preharvest sprouting or late maturity amylase. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, an analytical approach routinely used in the grain industry to measure contents of protein and moisture, was reexamined as a possible alternative to the FN procedure. Findings: Partial least squares (PLS) regression quantitative models developed on a genetically diverse set of Washington grown white wheat demonstrated low accuracy, with standard errors of performance ranging from 40 to 77 s. Alternatively, linear discriminant analysis and PLS discriminant analysis (PLSDA) qualitative models, developed and tested using a FN cutoff (pass/fail) value, also demonstrated low accuracy, with the best model correctly identifying 67% and 71% of the samples, respectively, above and below a threshold value established as the median value of FN in a calibration set of several hundred samples. Conclusions: Replacement of the FN test with one based on NIR spectroscopy on either whole grain or ground meal for making decisions on segregating wheat lots according to a-amylase activity is not recommended. Significance and novelty: Because NIR spectroscopy is not sufficiently accurate to quantitatively model FN or differentiate low from high FN grain, viscometry procedures for starch integrity, such as FN, will continue their use in grain commerce. K E Y W O R D Sfalling number, near-infrared spectroscopy, wheat

Resistance to strawbreaker foot rot (caused by Oculimacula yallundae Crous & W. Gams and O. acuformis Crous & W. Gams) and to stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Eriks.) are important traits for winter wheat cultivars produced in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The objective of this research was to develop an adapted winter wheat cultivar with highly effective resistance to both diseases. ‘Otto’ (Reg. No. CV‐1087, PI 667557) soft white winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed and released in September 2011 by the Agricultural Research Center of Washington State University. Otto was tested under the experimental designations J980218, J980218‐6, and WA008092, which were assigned through progressive generations of advancement. Otto is a semidwarf cultivar adapted to the low rainfall (<300 mm of average annual precipitation), unirrigated wheat production regions of Washington. Otto is resistant to strawbreaker foot rot, has high‐temperature, adult‐plant resistance to the stripe rust pathogen, is tolerant to both speckled (caused by Typhula ishikariensis S. Imai) and pink [caused by Microdochium nivale (Fr.:Fr.) Samuels & I. C. Hallett] snow molds, is intermediate in height, has midseason maturity, and has a high test weight and grain yield potential. Otto has end‐use quality properties similar or superior to those of ‘Stephens’, ‘Brundage 96’, and ‘Xerpha’.

Although Pythium root rot in wheat (Triticum aestivum) is well documented, limited information is available concerning which species of Pythium are most responsible for disease damage. The objective of this study was to examine the variation in virulence on wheat among isolates of Pythium collected from cereal grain fields in eastern Washington. Isolates of nine Pythium species were tested for virulence on spring wheat cultivars Chinese Spring and Spillman. Cultivars were planted in pasteurized soil infested with Pythium isolates and placed in a growth chamber maintained at a constant 16°C and ambient humidity. Plant height, length of the first true leaf, and number of seminal roots were recorded, and roots were digitally scanned to create computer files that were analyzed using WinRhizo software. Pythium isolates caused a significant reduction (P < 0.05) in the number of root tips, root length, and length of the first leaf. Differences in virulence were detected among species and among isolates within species. Isolate Pythium debaryanum 90136 and P. ultimum 90038 were the most virulent and may prove useful in future disease screening assays of Triticum germ plasm.

Resistance to strawbreaker foot rot (caused by Oculimacula yallundae Crous & W. Gams and O. acuformis Crous & W. Gams), stripe rust (caused by Puccinia striiformis Westend. f. sp. tritici Eriks.), and Cephalosporium stripe (caused by Cephalosporium gramineum Nisikado and Ikata) are important traits for winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars produced in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States. The objective of this research was to develop an adapted winter wheat cultivar with effective resistance to these diseases. ‘Puma’ (Reg. No. CV‐1097, PI 670038) soft white winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was developed and released in August 2013 by the Agricultural Research Center of Washington State University. Puma was tested under the experimental designations 5J030731, 5J030731–2, and WA008134, which were assigned through progressive generations of advancement. Puma is a semidwarf cultivar adapted to intermediate to high rainfall (>400 mm of average annual precipitation), unirrigated wheat production regions of Washington. Puma is resistant to strawbreaker foot rot, has high‐temperature, adult‐plant resistance to the stripe rust pathogen, is tolerant to Cephalosporium stripe, is intermediate in height, has midseason maturity, and has a high test weight and grain yield potential. Puma has end‐use quality properties similar or superior to those of ‘Stephens’, ‘Brundage 96’, and ‘Xerpha’.

Many soft white winter (SWW) wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars with high yield potential in the US Pacific Northwest lack adequate resistance to stripe rust or are only adapted to specific regions defined by annual precipitation. The objective of this research was to develop a SWW wheat cultivar with improved resistance to current stripe rust races and high yield potential across a wider range of climates. ‘Jasper’ (Reg. No. CV‐1124, PI 678442) SWW wheat was developed and released in September 2014 by the Agricultural Research Center of Washington State University. Jasper was tested under the experimental designations 5J061865‐11 and WA8169, which were assigned through progressive generations of advancement. Jasper is a semidwarf cultivar adapted to intermediate to high rainfall (>300 mm of average annual precipitation) wheat production regions of Washington, with acceptable yield potential in the lower rainfall areas (<300 mm of average annual precipitation). It has high‐temperature, adult‐plant resistance to the current races of stripe rust, is intermediate in height, has midseason maturity, and has an average test weight and high grain yield potential. Jasper has end‐use quality properties similar or superior to those of ‘Stephens’, ‘Puma’, and ‘Otto’.