South Dakota Grows Four Classes of Wheat

Wheat is the principal US cereal grain for domestic consumption and export.  Wheat is the fourth leading US field crop and the leading export crop.

South Dakota wheat producers grow four of the six different classes of wheat -- winter wheat, spring wheat, hard white wheat and durum wheat; each with unique end-use characteristics and quality.  Wheat is grown on more than 2.8 million acres of land in South Dakota with an average production of 100 million bushels a year. The state ranks seventh in overall production of wheat (ers.usda.gov).

The agricultural areas of the United States differ dramatically in topography, soils and climate. Because of these differences, the United States produces a wide variety of crops; each suited to its own locale.  Just like most other crops, wheat is grown in most of the 50 states of the United States.  The kind of wheat grown and the quantity vary widely from one region to another.

Wheat has two distinct growing seasons.  Where each class is grown depends on rainfall, temperature, soil condition and tradition.  Winter wheat, which accounts for 70-80 percent of the US wheat acres is sown in the fall and harvested in the spring or summer.  Spring wheat is planted in the spring and harvested in late summer or early fall.  In addition to time of year that it is planted and harvested, wheat classes are also determined by hardness, color, and shape of kernels. Each class of wheat has its own relatively uniform characteristics related to milling, baking or other food use.

There are several hundred varieties of wheat, which fall into one of six classes.  The six basic classes are as follows:

• Hard Red Winter (HRW) is an important bread wheat which accounts for almost forty percent of the U.S. wheat crop and wheat exports. This fall-seeded wheat is produced in the Great Plains, which extend from the Mississippi River west to the Rocky Mountains and from the Dakotas and Montana south to Texas. Significant quantities are also produced in California. HRW has a moderately high protein content, usually averaging 11-12 percent, and good milling and baking characteristics. There are no subclasses of this class. HRW is used to produce bread, rolls, and to a lesser extent, sweet goods and all-purpose flour. Major foreign buyers include Russia, China, Japan, Morocco, and Poland.  Approximately 45 percent of the wheats grown in South Dakota are winter wheat varieties.  The southern half of the state is the primary growing region for winter wheat.

• Hard Red Spring (HRS), another important bread wheat, maintains the highest protein content, usually 13-14 percent, in addition to good milling and baking characteristics. This spring-seeded wheat is primarily grown in the north central United States--North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota and Montana.  Large quantities of HRS are used in domestic markets.  HRS comprises just over twenty percent of U.S. wheat exports. Subclasses based upon the dark, hard and vitreous kernel content (DHV), include dark northern spring, northern spring and red spring.  Exported largely to Central America, Japan, the Philippines, and Russia. Spring wheat varieties make up roughly 50 percent of the wheats grown in South Dakota.

• Hard White (HW) is the newest class of wheat to be grown in the United States. It is used for hard rolls, bulgur, tortillas, and oriental noodles, yeast breads and flat breads.  Currently, HW is used primarily in domestic markets with limited quantities being exported. It is anticipated that exports of this class will increase. Hard White is closely related to red wheats (except for color genes).  It has a milder, sweeter flavor, equal fiber and similar milling and baking properties. The number of acres in South Dakota that are planted to hard white wheat is increasing.  White wheat is not classified into spring and winter categories but researchers are developing both spring and winter varieties that are adapted to the weather and growing conditions of South Dakota.

• Soft White (SW) is a preferred wheat for flat breads, cakes, pastries, crackers and noodles and is grown mainly in the Pacific Northwest and to a lesser extent in California, Michigan, Wisconsin, and New York.  Soft white is a low protein wheat, usually about 10 percent. SW represents just over twenty percent of total U.S. exports, primarily to Asia and the Middle East. Subclasses are soft white, white club and western white. Soft White Wheat is low protein, but high yielding and produces flour for baking cakes, crackers, cookies, pastries, quick breads, muffins, and snack foods.

• Soft Red Winter (SRW) is grown in the eastern third of the United States, primarily east of the Mississippi River.  SRW is a high yielding wheat, but relatively low in protein, usually about 10 percent.  SRW is used for cakes, pastries, flat breads, crackers and snack foods. This fall-seeded wheat comprises about fourteen percent of U.S. wheat exports. There are no subclasses of this class.  Largest export customers for SRW are China, Egypt, and Morocco.

• Durum, the hardest of all U.S. wheats, provides semolina for spaghetti, macaroni and other pasta products. This spring-seeded wheat is grown primarily in the same northern areas as hard red spring with 70-80 percent of the annual production coming from North Dakota, with smaller winter-sown quantities grown in South Dakota, Arizona, and California.  Durum comprises nearly five percent of total U.S. wheat exports. Subclasses are hard amber durum, amber durum and durum.  Durum wheat is used to make semolina flour for pasta. The largest exporter customer is Algeria. Durum wheats are grown in the north east corner of the state and are a small percentage of the total wheat produced in South Dakota.

Plant breeding lies at the heart of assuring continued improvements in the production and quality of U.S. wheat. Wheat improvement work had its formal beginning in 1897 when the U.S. Department of Agriculture set up an active program of wheat research and development. Today, the variety development program is carried out by experiment stations maintained by a number of states as part of their agricultural college and university systems. The experiment stations are the primary source of new wheat varieties and help to maintain the uniformity within a wheat class. Plant scientists at these federal and state stations are guided not only by the need of farmers for high-yielding wheats that resist drought and disease, but also by the quality requirements of millers and bakers at home and abroad.

More detailed information on the breeding programs funded by the South Dakota Wheat Commission can be found on this website under the "Research" tab.