Registration of ‘ NI 04421 ’ Hard Red Winter Wheat

conserve water since wheat requires less water than alternative crops such as corn (Zea mays L.; see, e.g., Musick et al., 1990 and Norwood, 1995). In 2007, Nebraska had the most irrigated crop land of any state in the USA (National Agricultural Statistics Service, 2008). Previous research had shown that breeding under rainfed conditions did not adequately select for adaptation under irrigation (Ud-Din et al., 1992). Cultivars that are developed from this irrigatedwheat breeding program are designated NI, where N stands for “Nebraska” and I for “irrigated breeding program.” ‘NI04421’ (Reg. No. CV-1064, PI 659690) hard red winter wheat was tested under the experimental line designation NI04421 and was developed cooperatively by the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station and the USDA-ARS. NI04421 is the fi rst line released from this irrigated wheat breeding effort. It was released in July 2010 by the developing institutions and the Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station as part of the hard red winter wheat improvement effort. NI04421 will be marketed and sold as Husker Genetics brand Robidoux. The name Robidoux was chosen in honor of Robidoux Pass, which was a popular pioneer pathway on the Oregon Trail between Nebraska and Wyoming before 1852. The pass was named after the Robidoux family, who built a fur-trading post at the pass. NI04421 was released primarily for its superior performance under irrigation and rainfed conditions in western Nebraska and eastern Wyoming.