By Scout Nelson
The Carrington Research Extension Center (CREC) in North Dakota offers several foundation-grade seed varieties for farmers planning their spring 2027 planting. The available seed includes spring wheat, durum, barley, flax, field peas, buckwheat, soybeans, and winter rye. The center also introduces several new varieties to give growers more choices for their farms.
Growing Season Conditions at Carrington REC
The 2026 growing season at CREC began under nearly ideal conditions. Low moisture levels in the fall and winter allowed farmers to plant entire fields in the spring.
Early planted crops benefited from additional spring moisture and produced decent yields, while later-planted crops yielded less due to insufficient moisture. Fungicide was applied to early-season crops following several foggy mornings.
Seed Varieties Available for 2027
For spring 2027 planting, the CREC has the following foundation-grade seed varieties available in its inventory.
Spring Wheat: Available varieties include Glenn, ND Horizon, ND Roughrider, and ND Stampede.
Durum: Growers can choose Divide, ND Gladiator, ND Riveland, ND Stanley, and CDC Vantta. ND Gladiator and CDC Vantta are new options.
Barley: Available varieties include CDC Churchill, CDC Fraser, ND Arista, ND Genesis, and ND Treasure. ND Arista is a new variety.
Flax: The center offers AAC Bright, a yellow flax variety available through NDCISA. A potential new brown flax variety developed by North Dakota State University (NDSU) may also be available.
Field Peas: Options include PG Cash, Iconic, AAC Julius, and ND Victory. PG Cash is a new yellow pea variety, while Iconic and AAC Julius are also yellow peas. ND Victory is a green pea variety.
Buckwheat: ND Dakota is a new variety available for growers.
Conventional Soybeans: Available varieties include ND Benson with a 0.4 maturity rating, ND Dickey at 0.7, ND Rolette at 00.9, and ND Stutsman at 0.7.
Herbicide-Tolerant Soybeans: The GT and RR1 group includes ND2501SCNGT at 0.1, ND21008GT20 at 00.8, and ND2108GT73 at 0.8.
Winter Rye: Growers can order ND Dylan and ND Gardner.
New Durum Varieties Offer Quality Benefits
ND Gladiator durum was developed by NDSU durum breeder Dr. Elias Elias. It offers high yield potential, excellent grain quality, strong protein content, and high semolina extraction. Its cadmium uptake is low, second only to ND Grano. The variety also features high test weight, larger kernels, and straw height and strength comparable to Divide and Joppa. In addition, ND Gladiator shows low levels of leaf and stem rust severity.
CDC Vantta durum was developed in Canada and licensed by NDCISA. This semi-dwarf variety features strong straw and black awns, along with high yield potential. It offers excellent pasta color, low cadmium levels, a high falling number, and strong gluten strength, making it suitable for quality pasta production.
ND Arista barley was developed by North Dakota State University (NDSU) barley breeder Dr. Rich Horsley. This two-row barley variety offers high yield potential, shorter and stronger straw, earlier heading, and faster harvest dry down compared with ND Genesis and AAC Synergy. ND Arista is also the first barley variety developed without glycosidic nitriles (GN-free), making it a valuable choice for high-quality distillation.
PG Cash is a semi-leafless yellow pea variety developed by Premier Genetics. It offers broad adaptability across the state, excellent standability, above-average yields, and medium maturity. The variety also provides a strong balance of high yield potential and high protein content.
ND Dakota buckwheat was developed by Steve Zwinger at the Carrington Research Extension Center. It is a tall, open-pollinated, indeterminate variety with white flowers that bloom in about 38 days. The variety performs best under organic management and produces yields comparable to those of Manor and Koto.
Growers requesting seed through NDCISA must be members or associate members, when required. Farmers interested in available varieties can contact Carrington REC at 701-652-2951, email Myrna Friedt at myrna.friedt@ndsu.edu, or call Dave Copenhaver at 701-652-5853.
CREC gives preference and priority to foundation seed orders received by December 1, 2026. Farmers planning their 2027 crops can review the available varieties and contact the center early to discuss their seed needs.
Photo Credit: Dave Copenhaver
Categories: North Dakota, Crops, Soybeans, Wheat