Alberto was released by Arizona Plant Breeder’s in 2016. Alberto is a high yielding variety. It is awned, early to medium in maturity.

Blue Beard is a landrace durum wheat, selected for its attractive appearance by Jim George from a group of landrace varieties from Iran that were evaluated at UC Davis. It is a spring type and has awns and pale yellow seed color.

UC-Desert Gold performed very well in the South San Joaquin and Imperial Valleys where it showed high yield potential under irrigation and good resistance to diseases. UC-Desert Gold primary use is for pasta.

Desert King is a modern durum wheat variety. It was released by the University of California AES in 2005. It was developed by the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in cooperation with the Mexican Ministry of Agriculture (INIA) and received for testing in California as the cross Inter-11.

Desert King HP (Desert King –High Protein) is a modern durum wheat. It was developed by the University of California, Davis and released in 2011. Marker assisted selection was used to introgress the linked genes Yr36 for resistance to stripe rust and Gpc-B1 which increases grain protein content by approximately 10% more than Desert King into Desert King (from the cross Inter-11). Its experimental designation was UCD 08201/18. It has very high yield potential and very good pasta quality. Maturity (medium late) and plant height (averages about 34 inches) are similar to Desert King. Desert King HP has good straw strength. Desert King HP is partially resistant to stripe rust so can be grown in the Sacramento and San Joaquin valleys. The introgression of the Gpc-B1 results in levels of protein that are compatible with high quality durum. Desert King HP shows lower levels of black point than other durum cultivars. The objective of this cultivar is to extend northward the durum growing region in California. At the time of release it was resistant to stripe rust, leaf rust, Septoria tritici leaf blotch, and BYD, and moderately susceptible to powdery mildew. It was evaluated as Entry 1627 in the UC Regional Cereal Testing program in 2009 and from 2011-present for late fall planting in the Central Valley and the Imperial Valley of California.

Durum-Iraq (PI 481581) is a landrace durum wheat from Iraq. It is a spring type and has long black awns and pale yellow seed color. It grows well in the Sacramento Valley and offers the possibility of a supply for whole wheat pasta makers as well as bakers who know how to make pleasing whole durum wheat breads.

Ethiopian Blue Tinge is an Abyssinian emmer wheat (Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccum). It is a cultivar from Ethiopia selected by Dan Jason (Salt Spring Seeds, BC, Canada). It threshes easily when combine harvested (most emmer wheats do not thresh out of their husks during combine harvesting). It is a very long awned spring type and has an intriguing dark purple brown seed color. It has a tea like aroma and is fairly prolific. The bran color and flavor are due to the antioxidant polyphenolic compounds in the bran. In the whole wheat form, it probably ranks among the highest in healthful antioxidant capacity. Dough from the whole wheat flour darkens to the color of chocolate and correspondingly flavors the baked goods made from it. Ethiopian Blue Tinge is particularly successful as a dinner grain, single rise bread and as whole wheat pasta. The grain is distinctly hard, like the related durum wheat types; the protein level generally is higher than for common hexaploid wheat grown under similar circumstances. It is somewhat short in stature (usually is at least 2-3 feet tall). Its short stature may make it vulnerable to drought, so Ethiopian Blue Tinge is recommended for slower draining soils or wetter regions in California, and for supplying those who enjoy dark richly flavored whole wheat breads. At the time of evaluation by the UC Regional Testing program, it averaged about 40 inches in plant height with greater susceptibility to lodging than most conventional cultivars, and was moderately susceptible to stripe rust. It was evaluated as Entry 1671 in the UC Regional Common Wheat Testing program in 2010 for late fall planting at rainfed sites in the Central Valley and surrounding areas.

Hourani wheat seeds had been stored by King Herod 2,000 years ago in the Masada Fortress in the Middle East’s Fertile Crescent until they were discovered and excavated (1). The Hourani durum wheat landrace was cultivated for millennia in the Houran plateau of Northern Jordan and Southern Syria (2).

Kronos is a durum wheat. It was released by Arizona Plant Breeders in 1992. It is awned, has medium early maturity, averages about 38 inches in plant height, and has poor straw strength. It has excellent quality.

A low-cadmium desert durum wheat. Pasta quality: high protein content (~Kronos), strong gluten and excellent pasta color (similar to Desert King). Miwok showed higher semolina extraction than other durum varieties.

WB-Mohave is a high yielding variety with high test weight, good protein and excellent end use quality. Short Plant Height. Low Cadmium.

Powell was released by Second Nature, Barkley Seed. It was selected for yield, protein, semolina color, low cadmium, lodging resistance, SDS sedimentation, and semi dwarf growth habit.

Shasta was selected by Second Nature, Barkley Seed for yield, stripe rust resistance,semolina color, test weight, protein, quality, lodging resistance, semi dwarf growth habit, and high spikelet fertility. Shasta is adapted to the Durum growing regions located in the California Central Valley.

Tiburon was released by Arizona Plant Breeders in 2013. Tiburon has excellent lodging resistance, large grain size, and high protein.

Volante is a durum wheat. It was released by Resource Seeds, Inc in 2008. It was selected from the cross Aldura/881//CND. This variety is now part of AgriPro/Syngenta Seeds.

Westmore HP was released by Arizona Plant Breeders. It is similar to Kronos except it has smaller kernels, higher grain protein, and better semolina color.