This report presents harvest quality data for Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) wheat grown in 2023. Wheat samples were submitted to the Canadian Grain Commission’s Harvest Sample Program by producers. Quality data is compiled from the results of analytical tests performed in the Grain Research Laboratory.
Canada Western Amber Durum
CWAD is the second largest wheat class grown in Western Canada. CWAD is used in a wide variety of products, including long and short dried pasta, fresh pasta, sheeted pasta, couscous and baked bread. CWAD has superior milling quality, producing high semolina yield with low ash content and speck count. It also has the high yellow pigment content necessary to produce end-products with a bright-yellow colour. The high protein content and strong gluten characteristics of CWAD ensures superior pasta cooking quality and good performance in durum bread.
Summary of CWAD quality in 2023
The quality of CWAD was excellent, with more than 80% of the crop in the top two grades. Test weight was the main downgrading factor for No.2 due to the dry growing conditions experienced in some durum growing regions this year. Mean protein content was 14.8%, slightly higher than in 2022 and significantly higher than ten-year average of 14.1%. The crop was safe and sound, with more than 97% of CWAD samples having DON levels less than 1.0 ppm and 85% of samples with FN values greater than 350 seconds. Transcend was still the top variety grown in 2023 but new varieties, such as AAC Stronghold, AAC Grainland and CDC Defy, have increased in acreage in recent years and Transcend acreage is gradually decreasing.
Figure 1 Top CWAD varieties grown in western Canada from 2019 to 2023
Graph data
% of total
Variety
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
Transcend
42
39
35
32
29
CDC Precision
13
16
16
16
14
Brigade
11
10
8
8
6
AAC Spitfire
9
9
8
7
5
CDC Alloy
3
4
7
7
6
AAC Stronghold
1
2
7
8
9
AAC Grainland
0
0
4
4
6
CDC Defy
0
0
0
2
8
Figure 2 Grade distribution and grading factors for CWAD as of November 27, 2023 (based on 750 samples)
Graph data
% of samples
No. 1
No. 2
No. 3
≤ No. 4
Grade distribution
50.8
31.3
12.9
4.9
Test weight
0
17.1
5.7
0
Hard vitreous kernels
0
9.6
2.9
0
Figure 3 Mean protein content (13.5% mb, %) in CWAD from 2014 to November 27, 2023
Graph data
Protein, %
Year
%
2014
12.9
2015
14.0
2016
12.7
2017
13.6
2018
14.3
2019
14.0
2020
13.8
2021
15.7
2022
14.6
2023
14.8
Milling and functional quality
CWAD had a strong milling performance this year, as well as high yellow pigment content and superior processing quality. It had excellent hard vitreous kernel (HVK) levels across all grades, with 95% in No.1 CWAD. Test weight and weight per thousand kennels were comparable to 2022, with No. 3 having a slightly lower test weight. The CWAD 2023 crop was sound and all aggregate samples had wheat FN values greater than 350 seconds. Wheat ash content was significantly lower than last year across all grades.
Prairie aggregates of all milling grades had good milling performance with high semolina yields, low speck count and large granulation. Semolina ash was lower for No. 1 and slightly lower for No.2 compared to last year. Rheological tests demonstrated strong and balanced gluten properties based on gluten index and Alveogram parameters. The pasta produced from semolina milled from 2023 CWAD had excellent bright yellow color with high firmness and superior cooking quality across all grades.
Four crop regions in western Canada were designated for Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) based on similarity of environmental characteristics within each region. Consideration was given to directional movement, political boundaries and production (seeded area) in choosing these regions. In addition, areas with a low level of production were grouped with larger production areas to ensure sufficient sample volume for analysis.
Canada Western Amber Durum (CWAD) crop regions
Text description
Region 12: south eastern Saskatchewan
Region 13: south western Saskatchewan
Region 14: central Saskatchewan
Region 15: Alberta
Protein content (%)Footnote 4, No. 1 CWAD as of December 19, 2023
Grading factors present (%) in Canada Western Amber Durum wheat from all provinces as of December 19, 2023
Samples
No. 1 CWAD
No. 2 CWAD
No. 3 CWAD
No. 4 CWAD
No. 5 CWAD
Number of samples
393
243
103
16
23
% of total
50.5
31.2
13.2
2.1
3.0
Grading factor
No. 1 CWAD
No. 2 CWAD
No. 3 CWAD
No. 4 CWAD
No. 5 CWAD
Broken (BKN)
0.0
5.3
6.8
0.0
21.7
Ergot (ERG)
0.0
0.0
4.9
0.0
8.7
Excreta (EXCR)
0.0
0.0
0.0
0.0
4.3
Frost (FR)
0.0
0.4
0.0
0.0
0.0
Fusarium damage (FUS DMG)
0.0
0.0
8.7
0.0
8.7
Hard vitreous kernels (HVK)
0.0
31.3
23.3
62.5
0.0
Midge damage (MDGE)
0.0
2.5
0.0
0.0
0.0
Mildew (MIL)
0.0
3.3
2.9
6.3
0.0
Matter other than cereal grains (MOTCG)
0.0
0.4
1.0
0.0
4.3
Natural stain (NSTN)
0.0
0.4
1.0
0.0
0.0
Severe midge damaged kernels (SEVMDGE)
0.0
4.9
5.8
0.0
4.3
Severely sprouted kernels (SEVSPTD)
0.0
2.9
6.8
0.0
0.0
Shrunken kernels (SHR)
0.0
0.0
1.0
0.0
39.1
Smudge damage (SM)
0.0
0.8
1.0
0.0
0.0
Total foreign material (TFM)
0.0
1.2
0.0
6.3
0.0
Total Shrunken and Broken (TSHRBKN)
0.0
0.8
0.0
0.0
0.0
Total sprouted (TSPTD)
0.0
2.1
1.0
0.0
4.3
Test weight (TWT)
0.0
53.9
43.7
12.5
4.3
Wheat of other classes (WOOC)
0.0
6.2
5.8
31.3
8.7
Deoxynivalenol (DON) data
Deoxynivalenol (DON) is a mycotoxin that can be found in grain infected with Fusarium head blight. DON is not an official grading factor listed in the Canada Grain Regulations or the Official Grain Grading Guide. Instead, the Canadian Grain Commission uses the visual assessment of Fusarium damaged kernels as a proxy for DON.
Even if DON isn’t an official grading factor, it may be included as a contract specification in grain transactions. The Canadian Grain Commission provides DON results to producers who participate in the Harvest Sample Program.
Figure 5 Distribution of deoxynivalenol values for CWAD as of November 27, 2023
Graph data
Distribution of deoxynivalenol values for CWAD as of November 27, 2023
DON (ppm)
%
< 0.3
72.8
0.3 to 1.0
25.0
> 1.0
2.3
Deoxynivalenol (DON) values (ppm) in Canada Western Amber Durum wheat as of December 19, 2023
DON (ppm)
Number of samples
% of total
Below limit (< 0.3 ppm)
566
72.29
0.3 to 1.0
199
25.42
1.1 to 2.0
8
1.02
2.1 to 3.0
6
0.77
3.1 to 4.0
2
0.26
4.1 to 5.0
1
0.13
5.1 to 6.0
1
0.13
Above limit (> 6.0 ppm)
0
0
Total samples
783
100
Falling Number (FN) data
Falling Number (FN) results are an indicator of sprout damage in wheat. FN is not an official grading factor listed in the Canada Grain Regulations or the Official Grain Grading Guide. Instead, the Canadian Grain Commission uses the visual assessment of sprouted and severely sprouted kernels as a proxy for FN.
Even if FN isn’t an official grading factor, it may be included as a contract specification in grain transactions. The Canadian Grain Commission provides FN results to producers who participate in the Harvest Sample Program.
Figure 6 Distribution of Falling Number values for CWAD as of November 27, 2023
Graph data
Distribution of Falling Number values for CWAD as of November 27, 2023
Falling Number
% of samples
> 351
86.1
301 to 350
7.0
251 to 300
4.5
< 250
2.4
Falling Number values (seconds) in Canada Western Amber Durum wheat as of December 19, 2023
