PALMIRA 18 is a winter soft wheat variety created through intraspecific hybridization followed by individual selection. The plants are medium-height, ranging from 77 to 104 cm, with a semi-erect bush and a white awnless ear of medium length (8-11 cm), containing 28-33 chaffs per 10 cm of rachis. The grain is red, medium-sized, plump and vitreous, with the 1000-kernel weight varying from 36 to 46 g. The variety is characterized by high potential yield—up to 9-10 t/ha, as confirmed by test results in various regions where yields exceeded those of standard varieties.
PALMIRA 18 exhibits high resistance to lodging and pre-harvest sprouting, as well as significant frost resistance (59-80% at -19°C with 20 hours of exposure). The variety is resistant to major diseases such as rusts (brown and yellow), powdery mildew, septoria, root rots, and is tolerant to barley yellow dwarf virus. Pests, including wheat midge and grain flies, affect the plants less than standard varieties. In terms of drought resistance, PALMIRA 18 outperforms standard samples, making it adaptable to a wide cultivation area.
The grain quality of the variety is high: protein content is 13.3-14.0%, gluten is 23.9-30.2%, and sedimentation is 44.0-50.0 seconds. Baking properties are good, with a bread volume reaching 960 ml at a score of 4.7 points. The variety is recommended for sowing after all predecessors on intensive backgrounds, allowing for effective utilization of its potential in various agro-climatic conditions.
