Wichita                                   

Wichita is a winter canola variety developed by the Kansas Agricultural Experiment Station and released in 1999.  Wichita was selected from the cross Indore/Sipa/Liragul/3/Jet Neuf. 

Seed of Wichita is low in erucic acid and glucosinolates.  Wichita has shown a significant improvement in wither hardiness over previously release winter canola cultivars that were not developed in the Great Plains. 

Wichita is 1.5 days earlier than Ceres to 50 percent bloom, but its maturity is similar to that of Ceres.  Wichita is 45 inches tall, and has average total oil percentage levels with 37.1 percent.  Wichita has better than average resistance to shattering and better than average tolerance to lodging.  Test weights were 46.5 pounds per bushel.  Wichita's response to virulent blackleg is similar to that of Falcon, which is considered tolerant.

Wichita has outperformed other canola varieties in south central and southwest Kansas.  Wichita is earlier and appears to have better heat stress tolerance than Plainsman.  Although Wichita's overall winter survival percentage is slightly better than Plainsman's, Plainsman appears to have better cold tolerance than Wichita and is better suited to northern Kansas, where minimum temperatures are a concern.  Wichita also has performed well at test locations in Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri, Texas, and Virginia.