Variety Approval, Release and Registration Sub-Committee under National Seed Board that met on 13 September 2007 officially released and registered a new wheat variety named ‘WK 1204’ along with complete technology package for farmers to cultivate in different agro-ecological condition in mid and high hills of Nepal.

The new wheat variety released after 9 years’ research and experiments at different research stations, disciplinary divisions and farmers’ fields at different locations coordinated by Agri-Botany Division of NARC. The variety has been recommended to cultivate in mid and high hills in irrigated, partially irrigated and rain-fed conditions in cropping patterns: Rice-Wheat, Maize-Wheat, Potato-Wheat, Fallow-Wheat, Soybean-Wheat, Cowpea-Wheat, and rice-Wheat+Mustard.

The wheat variety: ‘‘WK 1204’’ was developed from a single cross of SW89.3064/STAR with a pedigree CMBW91Y01627S-13Y-010M-010Y-010M-3Y-OM at Agri-Botany Division of NARC and was evaluated in series of trials in experimental as well as farmers’ field conditions in hills of Nepal. It was also tested in different international disease screening nurseries in Pakistan, Australia and Kenya. It has been found resistant to yellow rust.

This variety has been released as it is high yielding and has stable performance across diverse environments and is resistant to yellow rust. It has wider adaptability, high tillering potential, good plant type, compact and parallel spike and high number of grains/spike. It has large sized, elliptical shaped, amber coloured, grain with high protein content along with good bread and chapatti making qualities. It has an yield potential of (8,889kg/ha and maturity period of 169 days from seeding.
The meeting of the Sub-Committee was held under the Chairmanship of Dr. Nanda Prasad Shrestha, Executive Director of NARC.