In order to meet the demands for higher grain yielding wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars, in addition to higher resistance levels to diseases and better breadmaking quality, the cultivar EMBRAPA 52 was released in 1996 for the State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It was developed at Embrapa-Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Trigo, showing early cycle, mid-high stature, and resistance to aluminum soil conditions. It can show lodging problems under high soil fertility conditions and sprouting under delayed rains at harvest time. At releasing, it has shown good plant-health performance under field conditions. At seedling stage, it was susceptible to five races of leaf rust and resistant to all races of stem rust found in Brazil. It is moderately susceptible to glume blotch and susceptible to loose smut. It is resistant under field conditions to mildew and soil borne mosaic virus. Over the 1993-95 period, EMBRAPA 52 performed as the highest grain yielding wheat among all cultivars and lines tested in Rio Grande do Sul, producing 13% over the checks in the average of all locations of the State. Considering alveograph and farinograph tests, it was preliminarily classified as superior in the commercial class, being indicated for breadmaking and to manufacture crackers and pastry products.
