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Cultivar · Wheat cultivar

Yecora Rojo

Yecora Rojo is a CIMMYT-derived semi-dwarf hard red spring bread wheat released in 1975, adapted to hot, irrigated low-desert conditions and noted for its milling quality and characteristically high grain protein.

Dated referenceLast reviewed: 2026-07-12Updated: 2026-07-12
Illustrative diagram · AgricultureID (original)

Record

Cultivar / variety
Variety of
Wheat
Botanical taxon
Triticum aestivum
Type
Cultivar
Breeding method
Cross-breeding (pedigree selection)
Origin
CIMMYT spring-wheat program (developed in Mexico; first released in California, United States), Mexico
Released
1975
Breeder / institution
CIMMYT (International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center)
Registry status
Historical · as of 2026-07-12
Registries
Adaptation
Semi-dwarf hard red spring wheat adapted to hot, irrigated low-desert conditions; grown in the southwestern United States (California and Arizona) and other warm, irrigated regions.
Intended use
Bread wheat for milling and flour, Grown in hot, irrigated low-desert environments

Registry listing or variety protection is jurisdiction- and date-specific and does not by itself indicate current commercial availability, universal cultivation approval, patent status, or a recommendation.

Yecora Rojo is a semi-dwarf hard red spring bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) developed from the spring-wheat germplasm of CIMMYT, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, in cooperation with Mexican agricultural research. A red-grained selection related to the earlier line Yecora, it was released in 1975 and first grown commercially in California.

The cultivar is short-statured and well suited to hot, irrigated low-desert environments, where it has been grown across the southwestern United States and comparable regions. It is valued for its milling and bread-baking quality and is often noted for a high grain-protein content, which has also made it popular among artisan and specialty bakers.

History and development

Yecora Rojo was developed from CIMMYT spring-wheat germplasm whose semi-dwarf background traces to the international breeding lines that followed the introduction of reduced-height alleles into wheat. A red-grained ("rojo") selection related to the line Yecora, it was released in 1975 and first grown commercially in the low-desert regions of California.

It went on to be grown widely in the southwestern United States and other warm, irrigated regions, and remains available through specialty and heritage grain channels.

Classification and characteristics

Species
Triticum aestivum (hexaploid bread wheat)
Market class
Hard red spring wheat
Plant stature
Semi-dwarf (short-statured)
Growth habit
Spring
Adaptation
Hot, irrigated low-desert conditions

Adaptation and use

Yecora Rojo is grown chiefly under irrigation in hot, low-elevation desert environments, and is milled into bread flour. Its reputation for high grain protein and strong baking performance has kept it in demand among artisan millers and bakers as well as in commercial production.

Relationships

Evidence-backed connections in the knowledge graph.

Adapted to climate

Scope & limitations

Geographic scope: Documented CIMMYT-derived hard red spring wheat grown mainly in hot, irrigated low-desert regions; adaptation and grain quality are environment- and season-specific.

Climate context: Semi-dwarf spring wheat adapted to hot, irrigated low-desert conditions.

  • Adaptation and trait notes are region- and season-specific, and performance varies by environment.
  • Grain-protein and quality descriptions are general characteristics; the current commercial registration status of the cultivar is not asserted here.

Sources

This article draws on the following authoritative sources. See our sources & methodology for how they are selected.

  1. [1]CIMMYT — International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (opens in a new tab)

    International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)

    High

    Cited for: Semi-dwarf spring-wheat germplasm background and development

    Type:
    Research institute
    Jurisdiction:
    Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12
  2. [2]GRIN-Global / National Plant Germplasm System (opens in a new tab)

    USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS)

    Authoritative

    Cited for: Hard red spring wheat germplasm accession and characterization

    Type:
    Official registry
    Jurisdiction:
    United States / Global
    Accessed:
    2026-07-12

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