{
  "source": "bayer_seeds",
  "source_key": "westbred-wb4540",
  "vendor": "Bayer",
  "brand": "WESTBRED",
  "product_name": "WB4540 BRAND",
  "product_id": "WHEAT_WB4540 BRAND_WESTBRED_US",
  "hybrid_prefix": "WB4540",
  "hybrid_suffix": "BRAND",
  "crop": "wheat",
  "release_year": 2024,
  "relative_maturity": "Medium",
  "maturity_group": null,
  "wheat_class": null,
  "trait_stack": [],
  "trait_descriptions": [],
  "positioning_statement": "WB4540 is an Awnless Hard Red Winter Wheat variety with excellent yield and forage potential.  Suited for the Northern and Central Regions, this variety also has very good Yellow (Stripe Rust) and Soil-Borne Mosaic Virus tolerance plus good Fusarium Head Blight tolerance.",
  "strengths": [
    "Awnless Variety with Excellent Grain and Forage Yield Potential",
    "Broadly adapted for Irrigated or Dryland Acres",
    "Very Good Test Weight with Good Protein and Milling/Baking Quality",
    "Excellent Soil-Borne Mosaic Tolerance",
    "Intermediate Tolerance to Low pH Soils"
  ],
  "characteristics_groups": [
    {
      "label": "KEY CHARACTERISTICS",
      "type": "key characteristics",
      "items": [
        {
          "characteristic": "TEST WEIGHT",
          "value": "3"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "STANDABILITY",
          "value": "4"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "YELLOW (STRIPE) RUST",
          "value": "3"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "label": "MANAGEMENT",
      "type": "management",
      "items": [
        {
          "characteristic": "HERBICIDE TOLERANCE",
          "value": "-"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "MATURITY GROUP",
          "value": "Medium"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "PLANTING RATE",
          "value": "Medium-High"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "HEAD TYPE",
          "value": "Smooth"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "YIELD POTENTIAL",
          "value": "2"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "PLANT VARIETY PROTECTION",
          "value": "Pending"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "LIMITED USE LICENSE AGREEMENT REQUIRED",
          "value": "Yes"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "CROP SYSTEM",
          "value": "IR,DR"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "PATENT PROTECTION",
          "value": "Pending"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "NEW PRODUCT",
          "value": "Yes"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "label": "PRODUCTION",
      "type": "production",
      "items": [
        {
          "characteristic": "PLANT HEIGHT",
          "value": "Medium-Tall"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "WINTER HARDINESS",
          "value": "3"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "TILLERING POTENTIAL",
          "value": "2"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "TEST WEIGHT",
          "value": "3"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "STANDABILITY",
          "value": "4"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "label": "QUALITY",
      "type": "quality",
      "items": [
        {
          "characteristic": "PROTEIN CONTENT",
          "value": "4"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "MILLING/BAKING QUALITY",
          "value": "4"
        }
      ]
    },
    {
      "label": "PEST AND DISEASE RESISTANCE",
      "type": "pest and disease resistance",
      "items": [
        {
          "characteristic": "BACTERIAL LEAF STREAK",
          "value": "6"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "FUSARIUM HEAD BLIGHT (SCAB)",
          "value": "5"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "HESSIAN FLY",
          "value": "8"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "LEAF RUST",
          "value": "5"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "POWDERY MILDEW",
          "value": "5"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "SOIL-BORNE MOSAIC",
          "value": "2"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "STEM RUST",
          "value": "4"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "WHEAT STEM SAWFLY",
          "value": "7"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "WHEAT STREAK MOSAIC",
          "value": "7"
        },
        {
          "characteristic": "YELLOW (STRIPE) RUST",
          "value": "3"
        }
      ]
    }
  ],
  "_scale_direction": "1-9 (9 = best)",
  "regional_recommendations": [],
  "image_url": "https://cs-assets.bayer.com/is/image/bayer/Westbred-wheat-field-seed-4540",
  "source_urls": [
    "https://www.cropscience.bayer.us/wheat/westbred/westbred-wb4540-wheat"
  ],
  "sitemap_last_modified": "2026-05-12T14:44:01.813Z",
  "fetched_at": "2026-05-25T17:07:28.114042+00:00",
  "scraper_version": "0.1.0"
}
