Big step up in yield for new winter barley varieties

A big step up in yield. That’s the verdict on the two new winter barley varieties, SY Venture and Archer, joining the malting category on the Recommended List.

And the latest conventional six-row feed variety, KWS Meridian, shows that yield performance can get close to that of the hybrids, comments Peter Hanson of the HGCA Recommended List team.

SY Venture from Syngenta and Archer from Limagrain are both two-row malting types, he explains, with a good yield advantage and better straw characteristics than Winsome. Both also offer resistance to barley mosaic virus.

SY Venture, with a yield of 104%, has an 8 for lodging resistance. Archer, at 102%, has a 7 for lodging, but a better Rhynchosporium rating of 7.

“If you had to find a fault with them, you could say their net blotch resistance is lacking,” says Mr Hanson. “But their yield performance is exciting and takes things on to the next level.”

Early test results suggest their quality is coming in at the same level as Flagon and Cassata, he reveals.

KWS Meridian joins the list as a six-row feed variety, with a yield of 110%, says Mr Hanson. While that doesn’t put it ahead of Volume and Element, it shows that conventional types can get close to the hybrids.

“It has a better disease package, with the exception of Rhynchosporium, and good screenings, despite its moderate specific weight.”

One winter barley variety, Boost, has been removed from the list.

Spring barley

Three new spring barley varieties, all from Limagrain, have been put on the Recommended List.

All are under test for brewing and malt distilling, confirms Mr Hanson, who adds that the situation concerning their future will be much clearer in a year’s time.

“It’s hard to envisage the end users will continue to support all three varieties,” he says.

Odyssey, Chronicle and Overture have yields of 108%, 106% and 105% respectively, he says. “All are high yielding and have good resistance to mildew and rhynchosporium. Their only slight weakness is with brown rust.”

To differentiate them, Odyssey offers the highest yield, Chronicle has the stiffest straw and Overture appears to have better quality, he summarises.

Removed from the spring barley list were Forensic, Scout, Panther and Publican.

• For more HGCA Recommended List 2012-13 coverage, including early reaction and analysis of the changes, see our dedicated web page