Recommended List Analysis: Lots added, yet so few of real interest

A total of 27 new varieties were added to the HGCA 2011/12 Recommended List last week, but very few have been welcomed with enthusiasm. Louise Impey reports

A huge number to talk about, but very little to say.

That was the main message from commentators, all of whom were surprised by the number of varieties joining the HGCA Recommended List for 2011/12 but dismayed by their general lack of star potential.

“Every wheat possible has been added,” says David Waite of Frontier Agriculture. “But some of them won’t be commercially viable.”

His thoughts are echoed by Masstock’s Barry Barker, who says the new Recommended Lists are more like Descriptive Lists. “Certainly there’s a place for all the data and comparison information, as variety choice is very important.

“But too many of this year’s arrivals offer very marginal improvements, or particular traits, which are unlikely to tempt growers away from their established, proven choices.”

Just four varieties have been highlighted by our experts as bringing genuine improvements to farm, while a couple of others are recognised for their usefulness in particular situations.

Group 4 winter wheat KWS Santiago, with its extra 2% yield, and spring wheat Mulika, with its combination of Group 1 quality, higher yields and orange wheat blossom midge resistance, are both hailed as better than existing choices and seen as a step forwards.

Likewise, conventional winter oilseed rape Sesame and club root resistant hybrid Cracker are also recognised for their better performance.

Winter wheat Stigg gets mentioned for its outstanding disease resistance, which includes an eight for septoria, although most suspect that better grain prices will make it less attractive to feed wheat growers in 2011.

And spring barley Shuffle is also considered to be of interest, although it has to clear the distilling tests hurdle before it can progress any further.

Winter wheat

The Nabim verdicts have helped to distinguish between the eight new winter wheats, although there’s still potential for confusion, says NIAB TAG’s Clare Leaman.

Group 2 KWS Podium has orange wheat blossom midge resistance, making it a less risky choice than some of the existing varieties, she believes.

“The hope is that it will be as good as Cordiale on quality,” she notes. “But only time will tell.”

The fact that Nabim has compared it with Einstein, which is of poorer milling quality, is puzzling, she adds.

But Lee Bennett of Openfield is more convinced about it. “KWS Podium is more like Cordiale than Einstein and could challenge Gallant in the east, as it’s a shorter type and is stiff enough. The key is its blossom midge resistance, which together with its brown rust rating, makes it easier to grow.”

Independent agronomist Graham Brooks of Prime Agriculture will also be taking a closer look at KWS Podium, as his area of Essex is milling wheat country. “We need to take the pressure off Solstice where we can, so it is of interest.”

In the Group 3 category, there are three new additions, KWS Target, Tuxedo and Cocoon. None of them have has the widest market appeal or yields any higher than Invicta, so checking your markets will be vital, notes Mrs Leaman.

KWS Target is suitable for biscuit making, but not distilling. It has a very low Hagberg, but good specific weight and protein, and also offers orange wheat blossom midge resistance, she summarises. “It’s also earlier than Invicta.”

It’s the variety that Mr Brooks has been most looking forward to, as a replacement for Robigus is needed. “There’s a huge amount of Group 3 wheat grown here, so Target’s better yield and disease resistance is attractive. Scout has done quite well because it’s so clean, but we still have quite a bit of Robigus in the ground.”

Tuxedo gets a medium rating for distilling, but the nabim verdict mentions variability between years for dough extensibility. It receives provisional classification as UKS for blending, putting it in a similar position to Alchemy as far as exports are concerned.

Cocoon, which has been recommended for the east, is not suitable for distilling and has also been given a Nabim verdict which highlights variability. It is, however, suitable for export.

Of the three, Mr Bennett picks out Tuxedo. “It yields well, is good as a second wheat and gets a seven for Septoria tritici. I can see a place for it.”

Breeder RAGT says Premier Foods will be offering a buy-back contract for Tuxedo for harvest 2011, while United Biscuits has also assessed the variety with favourable results.

Mr Barker mentions that Cocoon is the highest yielding of the bunch. “It isn’t recommended for the north, because of its later maturity. But it has good disease resistance and responds well to PGRs, as it’s a taller type.”

All of our experts point out that last year’s Group 3 addition, Invicta, has been slower to sell than expected, making it even more difficult to determine how the three newcomers will fare.

In the Group 4 category, four varieties have been added. Gravitas and Denman join the soft milling list, while KWS Santiago and Stigg take their places in the hard milling sector.

Mrs Leaman isn’t convinced that either of the soft varieties move things on. “They’re both weaker strawed than Beluga and don’t have any extra yield. Denman does get a good rating for distilling and Gravitas has a high septoria rating. But they won’t suit everyone.”

Mr Waite has a similar view. “Up in the north there’ll be some interest in Denman. But neither variety has the earliness that is looked for and their only advantage over Beluga is that they have higher Hagbergs.”

Straw strength is Mr Bennett’s concern for both varieties. “They have got midge resistance but my inclination is that these are two varieties too many.”

Mr Barker can see Denman taking some market from Istabraq and Alchemy in Scotland, with Gravitas succeeding in the west where its seven for septoria will appeal to Alchemy growers.

The hard Group 4s get a different reception. KWS Santiago is tipped to be a top seller, as it takes yields on to 108 and should appeal to every Oakley grower.

“It’s a simple proposition,” notes Mr Barker. “A barn-filling wheat, which needs management. That’s familiar to many. There’s enough seed for an 8% market share and I see no reason why it shouldn’t achieve that.”

Mrs Leaman agrees growers will be lured by the extra yield, but she highlights its poor disease resistance and moderate straw strength. “Understand what you are taking on. KWS Santiago is not an easy answer, so you have to get the agronomy right.”

Mr Bennett is of the same opinion. “The yield is what it’s got going for it. Otherwise it’s tall, weak and late, with low Hagberg and specific weight. But it will sell and must be pushed hard by growers as a high input, high output variety. They’ve shown that they’re happy to do that with Oakley.”

Mr Brooks points out Oakley has done well in Essex. “We’ll try small areas of Santiago, to take a closer look this year.”

But Mr Waite sees more in KWS Santiago. “Compared with Oakley, it’s got better yield and yellow rust resistance. It also has midge resistance and has been very consistent across the regions.”

Stigg, the other hard Group 4, is a different proposition altogether. With a yield of 102, its strength is in its disease resistance and standing ability. The first variety to have a septoria resistance of eight, it is seen as an improvement.

“With its fantastic disease resistance, Stigg will find a place,” enthuses Mrs Leaman. “It would make a good partner for a high risk variety or a choice for fields which are located away from the main farm base.”

Mr Barker suggests it might suit the whole crop market while Mr Bennett points out that the principle is right. “Nice, but niche,” he summarises.

Spring wheat

It’s taken 11 years, but the arrival of a new UK bred spring wheat with Group 1 quality, is good news, all agree.

Mulika, with a 9% yield advantage over Paragon, is a big step forwards and means that growers should show a bit more interest in spring wheat, says Mrs Leaman.

“It’s got orange wheat blossom midge resistance too, which we haven’t had before in a Group 1 variety. And it has good disease resistance.”

Mulika, which is being marketed by Senova but was bred by Blackman Agriculture, is also recommended for late autumn sowing, where it performs well against Solstice, she points out. “A very useful addition to a small market.”

The Nabim verdict likens it to Paragon, with at least one miller rumoured to be on board already.

Mr Waite confirms that Frontier Agriculture will be running with it. “There’s miller interest and a move towards using UK grown wheat in UK bread. So it’s come along at the right time and offers advantages to growers and end users.”

The other new spring wheat, CPBT-W166 (likely to be named KWS Willow), is a Group 2, but joins on a provisional basis until it is National Listed. Also recommended for late autumn and spring sowing, it equals Tybalt for yield. However, the Nabim statement suggests it will be used in blends.