Wheat yields have proved pleasantly surprising at Mark Tinsley’s Hurn Hall Farm, Holbeach, Lincolnshire.

“All in all we’ve been very pleased – everything has performed significantly above expectations.”

A particularly impressive variety, considering the wet autumn, was Warrior, said Mr Tinsley.

Drilled in November on light silt soils, it looked very variable in the spring, followed by drought in June.

“From early July up to the point of harvest we have experienced 360mm of rain, much of which fell in torrential downpours. Our confidence was not high in relation to yield.”

But two fields yielded over 11t/ha (4.5t/acre), while a third with drainage problems managed just under 10t/ha (4.1t/acre).

“We were very impressed – and with its Orange Blossom Midge resistance the input costs were extremely low.”

Mr Tinsley had managed to harvest most of his wheat at 14-16% moisture, and said Oakley topped the yield stakes at 11.7t/ha (4.7t/acre).

Battalion averaged 11.2t/ha (4.5t/acre); Robigus yielded 10.8t/ha (4.4t/acre); Cordiale managed 10.2t/ha (4.1t/acre); and Humber averaged 10t/ha (4t/acre).

Second wheats Duxford and Einstein were both pleasing, at 10.2t/ha (4.1t/acre) and 9.8t/ha (4t/acre), respectively.

That left a little late-drilled winter wheat to finish off, as well as some Tybalt spring wheat, which was so far averaging between 9t and 10t/ha (3.6-4t/acre)