Promising variety candidates see growers spoilt for choice
Several of this year’s Recommended List variety candidates may prove to be valuable drilling choices for 2016, offering extra yield and disease resistance.
Sixteen winter wheats, eight winter barleys and 12 winter oilseed rapes lined up for further evaluation in AHDB trials, having successfully completed the first two years of National List trials.
At first glance, they do seem to offer more. The highest-yielding winter wheat varieties from 2015 trials are all candidates – the potential bread-making group 2 type Siskin, biscuit-making variety Barrel and group 4 hard feed candidate Silverstone – having produced yields of 106%.
And while this select bunch from KWS is bound to be of interest, there are others that have also caught the expert’s eye.
See also: New nitrogen strategy brings in the dough for milling wheats
Most notable among these include breeder RAGT’s Illustrious – a likely group 1 winter wheat with confirmed miller interest – and the high-yielding feed wheat, Graham. Another with backing is the group 3 choice, Basset, although it is still to complete National List testing.
Disease resistance standards raised in OSR
Disease resistance will be just as important as gross output in deciding which winter oilseed rape varieties make the cut this year.
A decision taken to prevent the automatic recommendation of varieties with a 2% yield advantage unless they have a light leaf spot score of 6 or above is a move in the right direction to raise minimum standards, and is welcomed by the seed trade.
Both of the conventional candidates, Elgar and Nikita, are showing promise, believes Simon Kightley, oilseeds specialist with Niab Tag. “The most obvious of these is Elgar, which topped the RL trials for gross output and has the necessary agronomic characteristics, including a light leaf spot score of 7.”
Nikita’s light leaf spot rating is an 8, making it another contender, he suggests.
“There’s been renewed interest in conventionals from growers, given the tight economics of oilseed rape growing at the moment. Having new conventional varieties for them to choose from is important.”
There is also a whole raft of hybrid varieties in the mix, with most bringing a lift in gross output.
Windozz, Wembley and Alizze are all mentioned by Mr Kightley as being varieties that could earn a place on the Recommended List.
“Again, they have the required disease-resistance scores and have performed very well.”
“In the quality wheats, there are two varieties that bring something extra to the table,” explains Lee Bennett, national seeds manager at Openfield. “We’re not particularly short of good group 1 and 2 varieties, so any newcomers need to offer a step forward.”
He sees this progression in both Siskin and Illustrious, but for different reasons.
“Siskin had a good year in trials with a top yield of 106%. At this stage, it appears to offer more yield, better grain quality and earliness, when compared with the existing group 2 frontrunner Lili.
“Siskin also has a 7 for septoria, among very respectable disease ratings. Its only potential shortcoming is its protein content of 11.2%.”
Quality promise
Richard Torr, seed sales manager at the Wynnstay Group, agrees with this summary. “It’s very promising at this stage. Lili was a good introduction last year and it seems to be preparing the ground nicely for Siskin.”
There is some work to do with growers who remain reluctant to grow quality wheats, he admits. “They still assume that there’s a yield penalty, which simply isn’t the case anymore. But that mentality will change as on-farm results are revealed and word spreads.”
Significantly, the other quality wheat, Illustrious, has already got miller commitment, reveals Mr Bennett. “It has a lower yield than Siskin, being at the Skyfall and Trinity level, but it works for the baker. There are already contracts out for it, which will give everyone confidence in it.”
This grain quality advantage should be enough to get Illustrious recommended, believes Mr Torr. “It’s a definite step on, even if the yield isn’t higher. And with more group 1s being grown again, the timing is right.”
The group 3 sector is a two-horse race, believes Mr Bennett.
“Barrel and Basset are of interest, with earliness and other agronomic attractions. But the millers’ verdict will be crucial to their uptake.”
Spyder, however, would be the first variety to bring a septoria rating of 7 to this category, he notes.
Early driller
Mr Torr also picks out Basset, as indications suggest that it is likely to be suitable for early drilling. “We need another early driller, so it could have a place.”
Differentiating the group 4s is trickier, he acknowledges. “Remember that we are looking for advantages. So if there’s an existing tried-and-trusted variety that offers the same level of yield, there won’t be a strong incentive for a grower to move on.”
Silverstone certainly offers yield, as well as tremendous grain, summarises Mr Bennett. “We just need a bit more information on its straw strength and whether it responds to plant growth regulators (PGRs).”
Danish-bred Belgrade – sold through UK agent Elsoms – is earlier and stiffer than Silverstone, with a better septoria rating, he points out. “It’s a good package and has a five-year mean yield of 105%.”
Weak straw
Mr Torr is more cautious. “Any weakness in the straw doesn’t go down very well with growers. There are varieties that get recommended, but then just sit on the Recommended List without selling.”
Both Silverstone and Belgrade have merits in terms of yield and grain quality, but don’t appear to have the standing ability of others, he warns.
“The trials information is on the AHDB website, so growers can make up their own minds.”
Despite a slight yield dip in trials this year, Graham is the best of the bunch, both men agree. “It will be higher yielding than Reflection,” notes Mr Bennett. “It’s early, quite stiff, with good grain quality and robust disease resistance, including a 7 for septoria. It looks very promising.”
The right maturity and specific weight scores are essential in the west, reveals Mr Torr. “Graham is a more complete package than the others, so it will be of interest.”
Winter barley
The two new hybrid winter barleys, Bazooka and Belfry, have produced the highest yields in the AHDB’s winter barley trials.
Despite that, growers in the west of the country are sticking with conventional varieties, reports Mr Torr.
“That means they’re interested in the flow of new KWS material,” he says. “And it continues, with the candidate Orwell.”
Another candidate of interest to him is Surge, which appears to yield well in the West as well as offering improved rhynchosporium
control.
A closer look at the hybrids shows that although Bazooka achieved 109% and Belfry came in with 105% in 2015, only 1% separates them when the five-year mean yield figures are compared.
“Bazooka may have stolen the headlines, but Belfry is shorter, stiffer and earlier,” explains Mr Bennett. “If they both get recommended, it will give growers a choice. It’s certainly time to move on from Volume.”
Otherwise, he also picks out Orwell, a conventional two-row feed variety from the same stable as Cassia, Glacier, Infinity and Tower. “It’s got a bit more yield than Glacier and it’s stiff-strawed.”
