Cereals 2010: High-yielding biscuit wheat launched
RAGT Seeds launched a high-yielding biscuit wheat with disease resistance ratings to rival its stable mate Warrior at Cereals 2010.
Tuxedo had a treated yield of 103% matching current Group 3 leader Invicta and 3% higher than Warrior, said the firm’s Ed Flatwell.
Like Warrior, Tuxedo had high septoria and yellow rust resistance, but it was lacking orange wheat blossom midge resistance, he admitted.
“Tuxedo has a high Hagberg and sprouting resistance – 30-40% higher than other soft wheats,” he said. “It looks like it will meet the requirements of the biscuit market and Scottish market.”
The variety had been provisionally accepted by distillers and exporters and was likely to be given the uks export brand, he said. “It has the potential to take a 25% market share in Group 3.”
Tuxedo would not be marketed this year, but there would be a limited quantity of C1 seed released. “There will also be a proportion of seed used for commercial trials.”
Demand for newly recommended Warrior was expected to exceed seed supply, said commercial manager Simon Howell. “We have 5500t of seed available which is expected to sell out quickly.”
Excellent disease resistance was the variety’s main selling point, but treated yields of 99 and lack of distilling potential limited its market, he said. “It will mainly be grown by mixed farmers who want a crop that is easy to manage, but arable growers are starting to pick up on it.”
Growers were starting to manage risk by growing varieties such as Warrior with good disease resistance alongside higher-yielding cultivars with weaker resistance, he said. “Some farmers have said they are dropping the T0 fungicide because Warrior’s disease resistance ratings are so good.”
Nidera were offering a 2011 buy-back contract with a premium of £5/t over feed wheat, he added.
