TRIAL PLOTS of Hyperion winter wheat were looking promising last week (w/e May 1) at Nickerson’s seed multiplication site in Suffolk.

The variety currently yields 2-3% above control varieties, but it is its eyespot resistance that is exciting senior wheat breeder Bill Angus.

“The resistance gives as near to immunity as you can get and gives the benefit of taking out one spray.”

Eyespot causes losses of around £7 million in yield, and genetic resistance can help to reduce that, he said.

Hyperion is a group four, soft milling variety with short, stiff straw and good grain characteristics.

It has potential to meet British Cereals Export UKS standards, and will be targeted mainly as a second wheat.

The second offering from Nickerson is Alchemy, another soft milling group four with a strong foliar disease profile.

It exhibits similar ratings to one of its parentage, Claire, but with a rating of eight for mildew.

“It is the cleanest variety we have ever produced and seen in trials,” said Mr Angus.

Like Claire, Alchemy is suited to early drilling, and in trials has demonstrated very high yield potential, 108% of controls according to HGCA figures.

“It has similar grain characteristics to Riband, and has the potential to meet BCE UKS standards.”

Initial data also places Alchemy as a ‘good’ for distilling.