Just one variety, Granary from KWS UK, joins the HGCA Recommended List for spring wheat 2009, and one, Chablis, is dropped. There are no new recommendations for late autumn sowing.

Granary has drawn favourable response from nabim, says RL technical manager Bill Handley. “They’ve said it’s probably Group 2 and will look again when they get more to the market. It’s the first breadmaking spring variety to hit the list since 2003.”

Granary’s treated yield is 3% better than Ashby’s but 3% below Tybalt’s, but its protein content and specific weight are better than theirs, and its disease resistances are all above average.

However, its Hagberg is only moderate – similar to Hereward’s. “Farmers will have to be careful with it,” says Mr Handley.

Without growth regulator it is slightly taller than Ashby and Tybalt and its lodging resistance has yet to be rated.