Rising to the challenge of consistent milling wheat

As well as disease resistance and regional yield performance, the characteristics of consistency of performance, grain quality and end market suitability all rank among growers’ five most important factors when choosing which winter wheat varieties to grow.

That is according to a recent survey of Farmers Weekly readers run by Syngenta.

Moreover, second only to resistance to pests and virus, 64% of respondents also said they would find specific weight useful when choosing winter cereal varieties in future.

© Syngenta

“If you’re growing milling wheat, grain quality is clearly crucial,” says Kathryn Hamlen, Syngenta seeds portfolio marketing manager. “But what’s also important is having maximum security that you can achieve consistency of quality and yield year after year.

“As well as achieving good grain protein, we know that for greater reassurance of meeting milling specification, a high Hagberg Falling Number is also key.

“Although we’ve had some favourable harvest weather over recent years, 2023 in particular, and 2024 in various places, produced wetter, delayed harvests. This resulted in grain sprouting in ears and Hagbergs declining.

SY Cheer

“SY Cheer, one of two new UKFM Group 1 varieties to be added to the AHDB winter wheat Recommended List (RL) recently, has an ability to assimilate high levels of grain protein.

“But it also has the highest Hagberg Falling Number figure among UKFM Group 1 varieties on the 2025/26 winter wheat RL – at 299.

“Plus, it has a high specific weight figure on the 2025/26 winter wheat RL – at 79.8kg/hl.

SY Cheer from Syngenta © Syngenta

“Varieties with inherently high Hagbergs and specific weights should give growers extra confidence for milling wheat specifications.

“What was also clearly important from the survey was consistency of performance.

“Over the last four seasons, the RL data shows the annual UK treated yield of SY Cheer only varied by a couple of percentage points,” Kathryn points out.

Kathryn goes on to say that bread-making wheat has a stable demand among UK millers. However, recent years have witnessed a reduction in the market share of Group 1 varieties, she adds.

SY Cheer large flag leaf © Syngenta

“With the introduction of newer Group 1 varieties, such as SY Cheer, which meet several criteria that growers tell us are important, this could hopefully reinvigorate interest in growing milling wheat.

“SY Cheer has support among major UK millers,” Kathryn concludes.