Skyfall and Crusoe set pace for milling wheats
A clear division is opening up among the four Group 1 milling wheat wheat varieties creating two frontrunners as Louise Impey finds out.
Skyfall is setting the pace for yield, but Crusoe’s disease resistance is proving its worth this season.
That’s the summary view of the experts on Group 1 wheats, a category which also includes two mainstay older varieties, Solstice and Gallant, neither of which should be dismissed too quickly.
“There’s no doubt that we are seeing Solstice and Gallant being challenged now. Not only are they being beaten on yield, they are also showing plenty of disease,” said Simon Oxley of the HGCA.
The 6% yield advantage of Skyfall over both Gallant and Solstice is hard for growers to ignore, he acknowledges.
“But that’s not all that Skyfall has to offer. It brings orange wheat blossom midge resistance to this sector and good second wheat performance,” he added.
Don’t ignore flexible mulika
Spring wheat, Mulika, is also a Group 1 variety, points out Mr Bourne, who adds that it shouldn’t be overlooked by those milling wheat growers who want management flexibility.
“It can be drilled from late autumn, right through until spring, which is very relevant given the widespread need for better blackgrass control.
“It is competitive on yield compared with late-drilled winter types,” he said.
Lower growing costs improve Mulika’s gross margin potential.
“It doesn’t need the same level of inputs,” Mr Bourne added.
With two millers – Warburtons and ADM Milling – already supporting the variety, growers should have confidence in Skyfall, despite the delay in its full approval, he believes.
Barry Barker of Agrii agrees: “There are no concerns with Skyfall, which is good news. This sector needs a boost and seed sales would suggest that it’s getting one.”
But he also mentions Crusoe’s disease resistance, especially for growers in the west. “It’s having a good year due to its septoria resistance and you can really see the difference in the field,” Dr Oxley added.
A 6 resistance rating for septoria, together with a 9 for yellow rust, puts Crusoe in a good position.
“It is 4% lower yielding than Skyfall but it’s another variety with support from millers,” he said.
David Leaper of Openfield notes that the newer varieties are starting to take hold, but cautions growers about switching completely.
“This is a traditional market and the millers don’t like too much change, too quickly. So keep some Solstice and Gallant in the mix,” he said.
Mr Leaper has seen greater uptake of Crusoe, mainly at the expense of Solstice, after growers allowed themselves a couple of years to try it.
Andrew Bourne of Kent’s T Denne & Sons has also witnessed a move to Crusoe and predicts it will take the biggest market share this autumn.
“It does better on heavier, more fertile land so site selection is important,” he added.
Otherwise, Mr Bourne points out that Solstice has been a benchmark for 11 years and is a favourite of millers.
“Solstice also brings some flexibility. It is easier to manage at harvest and retains its Hagberg if there are any delays,” he said.
Candidate varities
There are two potential Group 1 winter wheat varieties coming up for recommendation later this year, both of which have excellent disease resistance ratings.
Of the two, Trinity from KWS is the highest yielding, with a treated yield of 102, while Senova’s Ruskin is a very short, stiff type with good lodging resistance. However, neither offers orange wheat blossom midge resistance.
At this early stage, Trinity is slightly ahead of Skyfall on yield, as well as being earlier to mature. It has 9 ratings for mildew, yellow rust and brown rust, with an 8 for eyespot and a 6 for septoria, along with a very high Hagberg of 351.
Ruskin has a yield of 97, a Hagberg of 324, protein content of 12.2% and specific weight of 78.3kg/hl. It also has 9 ratings for yellow and brown rust, 8s for mildew and eyespot and a 6 for septoria.
The other potential breadmaking candidate is Lili, a Group 2 variety from KWS. The highest yielding of the three, at 104, it is another short, stiff type with 7 ratings for yellow rust and septoria.
“All of these candidates have come through two tough years. They’ve coped with two high disease pressure years and a low specific weight season, but they still look very promising. That’s good news,” said Openfield’s Mr Leaper.
