TRITICALE COULD be a more profitable spring cereal option than wheat, barley or oats, under a low input system, according to results from one commercial trial.

The ADAS trial conducted last year, found that under a restricted nitrogen system (50kg N/ha), the spring triticale variety Legalo, produced a gross margin of £314/ha – some £89/ha higher than Optic spring barley.

In the trial, Legalo also produced the highest yields at 6t/ha, compared to 4.7t/ha for Optic and 3.9t/ha for Tybalt spring wheat.

“This demonstrates Legalo triticale‘s suitability to low input systems,” said project manager and SW Seed‘s Alison Barrow.

With new grants for overwintered stubbles and low input spring cereals coming in under the Entry and Higher Level Schemes, the gross margin for spring triticale could be improved further, she said.

“These results are very encouraging and the trial will be repeated this season,” Miss Barrow noted.