Know How / Variety selection Case studiesSee all VARIETY SELECTIONWinter malting barley impresses growers and maltstersWinter malting barley variety Buccaneer is continuing to impress growers and maltsters since joining the AHDB Recommended List (RL) in 2023. According to David Griggs, technical director at Crisp Malt,… BARLEYGrowers explain appeal of new winter malting barley varietyWinter malting barley growers are opting for a newer variety, which promises higher yields and good disease resistance. Joining the AHDB Recommended List in late 2022, Buccaneer from Elsoms is… VARIETY SELECTIONWhy Essex grower is expanding Scope wheat area this autumnEssex grower Jeremy Durrant is so impressed with the new top-yielding feed winter wheat variety Scope that it will take up a quarter of his 500ha winter wheat area next… MARKET OPPORTUNITIESGroundswell 2025: Oxfordshire regen farm works with bakery chainA loaf of sourdough on sale in Gail’s bakery, and named after the Oxfordshire farm the flour was sourced from, is described by the bakery chain as a celebration of… VARIETY SELECTIONBedford grower assesses new varieties to replace ExtaseMatt Fuller is set to switch to two new milling wheat varieties this autumn to replace much of his Extase area if the Group 2 millers fulfil their promise on… VARIETY SELECTIONNorfolk grower's verdict on new high-protein milling wheatNorfolk grower Mark Means hopes the new milling winter wheat variety Vibe could become a firm fixture on his farm due to its high protein content and efficient nitrogen use.… Practical adviceSee all VARIETY SELECTIONSeed expert's wheat and barley variety tips for autumnWith five new winter wheats and two winter barleys on the Recommended List, should farmers opt for a newcomer, or stick with tried and tested favourites this autumn? Farmers have… CROP MANAGEMENTAdvice on getting the most from Dawsum winter wheatOne of a strong line-up of hard feed wheats available to growers, Dawsum accounts for almost 20% of all the winter wheat being grown in the UK this year. Joining… VARIETY SELECTIONInsecticide-free wheat set for drilling this autumnAn insecticide-free winter wheat variety will be ready for growers to drill this autumn, with the hard-milling feed wheat Grouse hoping to attract interest from those not wanting to spray… ARABLEHow grower adds flexibility with disease-tolerant OSRChanging weather patterns and the opportunity to reduce fungicide spray inputs were behind Lincolnshire grower Nick Wright’s decision to grow the sclerotinia-tolerant winter oilseed rape variety PT303. Having once experienced… BARLEYWhy spring barley can help growers cut their carbon footprintSpring barley can help growers drive down their carbon footprint by using better varietal genetics and using the benefits of cover crops. Spring crops, in general, are seen as better… CROP MANAGEMENTHow to adapt management to specific winter wheat varietiesAs new varieties arrive to the market, crops are planted over a wide drilling window and disease pressure evolves, tailoring winter wheat management to specific variety needs can help farmers… InsightsSee all VARIETY SELECTIONVirus-resistant wheat finds favour in disease hotspotA virus-resistant winter wheat variety is showing promising results on the South Downs in Hampshire producing a good milling grain sample while cutting fungicide and insecticide costs. The variety Goldfinch… VARIETY SELECTIONCereals 2026: Hybrid wheats offer yield and consistencyA new generation of hybrid wheat varieties could soon help UK growers break through the yield plateau, thanks to hybrid vigour and more extensive rooting. Other benefits include greater yield… ARABLENew oilseed rape choice shows early promise in NorthumberlandChanging from a trusted variety to a new one can sometimes require a leap of faith, but for Northumberland farmer Andrew Reed, of East Ancroft Farm, it is a move… ARABLEHigh output or early harvest? New KWS wheats at CerealsGrowers weighing up feed wheat options for the season ahead will be able to compare two different offers from KWS at Cereals 2026. One aimed at maximum output, the other… VARIETY SELECTIONNew wheat variety shows resilience over a testing seasonThe new winter wheat feed variety Challenger is set to be in high demand for this autumn’s drilling season due to its resilient qualities and good agronomics seen on farm.… VARIETY SELECTIONGuide to which OSR varieties to drill in summer 2026A good selection of new and existing winter oilseed rape varieties is being matched by renewed enthusiasm for growing the crop, with better yields, reduced pest pressure and stronger prices… ARABLEHow grower’s wheat topped YEN results in challenging seasonFor David Passmore, a first-place Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) result for his KWS Zealum wheat crop was no accident. Even in conditions many crops found testing, variety selection, alongside good… ARABLETrials go beyond the plot with UK demonstration farm networkDennington Hall Farms – building a system from the soil up. At Dennington Hall Farms in East Suffolk, Ryan McCormack is managing a highly integrated and forward-thinking farming system. The… ARABLEWhy sugar beet variety choice is becoming more importantAs sugar beet growers face a broader mix of on-farm challenges, variety choice is becoming a more important management decision than ever. Establishment still underpins performance, but genetics are increasingly… WEED MANAGEMENTWheat project examines effect of variety on weed suppressionAn AHDB project has set out to investigate if different winter wheat varieties can affect levels of weed suppression. Effective weed control remains a significant challenge in wheat production, particularly… VARIETY SELECTIONWhat to consider when selecting spring malting barley varietiesUK farmers are being advised to focus on proven barley varieties with strong market flexibility when selecting seed for the coming season, as uncertainty over area, premiums and end-market demand… MAIZETriple-use maize variety on offer to support rising interestThe demand for UK maize rise is rising, and so too is the demand for multi-use varieties which offer flexible market opportunities. Maize continues to be the first-choice feedstock for… Online resources from AHDB AHDB Recommended List 2025-26 Winter wheat See the lists AHDB Recommended List 2025-26 Winter barley See the lists AHDB Recommended List 2025 Spring barley See the lists AHDB Recommended List 2025-26 Winter oilseed rape See the lists
