Eight new winter oilseed rape varieties come into the mix this year, after five hybrids and one conventional variety joined the AHDB Recommended List 2025-26, along with two clubroot-resistant types.

The number of newcomers is proof plant breeders are still delivering a wide range of material to suit growers’ needs, while a standout feature of this year’s additions was the number of regional recommendations.

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For Colin Peters, break crop specialist at Niab, the regional differences between the newcomers are fairly minor, with one exception.

“The new hybrid Maverick, from NPZ UK, which has an East/West recommendation, performs much better in this region than it does up in the North,” he says.

“It’s easy to see why it was given a regional recommendation.”

Maverick tops the latest hybrid table, with a UK gross output of 108% and an East/West figure of 109%. In the North, that drops to 100%.

Described by Colin as a very good, solid variety, Maverick’s only downside is it doesn’t have the pod shatter genetics most of the others do.

However, a 7 rating for light leaf spot and a 9 rating for stem canker makes it one of the best variety choices for disease resistance – something growers are keen to exploit in the current climate.

Stem canker genetics

“We are really seeing the benefit of the different stem canker genetics, rlmS, that NPZ UK has introduced in its varieties,” reports Colin.

“There’s little doubt the rlm7 gene is on the wane now,” he adds.

“We saw it happening on the Continent, so we had plenty of warning. It’s evident in the resistance ratings of oilseed rape varieties that contain it, as they are all 5s and 6s now.”

In contrast, Vegas – another NPZ UK variety which joined the list two years ago – is still a 9 for stem canker resistance.

“It’s obvious that the other breeders are losing ground on stem canker in the short term.”

Just behind Maverick on 108% is Adapt, a new hybrid with a UK-wide recommendation.

Another very strong variety with the full package of genetic resistance in terms of pod shatter and turnip yellows virus resistance, it has a 6 rating for stem canker.

Hinsta, from KWS, is a new hybrid for the East/West region.

With a gross output of 106%, it is just behind Maverick and Adapt and also has the pod shatter and turnip yellows resistance that have been so popular.

“Hinsta has good light leaf spot resistance with a rating of 7, but is borderline susceptible to stem canker, with a 5.”

Having three different breeders represented in the top three hybrid variety choices is good news, adds Colin.

Limagrain also has Magelan, a new hybrid with an East/West recommendation.

With a gross output of 106%, it doesn’t quite match the other newcomers for disease resistance, with a 6 for light leaf spot and a 5 for stem canker.

“Magelan is moderately resistant to verticillium wilt and has a very high oil content, so it has plenty to offer,” remarks Colin.

LG Avenger © Limagrain

Flea beetle resilience

Avenger is the fifth new hybrid variety on the list, with a recommendation for the North, where it has a yield of 106%.

It is being marketed as having resilience to cabbage stem flea beetle, so Colin is looking forward to seeing how it behaves in the field.

“Limagrain has put a great deal of effort into trying to understand this better resilience, which is linked to its growth habit. It’s important to stress that it is resilience, not resistance,” says Colin.

Otherwise, Avenger is typical of the Limagrain types but has a 5 for stem canker resistance.

The only new conventional variety, Powerhouse from Elsoms, is recommended for the North where it has a gross output of 102%.

Another solid conventional, it is good to see fresh genetics coming onto the list, even if it doesn’t offer the full package that many hybrids do, comments Colin.

“Powerhouse has a good light leaf spot resistance rating of 7, but it’s another that’s somewhat susceptible to stem canker.”

Clubroot advance

Finally, two new clubroot-resistant varieties, Crusoe and Cromputer, are available.

Crusoe, from NPZ, tops the category and takes gross output on to 103%, while DSV’s Cromputer is on 98%.

Both have better disease resistance ratings than the existing choices, although Cromputer’s stem canker rating is lower than Crusoe’s.

“The key point with these varieties is to only use them where there’s a known problem with clubroot,” says Colin. “Otherwise you put the resistance at risk.”