First feed wheat from Pioneer out

14 April 2000

First feed wheat from Pioneer out

CHEAP to grow Derwent feed wheat is the first variety to emerge from a new European breeding programme established by Pioneer, the worlds largest plant breeder.

Recent Morley trials using a lower cost triazole fungicide programme suggest it can top 12t/ha (4.9t/acre) as a first wheat and outperform Claire, Consort, Savannah and Napier as a second wheat facing take-all pressure.

ARC results confirm its better performance than existing varieties under a lower cost triazole programme.

The results suggest Derwent can boost margins, says Andrew Stainthorpe, arable manager at Pioneer. A limited amount of Derwent C2 seed will be available from Cargill this autumn.