Quartet of new varieties debut on 2002 List
Quartet of new varieties debut on 2002 List
As the days begin to lengthen, so the case for a spring crop
will strengthen. Spread workload, better weed control and
easier cashflow all add weight to strong gross margin
arguments that the late-sown winter crop has to go. But
what to sow? In this special feature we report two Yorks
growers spring wheat experience, assess the best spring
break, and ask which cereal you should grow. But first,
Andrew Blake reports on the spring debutants in the
Recommended List. Edited by Andrew Swallow
FOUR new varieties have made it on to the 2002 UK Recommended Lists for spring sown cereals, oilseed rape and peas.
The only new cereal is Spire, a potential malting barley. Offering a good step forward in yield, 3% above Static – the best feed type – and 7% more than Optic, maltsters still have to make up their minds whether it meets their needs.
NIAB gives it an 8 for malting on the 1-9 scale. But last years list addition County also rates an 8 and failed to attract UK maltsters, says the SACs David Cranstoun.
However, even if Spire suffers the same fate here, it could have export potential for use in Continental brewing, he believes.
Monsanto PBICs John Howie says its stablemate Prestige, which never reached RL trials, has been launched in several EU countries from Spain to Sweden and recently joined Carlsbergs list of preferred varieties.
Mr Howie estimates about 1000t of seed should be available for 2002 through the Prism Group and Grainfarmers.
"I do not think it will be a malter," says Tim Hirst, of Grainfarmers. "I see it as just a high yielding feed."
Spire is slightly shorter than Optic and has better mildew resistance. But it is no earlier and is equally weak against rhynchosporium. Rust resistance is about the same. Spires bonus is resistance to BYDV.
There are no newly recommended spring wheats for spring sowing, nor any new oats. But OSR growers can choose from two newcomers – Heros and Dorothy.
Both are conventional types. Concept is the only fully recommended spring hybrid left on the 2002 list and there are supply questions over that (see p37).
Heros heads the list on gross output, beating Senator and last years newcomer Haydn by 1%. Dorothy is 4% adrift but stands better and is earlier, making it a safer option for growers in the north, says NIABs oilseeds specialist Simon Kightley.
Like Senator, Heros is quite late to ripen, but it has nearly 1% higher oil content and lower glucosinolates.
Pea growers have only one new name this spring. Venture, from Norfolk-based Genesis, is a large blue matching Nitouche for yield. It is slightly shorter, but its standing and ease of combining ratings are only 7 compared to Nitouches 8s.
Venture has good resistance to downy mildew, offering scope to dispense with seed dressing against it. It also resists pea wilt. *
Two new spring oilsed rapes have burst on to the Recommended List, one offering top output, says NIABs Simon Kightley.
Output
Conventional vars
Senator (G) 107
Estrade (G) 103
Sprinter (S) 97
Heros (PG) 108
Haydn (PG) 107
Mozart (PG) 106
Dorothy (PG) 104
Liaison (O) 103
Maskot (O) 100
Hybrid varieties
(varietal associations)
Concept (S) 100
Mistral (O) 105
Jura (O) 103
Liquido (O) 102
Corsair (O) 101
Will Spire inspire the maltsters? That is the question being asked by David Cranstoun of the SAC at Edinburgh.
Spire Top yield, maybe malting barley.
Heros Highest output OSR.
Dorothy Early OSR for north.
Venture Large blue pea to challenge Nitouche.
Variety Yield IOB malting
status
Static (G) 104
Riviera (G) 102
Decanter (G) 100 Approved in NE
& NW
Optic (G) 100 Approved in UK
Chalice (RG) 101 Approved in NE
& NW
Spire (PG) 107
County (PG) 105
Cellar (PG) 103 Provisionally
approved in UK
Pewter (PS) 103
Tavern (RPG) 104 Provisionally
approved in C,
SE & SW
Prisma (O) 96 Approved in NE
& NW
Chariot (O) 93 Approved in UK
Variety Yield rating
Croma (G) 103
Arrow (G) 103
Nitouche (G) 100
Agadir (G) 99
Espace (G) 99
Venture (PG) 100
Princess (S) 89
Supra (S) 83
Maro (S) 77
Samson (PS) 88
Three linseeds join Descriptive list
Three new names appear on the linseed Descriptive list: Talon, Virgo and Early Bird. There is little to choose between them on yield, all three falling in behind current leaders Juliet (117), Biltstar (110) and Oscar (108), but Early Bird has a rating of 6 for earliness, the figure growers should really be aiming for, suggests Mr Kightley. Talon and Virgo score 5 for earliness.