The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
New oilseed and cereal varieties in 2019-20 list
Farm levy body welcomes fresh additions with impressive properties
New cereal and oilseed varieties with “remarkable untreated yields” feature in the latest AHDB Recommended Lists (RL).
The farm levy body said its RL 2019-20 features winter wheat, winter barley and winter oilseed rape (OSR) varieties with “exceptional disease resistance packages”.
“Several new entrants have impressive disease resistance scores, including the highest winter wheat disease resistance rating for septoria tritici,” said Jenna Watts, who oversees the production of the RL at AHDB.
“With OSR untreated gross output figures included for the first time, the latest RL provides farmers with an essential foundation for disease management.”
She said 24 varieties had been added to the list and 23 had been removed.
Additions include a new spring barley variety – Cosmopolitan – which is under test for brewing, and four two-row feed winter barley varieties.
“KWS Gimlet, LG Mountain and LG Flynn are the highest yielders of this group at 104%,” said Ms Watts.
“Valerie also has a strong treated yield (102%) and good untreated yield (87%). Exceptional resistance to brown rust forms part of its strong disease resistance package.
“The variety also has good quality (specific weight 70.2 kg/hl), stiff straw and early maturity.”
She said two new six-row hybrid winter feed varieties – SY Baracooda and SY Kingsbarn – had been recommended.
“Both have good yields and specific weights. SY Baracooda also has the greatest untreated yield (91%) out of all the recommended winter barley varieties on the RL,” added Ms Watts.
“Once again, untreated performance can be attributed to a strong disease resistance package that, notably, includes the strongest mildew resistance on the list.”
In the winter wheat section, additions include Group 3 variety KWS Firefly, which has good levels of resistance to septoria tritici, yellow rust and brown rust.
“Two new soft feed varieties – LG Skyscraper and LG Spotlight – have also been added,” said Ms Watts.
“They are the highest yielding in their group, LG Skyscraper the highest yielding on the list, and provide potential opportunities for grain distilling.
“In addition, LG Spotlight has one of the highest fusarium ear blight ratings on the RL.”
The summaries for the RL 2019-20 are available online at ahdb.org.uk/ knowledge-library/recommended-lists. The booklet edition will be distributed in the spring.