It is essential that you choose varieties to suit your farming system. For example, if you are in the south of the country you will need a wheat with the best septoria resistance.

If you are in the north-east then you will most likely need a variety with good yellow rust resistance. If you are growing a speciality crop you may not be able to choose a variety.

In all cases you need to examine your varieties carefully for their strengths and weaknesses.

Once you identify where those varieties need attention you can manage accordingly. If a variety is weak on septoria for example you need to try and keep the disease away rather than allow it to take hold in a crop. Crop walking and early application of fungicides will be paramount here.

Varieties with a weak straw profile will need sufficient potassium fertiliser to build up straw strength and will need plant growth regulators applied on time.

Take a look through the Department of Agriculture’s recommended lists below and mark the varieties that you are growing and what you need to keep an eye out for.

Maybe one variety is weak on net blotch or another has a low resistance to lodging.