This year we are likely to see a substantial increase in spring cereal area, due to a reduction in winter crop plantings. With this increased area, spreading your risk this spring is vital. It has never been more important for growers to put careful consideration into the crops and varieties they grow.
Yield is important but decisions should not be based on yield alone. Factors like straw strength, standing power and quality characteristics are all important. Choosing varieties with good disease resistance is essential. This has become even more important, due to the forthcoming loss of key chemistry.
This week, we look at spring barley, wheat and oat varieties. The options for spring barley varieties have reduced from 11 in 2019 to six this year. Growers have the choice of three spring wheat varieties five spring oat varieties this year.
Spring barley
The varieties Irina, Paustein and Mickle have been dropped from the recommended list, while KWS Cantton and Hacker have been dropped from the provisionally recommended list. SY Errigal is now fully recommended this year.
Relative variety ratings for the different agronomic characteristics are shown in Table 1. The yields are expressed as a percentage of the average of RGT Planet and Gangway (100= 7.3t/ha at 15% moisture content).
The recommended varieties
GANGWAY: Gangway’s yield has slipped from 2019. However, quality is still excellent and it still has the highest specific weight of all varieties on the list. It is a moderately later maturing variety, with moderate resistance to lodging and good resistance to straw breakdown. The variety still has good resistance to mildew and net blotch, with moderate resistance to brown rust. It is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium, having dropped two points on 2019. RGT PLANET: Despite a reduction on 2019 levels, Planet is still a variety with very high yield potential. A moderately later maturing variety, it is moderately susceptible to lodging and susceptible to straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, but is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium, having slipped two points on last year. It is also moderately susceptible to brown rust and net blotch. It has the lowest grain protein of all varieties and low screenings. SY ERRIGAL: Now fully recommended, SY Errigal is the second highest yielding variety on the list. It is a moderately later maturing variety, with good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew and net blotch and good resistance to brown rust. However, it is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium. It has a good grain size, but has the lowest specific weight on the list. Provisional varieties
LIMONA: Limona enters its third year on the list. The yield has slipped three points from 2019, making it the lowest yielder on the list. It has tallish straw and good resistance to lodging and brackling. It’s early maturing, with very good resistance to mildew and net blotch, along with good resistance to rhynchosporium, but has moderate susceptibility to brown rust, having slipped one point from 2019. Grain quality is high, but seed size is on the smaller side. It has the highest screenings and protein levels of any variety on the list. PROSPECT: Prospect was the highest yielder on the 2019 list, but is now joint third. It is an early maturing variety with moderate resistance to lodging and straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, but is moderately susceptible to brown rust, good resistance to rhynchosporium and moderate resistance to net blotch. Grain size is very small and screenings might be higher than some others. SY ARDERIN: Its second year on the list sees SY Arderin’s yield back on 2019 levels. It is a moderately later maturing variety and the ratings indicate it is moderately susceptible to lodging, but is good on straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, good resistance to net blotch and has moderate resistance to brown rust and rhynchosporium. It has a large seed size and the lowest screenings of any variety on the list. Spring wheat
The 2020 spring wheat list sees both Quintus and RGT Doubleshot removed, as these varieties are no longer in production. KWS Chilham is now fully recommended, while two new varieties, KWS Starlight and KWS Talisker, have been provisionally recommended.
The underlying yield of the control variety KWS Chilham is 7.3t/ha at 15% moisture content (100). Variety characteristics are shown in Table 2.
Recommended varieties
KWS CHILHAM: This is a high yielding, later maturing variety. While data is limited, the numbers indicate it is susceptible to lodging despite its short straw length. The variety currently has good resistance to mildew and yellow rust, and rates moderately resistant to septoria spp. It is also good on sprouting and grain quality. Provisionally recommended
KWS STARLIGHT: New to the provisionally recommended list this year is KWS Starlight, a high yielding, moderately later maturing variety. Data is still somewhat limited, but the ratings suggest that it has good resistance to yellow rust and moderate resistance to mildew and septoria spp. It is a tall variety, but there is no data for straw strength. It also has the highest specific weight of all varieties on the list. KWS TALISKER: Another new variety on the list this year is KWS Talisker. It is a moderately later maturing variety and is the highest yielder on the list. It has very good resistance to yellow rust and is moderately resistant to septoria spp. It is a moderately tall variety, but there is no data yet on straw strength. Specific weight is the second highest on the list. Spring oats
There are no new varieties on the provisionally recommended list this year. Delfin and WPB Isabel are now fully recommended.
Variety characteristics are shown in Table 3. Yields are expressed as a percentage of the average of Barra and Husky (100 = 6.3 t/ha @ 15% moisture).
Recommended varieties
BARRA: Yield has slipped in 2019, making it the lowest-yielding variety on the list. Quality still remains excellent, despite also slipping on last year. It is very susceptible to lodging and straw breakdown. Barra is very poor on mildew and is susceptible to crown rust. DELFIN: Highest yielding variety on the list and early maturing. It has a good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, but is susceptible to crown rust. It has good grain quality.HUSKY: A very early maturing, high-yielding variety, despite slipping a point on 2019. It has moderate resistance to lodging and is moderately susceptible to straw breakdown. It’s moderately resistant to mildew, but is susceptible to crown rust. It has very good grain quality.KEELY: An early maturing, high-yielding variety with moderate susceptibility to lodging that is also susceptible to straw breakdown. Keely is moderately susceptible to mildew and crown rust, but has very good grain quality.WPB ISABEL: The second-highest yielding variety on the list. Very good resistance to lodging and straw breakdown. Moderately resistant to mildew and crown rust, but has excellent grain quality. Read more
Grain trends: little movement in markets this week
IFA potato report: strong demand for crop over Christmas period
This year we are likely to see a substantial increase in spring cereal area, due to a reduction in winter crop plantings. With this increased area, spreading your risk this spring is vital. It has never been more important for growers to put careful consideration into the crops and varieties they grow.
Yield is important but decisions should not be based on yield alone. Factors like straw strength, standing power and quality characteristics are all important. Choosing varieties with good disease resistance is essential. This has become even more important, due to the forthcoming loss of key chemistry.
This week, we look at spring barley, wheat and oat varieties. The options for spring barley varieties have reduced from 11 in 2019 to six this year. Growers have the choice of three spring wheat varieties five spring oat varieties this year.
Spring barley
The varieties Irina, Paustein and Mickle have been dropped from the recommended list, while KWS Cantton and Hacker have been dropped from the provisionally recommended list. SY Errigal is now fully recommended this year.
Relative variety ratings for the different agronomic characteristics are shown in Table 1. The yields are expressed as a percentage of the average of RGT Planet and Gangway (100= 7.3t/ha at 15% moisture content).
The recommended varieties
GANGWAY: Gangway’s yield has slipped from 2019. However, quality is still excellent and it still has the highest specific weight of all varieties on the list. It is a moderately later maturing variety, with moderate resistance to lodging and good resistance to straw breakdown. The variety still has good resistance to mildew and net blotch, with moderate resistance to brown rust. It is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium, having dropped two points on 2019. RGT PLANET: Despite a reduction on 2019 levels, Planet is still a variety with very high yield potential. A moderately later maturing variety, it is moderately susceptible to lodging and susceptible to straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, but is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium, having slipped two points on last year. It is also moderately susceptible to brown rust and net blotch. It has the lowest grain protein of all varieties and low screenings. SY ERRIGAL: Now fully recommended, SY Errigal is the second highest yielding variety on the list. It is a moderately later maturing variety, with good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew and net blotch and good resistance to brown rust. However, it is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium. It has a good grain size, but has the lowest specific weight on the list. Provisional varieties
LIMONA: Limona enters its third year on the list. The yield has slipped three points from 2019, making it the lowest yielder on the list. It has tallish straw and good resistance to lodging and brackling. It’s early maturing, with very good resistance to mildew and net blotch, along with good resistance to rhynchosporium, but has moderate susceptibility to brown rust, having slipped one point from 2019. Grain quality is high, but seed size is on the smaller side. It has the highest screenings and protein levels of any variety on the list. PROSPECT: Prospect was the highest yielder on the 2019 list, but is now joint third. It is an early maturing variety with moderate resistance to lodging and straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, but is moderately susceptible to brown rust, good resistance to rhynchosporium and moderate resistance to net blotch. Grain size is very small and screenings might be higher than some others. SY ARDERIN: Its second year on the list sees SY Arderin’s yield back on 2019 levels. It is a moderately later maturing variety and the ratings indicate it is moderately susceptible to lodging, but is good on straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, good resistance to net blotch and has moderate resistance to brown rust and rhynchosporium. It has a large seed size and the lowest screenings of any variety on the list. Spring wheat
The 2020 spring wheat list sees both Quintus and RGT Doubleshot removed, as these varieties are no longer in production. KWS Chilham is now fully recommended, while two new varieties, KWS Starlight and KWS Talisker, have been provisionally recommended.
The underlying yield of the control variety KWS Chilham is 7.3t/ha at 15% moisture content (100). Variety characteristics are shown in Table 2.
Recommended varieties
KWS CHILHAM: This is a high yielding, later maturing variety. While data is limited, the numbers indicate it is susceptible to lodging despite its short straw length. The variety currently has good resistance to mildew and yellow rust, and rates moderately resistant to septoria spp. It is also good on sprouting and grain quality. Provisionally recommended
KWS STARLIGHT: New to the provisionally recommended list this year is KWS Starlight, a high yielding, moderately later maturing variety. Data is still somewhat limited, but the ratings suggest that it has good resistance to yellow rust and moderate resistance to mildew and septoria spp. It is a tall variety, but there is no data for straw strength. It also has the highest specific weight of all varieties on the list. KWS TALISKER: Another new variety on the list this year is KWS Talisker. It is a moderately later maturing variety and is the highest yielder on the list. It has very good resistance to yellow rust and is moderately resistant to septoria spp. It is a moderately tall variety, but there is no data yet on straw strength. Specific weight is the second highest on the list. Spring oats
There are no new varieties on the provisionally recommended list this year. Delfin and WPB Isabel are now fully recommended.
Variety characteristics are shown in Table 3. Yields are expressed as a percentage of the average of Barra and Husky (100 = 6.3 t/ha @ 15% moisture).
Recommended varieties
BARRA: Yield has slipped in 2019, making it the lowest-yielding variety on the list. Quality still remains excellent, despite also slipping on last year. It is very susceptible to lodging and straw breakdown. Barra is very poor on mildew and is susceptible to crown rust. DELFIN: Highest yielding variety on the list and early maturing. It has a good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to straw breakdown. It has very good resistance to mildew, but is susceptible to crown rust. It has good grain quality.HUSKY: A very early maturing, high-yielding variety, despite slipping a point on 2019. It has moderate resistance to lodging and is moderately susceptible to straw breakdown. It’s moderately resistant to mildew, but is susceptible to crown rust. It has very good grain quality.KEELY: An early maturing, high-yielding variety with moderate susceptibility to lodging that is also susceptible to straw breakdown. Keely is moderately susceptible to mildew and crown rust, but has very good grain quality.WPB ISABEL: The second-highest yielding variety on the list. Very good resistance to lodging and straw breakdown. Moderately resistant to mildew and crown rust, but has excellent grain quality. Read more
Grain trends: little movement in markets this week
IFA potato report: strong demand for crop over Christmas period
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