Being a regional business, we believe that the varieties we offer reflect the ultimate marketing opportunities growers have for their produce, therefore, we tailor the range of varieties produced to suit our main market outlets.
Spring seed supplies are already under pressure, with national seed stocks depleted by poor harvest conditions. Growers with specific requirements of both species and variety should be aware of certain seeds becoming unavailable over the next few weeks. Spring wheats and barleys are particularly short, with spring bean seed not far behind.
Please call 01233 720871 to discuss your requirements
WINTER CEREALS
Wheat
Group 1
- Solstice – Group 1, mainstay variety FOR BOTH GROWERS AND MILLERS. Relatively weak straw, AND CAN BE prone to mildew and brown rust. Medium to strong tillering. Not ideal as a second wheat, BUT HAS PERFORMED WELL ON FERTILE SITES WITH HIGH INPUTS.
- Gallant – Highest yielding Group 1 variety on Rec. List. Earlier to mature that Solstice, with shorter straw. However, Gallant does require a robust PGR programme. Disease ratings similar to Solstice. BEST RESULTS FROM FERTILE SITES, WITH LOWER FERTILITY SITUATIONS GIVING MORE MODEST PERFORMANCES. Millers HAVE BEEN GENERALLY POSITIVE ABOUT 2010 Harvest produce, GIVING CONFIDENCE TO INCREASE PLANTINGS in 2011
Group 2
- Cordiale – Short stiff straw, weakish on BR and Sep tritici. Prefers stronger ground. Does well in 1st and 2nd position. Early maturing. Good specific weights and other grain qualities. Millers now more accepting of the variety with good premium potential. ENSURE HIGH SEED RATES, PARTICULARLY IN LATER SOWN POSITIONS.
- Einstein – Lower fertility sites preferred. Tends to put too much into straw production if too strong. Robust disease profile. Straw needs good PGR. Early spring N helps to stimulate tiller growth. Keep seed rates up. Very good second wheat!
- Panorama– A RELATIVE NEW COMER WITH A GOOD AGRONOMIC PACKAGE ON OFFER. STRONGER TILLERING THAN CORDIALE AND EINSTEIN MEANS PANORAMA SHOULD BE WELL SUITED TO LATER SOWN OR MORE CHALLENGING POSITIONS. GRAIN QUALITY SUPERIOR TO EINSTEIN
Group 3
- Claire – Only early driller on Group 3. We know its wrinkles, but it remains consistent and accepted by the millers, BOTH DOMESTIC AND European.
- Zebedee – this variety continues to perform well and is still grown by a small but loyal number of growers. Good PGR and Fungicide programmes along with attention to seed rates will see this variety continue to perform well, especially on heavy land.
- Scout - Whilst slightly lower yielding than Zebedee, Scout offers excellent grain quality, particularly specific weight, with good disease and OWBM resistance. It has tallish straw, but excellent standing ability. Scout suits early drilling, being a slow developing variety in the autumn. It may also performs well in a 2nd wheat position.
- KWS Target – Recommended November 2010, this variety has similar yield to Invicta, but better Specific weight and also boasts OWBM resistance. Sound disease ratings and very stiff and short straw completes a strong package.
- Tuxedo – Recommended November 2010, Tuxedo yields the same as Target, with good straw and disease characteristics. Moderate grain quality.
Group 4
- Oakley – Hard endosperm feeder. Relatively tall, but stiff straw. Performs well on light land, as well as on heavier sites. OWBM resistant. Disease good, except weakish on Fusarium. Good solid type, also performs well as a second wheat.
- JB Diego – High yielding hard feed variety, with relatively tall straw, performing well on range of soil types and rotational positions. Good grain quality compliments a sound disease profile, with Brown Rust the only minor weakness.
- Grafton – Short and stiff strawed, relatively early to mature and good specific weight. Looks good as a second wheat.
Barley
- Saffron – The leading feed variety having had a good season, with above average yields and specific rates. Other than a weakness to mildew, disease ratings are sound, and straw is stiff if not a little taller than some other varieties.
- Carat – Although below par on paper, Carat continues to yield competitively with excellent specific weights and BYMV resistance. Stiff and short straw completes the package.
- KWS Cassia – Highest yielding feed type on recommended list. Equivalent good straw strength to Saffron. Specific weights are good, with Rynchosporium the only disease weakness. BYMV resistant.
- Sequel – Most established six row variety. Agronomically sound but better two rows now offer better yield.
- Hybrids – A range of varieties continue to be available, with very high yield potential best achieved on more fertile sites. Specific weights are relatively low, with newer varieties offering improved straw characteristics.
- Pearl – Still the maltsters most favoured winter barley. Late maturity and now lower yield make some other varieties attractive, but Pearl remains a safe bet for easy marketing.
- Cassata – Approved by the Institute of Brewers and Distillers, Cassata has a sound disease spectrum and straw profile. Earlier to mature than Pearl and with BYMV resistance, the variety has a good following from malting barley growers.
Oats
Oats remain a sought after commodity, with increased demand being increasingly met with ever smaller areas sown. Returns remain good for the crop, with relatively low input costs and improved yields from better varieties and agronomy.
- Mascani – Whilst lower yielding than SW Dalguise, its excellent grain characteristics make it a sound choice. Good Crown Rust resistance and straw strength.
- Gerald – Most popular variety, having maintained favour with the millers. Good straw and disease profile makes Gerald a safe bet.
- SW Dalguise – Higher yielding than Gerald, but a little taller straw. Accepted by millers
SPRING CEREALS
Locally, we have seen a significant increase in spring cropping in recent years. Factors such as need for alternative break crops to OSR, cultural control of grass weeds and using the “over winter stubble” option within ELS have all encouraged growers to consider spring options. In recent years, plant breeders have much improved the standard of varieties if all species, with better yield and quality potential, particularly amongst the cereals. With the lower production costs of spring crops, Gross Margin results are often very attractive compared to many winter crop options.
Wheat
Spring wheat’s are often sown as a second wheat, but with out the Take all pressure and high production costs of winter sown crops. Growing milling varieties helps to maximise output if yields are under pressure.
- Paragon – A well established spring variety that can be planted late autumn if appropriate. Its good milling quality means that Paragon is seen as the benchmark spring sown milling wheat. Production contracts available for this variety.
- Granary – A Group 2 milling wheat with shorter straw than Paragon, and good resistance to sprouting. It has better grain quality than the slightly higher yielding Tybalt.
Barley
Locally, Spring Barley plantings have reduced in recent years, with inconsistent returns from malting contracts and lower livestock numbers being the main drivers. However, for those who continue to support the crop, the breeders have continued to bring even better yields and quality to growers in recently.
- Tipple – The benchmark spring malting barley, with good domestic and export potential. Agronomically sound.
- Concerto – Seen by many as the obvious successor to Tipple for the malting and distilling market, Concerto has similar disease profile to Tipple, but slightly weaker straw.
- Garner – A high yielding feed variety, with 5% higher treated yield than Tipple. Straw is relatively long, and would require a good PGR programme in fertile situations.
Oats
Again, much improved varieties have changed Spring Oats from a crop of last resort to an option to be strongly considered. Well managed modern varieties readily achieve milling quality, and will return very attractive gross margins. Spring sowings also avoid concerns over grass weed management and volunteer cereals that are an increasing problem for the winter crop.
Varieties such Firth and Canyon, offering good Kernel content and Specific weight should be considered.
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