Now into early summer, we look ahead with Hutchinsons National Seed Manager David Bouch, to autumn 2022 and some of the varietal considerations to be made.
Winter wheat
There are no dramatic changes in this sector in my view. Skyfall, Zyatt, Crusoe and Illustrious for the NABIM Group 1 market with Crusoe being the preferred quality and the best converter of Nitrogen to protein. (Milling premiums are currently an unknown quantity) I would advise that growing Group one wheats is only suited to those who can consistently produce full spec, otherwise the risks are too high.
Group 2 will remain in the clutch of KWS Extase with its very high untreated yield and a realistic end market. Mayflower, new to the AHDB list, offers excellent untreated yield, but is behind Extase when treated scores are considered.
Group 3 has several new additions, although I believe that LG Astronomer still has the best all -round package. Not the highest yield, but sufficient, given its excellent grain quality and good agronomics. KWS Guium is now the highest yielding Group 3, but I would like it to have better septoria resistance. RGT Rashid has the best septoria score in the sector but offers no yield advantage over LG Astronomer. Both Rashid and Guium have OWBM resistance.
Group 4 wheats see LG Skyscraper with 10% of the market and being challenged by newcomer RGT Bairstow with a step up in septoria resistance compared to the market leader. Both need a robust PGR programme. Saki will still have support, especially where early drilled.
In the hard endosperm group, the two new varieties added offer high yield with strong disease and OWBM resistance. Champion is the highest yielding variety on the list. It will find strong demand, with limited seed supply. KWS Dawsum has outstanding grain quality with a bushel weight of nearly 80 and a Hagberg over 300. When this is coupled with a very good agronomic package (only Extase has higher untreated yield) and good standing ability, it will find a big market. Dawsum does not have OWBM resistance like Champion, but this should not hold it back, as it is also the highest yielding variety in the West.
Gleam, SY Insitor and Graham will undoubtedly remain popular, whilst newcomer LG Typhoon will attract support and interest with a consistent yield in all regions and very strong agronomics.
Winter barley
Not many additions to the AHDB winter barley list offer an improvement on last year. Hyvido choices should be relatively straight forward with Kingsbarn, Thunderbolt and Belmont being logical selections, however Javelin can still offer an alternative. Concerns about its higher brackling score are certainly understood, but with its earlier ripening than its competitors and its outstanding Rhynchosporium score it should not be discounted.
Moving onto conventional six rows, newcomer KWS Feeris presents this option with the bonus of BYDV tolerance coupled with good bushel weight and very low screenings.
Finally, the two row barleys are a very simple choice. Craft and Electrum remain the preferred malting varieties with the end users and in the feed market its KWS Tardis, Bolton, Bordeaux and LG Lightning, in that order, with Tardis being the outstanding choice.
Winter Oats and Hybrid Rye
Mascani remains the most popular variety with oat millers and growers, being less susceptible to mildew than most recommended varieties and with moderate resistance to crown rust. RGT Southwark provides the highest yield on the Recommended List, but the millers drive variety choice.
Hybrid Rye builds in popularity, with high grain yields competing with many second wheats, high blackgrass suppression, high straw yield, excellent drought tolerance and developing end markets. Varieties Poseidon, Helltop, SU Performer, Serafino and Tayo are key options for autumn 2022.
