The North of England & Scotland’s leading farmer-owned grain and seed marketing business

seed special2017 edition www.grainco.co.uk

Quality comes asstandard!• Farmer Profiles • Spotlight on Seed Treatments • Variety Guides •

Insiders view on KWS Barrel,Costello and LG Motown

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Contents2 Welcome

3 It’s a FACT

4 KWS Barrel and KWS Siskin

6 Farmer focus:Michael & Richard Suddes

7 LG Motown

8 Autumn 2017 availability list

9 Which variety, whichrotational slot and whichseed treatment?

10 Autumn wheat varietycomments

12 Farmer focus: Charles Rook

13 Costello shows its worthwith disease resistance

14 KWS Owell offers higheryields with better strawstiffness

15 Winter barley varietycomments

16 Farmer focus: Stephen Buckle

17 Spotlight on seed treatments

21 Oat area increases to meetdemand

22 Oil Seed Rape – still the No.1break crop

23 Oil seed rape varietycomments

24 Contact us

Welcome

Jane Greenwood, Seed Analyst in Charge and Peter Collins,Seed Plant Manager.

Left to right, Stephen Taylor, Production Manager andAndrew Dowson.

Exciting times lay aheadfor our Piercebridge basedseed plant!

‘It’s great to be finally part of a dedicatedarable business,’ says our Piercebridgebased seeds manager Peter Collins, ‘andsome of the thoughts and ideas putforward by Doug Gray, Grainco’sCommercial Development Manager, todevelop the plant across a wide range ofcrops are, indeed exciting.’

‘Since the take-over on the 2nd Augustlast year, it’s been all hands to the pumpas we grappled to incorporate a newbusiness into an existing one, at what wasthe busiest time of the year and, all thingsconsidered it couldn’t have gone anysmoother,’ says Peter.

With the take-over still fresh in our minds,we thought it would be nice to take a fewmoments to let you get to know our“new starters” a bit more.

Peter is now in his 39th year of working inagriculture, having started with what wasthen Farmway in 1978 and has beenmanaging the seeds business for the past16 years. Peter holds a CPC in Road

Haulage Operations and crucially for thebusiness is a Ministry Licensed CerealCrop Inspector, which allows him toinspect our own contracted seed crops.

Jane has been with the business for 26years and is our Seed Analyst in Charge,Jane is pivotal to the successful running ofthe business, for without her skills andqualifications the plant simply couldn’twork as effectively as it currently does.Remarkably Jane is one of only about 47Analysts in the country and also heads upour Ministry Licensed laboratory.

Stephen has worked within the plant forthe past 28 years, 16 of which have beenas Production Manager and is supportedin the day to day running of the plant byAndrew who joined the team three yearsago. Both have as you would expect a raftof qualifications, which include beingofficial Ministry Licensed seed samplersand both hold PA11 CPC’s in SeedTreatment application.

Would you like a personal tour of theplant? If so please give us a call on01325 728905, we would be delightedto show you around.

Thank you for your continued support.

Welcome to our new season Seeds Special, one which we hope you will findboth interesting, informative and importantly a useful tool in helping you decidewhich varieties and seed treatments to consider on your farm this coming autumn.

We are very grateful to our suppliers for their support shown and indeed a specialthank you must go to our customers and seed growers, Stephen Buckle, CharlesRook of R + J farms and Michael and Richard Suddes for their farm profiles, wehope you enjoy the read.

Gary Bright Managing Director.

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Quality comes as Standard withSeed supplied from Grainco’sPiercebridge Seed Plant.

As we now start to look forward to theforth coming autumn’s plantings, wethought it would be timely to let ourcustomers know of the seed standardsour plant at Piercebridge achieved in2016. Our customers can rest assuredour efforts to maintain these standardswill continue unabated.

As you will be able to see from the chartbelow, the official germination levels ofboth the wheat and barley crops that

we processed were well in excess of theHVS standard of 85%. It was verypleasing to be in the position to say thatall of our seed was once againblackgrass free, something we know isan important consideration for all of ourcustomers when they are looking toorder their seed requirements.

One of the key factors in being able tocontinue to provide high quality seedyear after year can be capsulated intoone simple word and that is control.

All of our contracted seed crops aregrown on farms, many of whom

have grown for us over many yearsin Cumbria, Co Durham,Northumberland, North and EastYorkshire, areas not noted forhaving black grass issues.

We have our own Ministry LicensedCereal Crop Inspectors, Seed Analyst

and laboratory, in addition we have our

own bulk haulage fleet and crucially it

goes without saying we own and

operate our own seed plant, all of

which enables us to be in control from

beginning to end, something we are

very proud of and long may it continue.

It’s a FACT

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EECMinimum

HVSStandard

GrainCoPiercebridge

Wheat –Autumn 2016

GrainCoPiercebridge

Barley –Autumn 2016

MinimumGermination 85% 85% 95% 98%

AnalyticalPurity 98% 99% 99.9% 99.9%

Blackgrass Free No No CLEAR CLEAR

WantedNew Spring +Autumn SeedGrowers Required

Good Premiums Paid

For more information pleasespeak to Peter Collins on:01325 728905 / 07957 819397

HarvestWorkAvailablewithinthe SeedPlant

July–SeptPlease contactPeter Collins on:07957 819397

GrainCo SeedTesting ServiceAs a fully licensed Ministry seed testing station, we canoffer a wide range of laboratory tests for our customerswhich include,

Contact Jane Greenwood or Rebecca Parker on:01325 728912 / 01325 728907

• Full germination tests • Tetrazolium viability tests• TGW • Moisture content• Purity • Specific weight • Hagberg falling number • Protein content• Grain nitrogen content

Looking for a high-yielding winterwheat that performs strongly as botha first and second cereal? Then youneed look no further than KWS Siskinand KWS Barrel.

Few varieties offer the combination ofhigh yield, all-round disease resistanceand the standing abilities of KWS Siskin,KWS Lili and KWS Barrel. Indeed theyare the perfect complements to eachother helping to spread the workload atdrilling and harvest and such is theirappeal, that they are already three of themost popular winter wheat introductionsof recent years.

KWS cereal product manager WillCompson describes KWS Barrel, a Group3 soft wheat, is one of the highest yieldingvarieties for the North and performsequally as well in a first and second wheatsituation making it a truly versatile variety.

At 109% of controls its performance inthe region is nothing short of outstanding.

“KWS Barrel sold out in its first year andis expected to do so again in 2017.Interested growers should speak to theirseed supplier soon to secure supplies,”says Will Compson.

A Viscount cross, it has short, stiff strawand big bold grain. It has mid maturity at+1 day compared with KWS Siskin. It hasexcellent yellow rust resistance (score of 8)along with Orange Wheat Blossom Midge(OWBM) resistance and respectableeyespot resistance.

“At 103% of controls in the second cerealposition it is one of the best performingvarieties on the RL. Its vigorous growthhabit also makes it suitable for latesowing. It’s appeal to those in the North isobvious,” says Will Compson.

Delivering a yield of 106% of controlsKWS Barrel is particularly at home onlight soils where it is rarely out-performed.

“It’s a high-performing variety withfantastic potential, but its Septoria triticiscore of 4.4 suggests it will need a robustfungicide programme,” he adds.

Another RL introduction from last yearthat has found favour with growersacross the North is KWS Siskin. Its yieldof 103% of controls and excellentresistance to yellow rust (score of 9) andSeptoria tritici (6.8) are complemented bystiff straw and maturity equal to JBDiego. It offers something for everygrower, says Will Compson.

“KWS Siskin is a top-line variety. It hasexceptional yield potential supported bystrong disease resistance. Its vigorous

KWS Barrel & KWS Siskin join KWS Lili &KWS Gator in delivering high yields andexcellent quality for the North

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GrainCo Sales Representative Colin Jewel (centre) pictured with Will Compson (left) KWS UK Cereal Product Manager and Mark Dodds KWS Wheat Breeder on a visit to their Offices atThriplow nr Cambridge in April of this year.

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habit makes it suited to the later drillingslot as opposed to its sister variety KWSLili, which helps to spread the autumnworkload, but is earlier to mature than itsGroup 2 counterpart which helps with theharvest workload,” he says.

Added to the RL in 2016, KWS Siskin isnow firmly established both on-farm andwithin the trade. For many it is the perfectcounterpart to KWS Lili.

“KWS Lili however as we know isparticularly well-suited to the Northproducing a yield of 104% of controls inthe region. It has a good combination ofdisease resistance scores and has slightlystiffer straw. Its score of 7 for yellow rustand 5.9 for Septoria put it among the beston the RL.”

Although a year ahead to market thanKWS Siskin, growers should not think ofthe latter as a replacement for KWS Lili.The two are a great combination,he says.

“Being slightly later to mature at +2 dayscompared with KWS Siskin, it helps tospread harvest workload while giving thatreassurance that quality won’t be lost ifspring barley or milling wheat needs totake priority,” adds Will Compson.

So, how else do KWS Siskin and KWS Lilidiffer in the field? “KWS Lili does best asa first wheat, while KWS Siskin performsequally well as either a first or secondcereal. KWS Siskin has betterall-round disease resistance and iswell-suited to drilling through to the endof October while KWS Lili is the bestwhen sown early.

“Both are well-suited to a range of soiltypes though KWS Lili does best on lightland and KWS Siskin has delivered its bestperformance on heavy land,” says WillCompson

“KWS Lili and KWS Barrel are in manyways similar varieties, but with differentend-markets. While they offer similaryield, maturity and disease resistance,KWS Lili is a Group 2 with good flourquality while KWS Barrel is a Group 3soft wheat well-suited to biscuit makingand other soft-wheat markets,” addsWill Compson.

KWS GATOR: THE RELIABLESECOND WHEAT

With a northern yield in 2016 of 104% ofcontrols, it’s understandable why thisvariety remains a favourite across ourregion and is still delivering the goods,

especially in the second wheat positionwhere its reliability has earned it a loyalfollowing.

“KWS Gator is a true second wheat andshould be the variety of choice in thisdrilling slot where its aggressive,competitive nature comes to the fore,”says Will Compson.

“It has moderate winter dormancy withgreat tillering ability and tiller retention.Combine this with its OWBM resistance,the ability to produce a big, bold grainand comes with twin 8s for standing,KWS Gator really delivers in this difficultrotational position,” he adds.

The variety will benefit from a goodfungicide programme and Will Compsondescribes it as similar to KWS Barrel in itsmaturity, standing ability, but is bettersuited to heavier soils and late drilling.

As commodity prices remain underpressure for yet another year, yield iscrucial. All four varieties have the potentialto deliver excellent performance, butdisease scores can only achieve so much.Fungicides perform an essential role inkeeping canopies clean and healthy sorates and timings should be maintainedwhere possible.

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Introducing Father and Son,Michael and Richard Suddes fromColwell nr Hexham

The family have farmed at Well Housesince 1956 and between us we farm justover 1000 acres, the majority being here atColwell, along with a further 150 acresfurther south near the hamlet of Broomley.

Arable is our main enterprise and we haveto contend with a wide range of soil typeswhich vary from light to heavy clay. Weuse grass and oilseed rape as a breakbetween wheat, oats and barley crops.The farm is in an Entry Level Stewardship(ELS) agreement though we are hoping toget into the new mid-tier agreement tomake use of field-margins and increasethe amount of hedgerows.

Richard farms 200 acres in his own right,this was taken on two years ago as a 15year FBT and was initially all arable but heis in the process of reseeding it all withgrass, 150 acres is already fenced andbeing grazed by some of his flock of1,000 ewes. The ewes which he runs aremules out of the Swaledale ewe, these areput to the Texel Tup and are housed forthe winter, lambing indoors in mid-March. As many lambs as possible are sold

finished by mid–August and theremainder are sold as stores at that time.

The home farm is also in the process ofbeing fenced, using three year grass andred clover leys to help increase organicmatter, fertility and for grass weed control,especially brome; an arrangement is madeto graze it with Richard’s sheep. At presentall the Oil Seed Rape is high Euricic oncontract but we are looking to reduce ourreliance on it as a break crop by usinggrass. We also grow a small amount ofoats as a break because of its ability not tocarry Take-all into the following wheatcrop, however we do find price volatilityand movement off the farm to be aproblem. We have some Zero 4 peasgoing into the ground this spring,hopefully it will be a good break and it willmeet some of our EFA requirements. Wewill see how that goes (though no doubtthe pigeons will enjoy them!).

All of the cereal seed has beenpurchased in recent years from theSeed plant based at Piercebridge nrDarlington via Seeds Manager PeterCollins. We aim to be drilled up by theend of September for experience tells usthat we don’t tend to achieve good yieldsfrom later drillings, therefore being able to

sow early and get a good establishmentbefore the autumn rains come isimportant for us.

It’s important to our business that we areconstantly kept in the loop regardingdelivery so we can accurately plan ourworking day. There is nothing morefrustrating than having land worked, thesun shining, but no seed in the store, sowe are grateful to Peter for ensuring thisscenario is a thing of the past.

In terms of wheat varieties, we currentlyhave Grafton and KWS Lili in theground. Grafton gives us the ability todrill early and of course it’s very early toharvest which is a key consideration for usbearing in mind our location. On Peter’srecommendation we have introducedKWS Lili for the first time, not only for itsearly drilling potential, but for itscombination of good grain quality, diseaseresistance and hopefully big yields!

We have tried hybrid barleys in the past;however we have found no increase inmargin due to the high growing costs andthe lack of quality in the harvested grain.Therefore we have in recent years havedrilled KWS Glacier and KWS Towerwhich both perform well for us. Peterwants us to look at another two-row fromthe same stable called KWS Orwell thisautumn, with a view to switching acrossfrom KWS Glacier in 2018.

The vast majority of our grain is dried andstored on the farm with just contractorsbeing used for baling. The straw is thenstored and consequently delivered byourselves on our own wagon to farmers inCumbria over the winter.

Going forward Brexit is probably ourbiggest concern, as it is to everyone. Thesooner we know all the details the better.

Farmer focus: Michael and sonRichard Suddes from Northumberland

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LG Motown is an exciting, new highyielding, soft feed winter wheat,added to the AHDB RecommendedList 2017/18. The variety offers verygood agronomic and geneticattributes, considered of highimportance by growers in today’scereal growing climate.

The variety has shown good yieldpotential in both treated and untreatedtrials, across both regional and seasonaldatabases. LG Motown exhibits a verygood disease resistance profile; similar toRevelation for both rusts, mildew andSeptoria tritici, which ensures security ofperformance – highlighted in thevarieties high untreated yield potential.

The key agronomic attribute of LGMotown is its earlier ripening; a keycharacteristic recognised by growers,especially in the North. Many northerngrowers considered varieties such asLeeds, KWS Santiago, Evolution andRevelation, with later maturity ratings.

This was a concern because thesevarieties are later maturing thanvarieties grown historically. GrowingLG Motown in conjunction with latermaturing varieties will enable a spreadof maturity on farm for the harvestperiod. This should reduce the risk ofgrain deterioration which is associatedwith the more erratic weather patternsof the North.

LG Motown is a shorter strawedvariety which has a similar strawstanding rating to many of thecommercial feed wheats, when treatedwith PGR. The variety offers agronomiccharacteristics of good tilleringcombined with a prostrate winter habitand a quicker spring growth, whichmay account for the variety’s goodperformance on lighter soils as well asin the later drilling scenario.

Limited second wheat trials wouldsuggest that LG Motown performs wellin a second wheat situation;

comparable to or better than manyvarieties on the AHDB RecommendedList 2017/18.

LG Motown should not be consideredfor the early drilling situation, as limitedtrials data would suggest a drilling dateof mid–September more suitable.Growers wanting to drill in the earlysituation, predominantly in the North,should still continue to use Claire,Alchemy or Revelation; varieties withproven performance in this very testingenvironment.

LG Motown also carries geneticresistance for OWBM – another benefitrecognized by growers for securingmaximum yield potential, in light of thelosses of and restrictions on currentinsecticide products.

LG Motown has good grain attributesand offers additional distilling marketopportunities over standard feed wheatvarieties; a valuable proposition in today’smarketplace, especially for growers in theNorth with both bioethanol and distillingmarkets available.

In summary, LG Motown offersgrowers in the North a variety with asimilar disease resistance to Revelation(when Eyespot is not considered), plusthe additional characteristics of earlymaturity and OWBM. Midge resistanceand early maturity are genetic traits thatare not present in Revelation, whichhas been very successful on farm andcontinues to be a favourite with manygrowers. We believe LG Motown isvery much an improved Revelation.

Ron Granger,Arable Technical Manager,Limagrain UK

LG Motown – a serious contender as asuccessor for Revelation in the North

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Rob Granger, Arable Technical Manager, Limagrain UK.

With a total of 56 fully recommendedwinter wheat and barley varieties onthe new 2017/18 AHDBRecommended List, it is simplyimpossible to produce even 50% ofthem during that tight time framewe know exists around the autumndrilling season.

Therefore we have selected the followingvarieties which we believe will cover mostof our customers’ requirements forprocessing at out Piercebridge Plant, allof which are treated as standard with themarket leading Redigo Pro singlepurpose seed dressing from Bayer.

Additional seed treatments are availablewhich include, Redigo Deter, Radiate,Latitude, New Manganese Solutionand Vibrance Duo, please see pages17–19 for further details.

However don’t worry if your preferredvariety is not shown below, for as alwayswe can supply most, if not all of thevarieties on the Recommended List.

*Please enquire regards to over winteredseed availability

STRONGER ROOTS, HIGHER YIELDS GNORTS EHGIH,STOORREG SDLEIYR

Autumn 2017 availability list

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COSTELLODICKENSGRAFTONGRAHAMJB DIEGOKWS BARRELKWS GATOR

KWS LILIKWS SISKINLG MOTOWNRELAYREVELATIONKWS ZYATT

Winter Wheat

Two-rowKWS CASSIAKWS ORWELL

KWS FUNKY

KWS GLACIERKWS TOWER

Winter Barley

Conventional Six-row

BAZOOKABELFRY

SUNNINGDALEVOLUME

Hybrids (direct from breeder)

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Many varieties are able to bedrilled over a wide range of soiltypes and rotational slots, basedon the information given in the2017/18 AHDB Recommended List,we have tried to very brieflysummarize the best rotational slotfor the varieties currentlyscheduled for production via ourown Piercebridge based seedplant.

As is always the case if you have anyconcerns or questions please speak toyour advisor to discuss your own onfarm situation in more detail.

• Looking to drill early i.e. 1st weekSeptember onwards?

• Top 1st Wheats

• Top 2nd Wheats

• Looking for a variety that offersearly maturity?

• Looking for a variety that offersexceptional high untreated yields?

• Looking for a seed treatment asan aid to help reduce seedhollowing by slugs and the BYDVcarried by Aphids in early drilledand first wheats following osr?

• Looking for a seed treatment tohelp reduce take-all in 2nd and3rd wheats?

• Looking for a seed treatment thatcan be co-applied to help withcrop establishment and increasedroot mass?

FAQ’S

• When should I order my barleyseed? It’s vitally important that our

customers help us by ordering their

barley seed in good time, ideally by the

21st August in order to ensure that

their orders can be produced and

importantly delivered to their farm

before we switch onto wheat

production. In a difficult season it can

be a challenge to get back onto barleys

before the 25th September, so please

order your barley requirements early.

• When do you expect to startprocessing your wheat varietiesand which ones would you expectto be first into the plant? Based onprevious experience and with theweather being the critical factor, wewould expect it to be around the 25thAugust. Historically Grafton isnormally the first into the plant anddue to its location and early maturity,LG Motown we would expect benext followed by KWS Lili.

• Why do I sometimes get mysecond wheats before my firstwheats? We always aim to processthe perceived early drillers and firstwheats before the seconds forobvious reasons. However we areoften held to ransom by localweather conditions and in a timecritical season we have to processwhichever variety physically comesavailable, however frustrating attimes that can be!

• How do you minimize the risk ofblackgrass contamination in yourseed? Our own Ministry LicensedCrop Inspectors inspect our owncontracted seed crops, which aregrown in Cumbria, Northumberland,Co. Durham, North Yorkshire and EastYorkshire, areas not noted for theirblack grass issues.

In 2015 we rejected several loadsourced from within the trade dueto black grass contamination.

We are pleased to say that onceagain In 2016, our seed was blackgrass free, rest assured ourvigilance against this invasiveweed will continue.

Which variety, which rotational slotand which seed treatment?

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Grafton KWS Lili RevelationCostello

Redigo Deter

Latitude

New Manganese Solution

Radiate

Grafton LG Motown Graham

KWS Lili KWS Siskin KWS Barrel

Graham LG Motown Costello

KWS Gator KWS Zyatt KWS Barrel

KWS Siskin JB Diego Dickens

Relay

KWS Zyatt LG Motown KWS Siskin

Graham Costello

Autumn wheat variety comments

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COSTELLO UK Agent – Senova Timaru x W151 101% 99%

Variety Breeder UK Yield North Yield

Group 4 Hard – This versatile stiff, short strawed variety offers growers consistent yields coupled with exceptional grainquality across all soil types and rotational slots. In addition it comes with one of the best set of disease ratings available,including a 9 for YR and a 6 for Septoria tritici. Provisional data from AHDB indicates it may also be suitable for early drilling.

DICKENS Secobra Equinox x Charger x Defender 102% 104%

Group 4 Hard – A very versatile variety that performs consistently well in the northern region and is at home in eitherrotational slot. Good grain quality with medium height stiff straw and has a solid set of disease ratings including a 9 rating forYR, however its Septoria score is on the low side.

GRAFTON KWS Cordiale x W07 99% 100%

Group 4 Hard – This niche variety is one of the earliest to harvest and can be drilled from the 1st September in our region. Itoffers a combination of very good grain quality coupled with short very stiff straw. A shy tiller, growers should ideally look toincrease seed rates by an additional 50 seeds per square metre.

GRAHAM Syngenta Primo x Expert 104% 100%

Group 4 Hard – Performing best in the first wheat slot, this stiff strawed variety has an 8 rating for YR and an impressive 6.7rating for Septoria tritici giving the variety one of the best untreated yields available It performs best on heavy land and issuitable for early drilling and importantly is also early to mature. Best suited to the south of our region.

KWS GATOR KWS Oakley x W89 100% 104%

Group 4 Hard / OWBM Resistant – This variety once again sold out in 2016 and consequently has become the secondwheat of choice on many farms in our region where it has proved itself to be very consistent. Best drilled from mid–lateSeptember where its aggressive competitive nature really comes to the fore. This medium height variety has exceptionally stiffstraw scoring twin 8’s in trials and comes with OWBM resistance. It’s susceptible to BR where it only scores a 3.

KWS LILI KWS Horizon x Cordiale x Timaru 102% 104%

Group 2 – This variety was in huge demand last autumn and is particularly well-suited to the Northern region where it can bedrilled early and fits that first wheat slot perfectly. In official trials over the past 3 years the variety has remained incrediblyconsistent. It offers growers good all round grain characteristics, it tillers well and has short, stiff straw. It comes with a goodcombination of disease resistance scores, indeed its score of 7 for yellow rust and 5.9 for Septoria put it among the best onthe RL.”

JB DIEGO UK Agent – Senova 3351B2 X Str2374 100% 100%

Group 4 Hard – First recommended in 2008, this varieties yield has never varied in official trials by more than 1% and thevariety was still the 2nd biggest selling variety in 2016. First wheat, second wheat, light or heavy land with very good grainquality, this variety is a proven performer on farm. New varieties are now available however that can offer improved yield andbetter disease ratings.

KWS BARRELL KWS Viscount x Bantam 103% 109%

Group 3 Soft / OWBM Resistant – This variety sold out in 2016 and is expected to do so once again, due in no part to itsexceptional northern yield which is repeated for the 2nd year in a row and which must make it a serious contender to begrown on most of our farms.

Short, with exceptionally stiff straw, it performs equally as well in a 1st or 2nd wheat situation, indeed its performance on lightland is rarely beaten. It offers good all round grain characteristics and comes with built in resistance to OWBM. Its diseaseresistance profile includes an 8 for YR, however it only scores 4.4 for Septoria.

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Autumn wheat variety commentsKWS SISKIN KWS Sterling x Timaru 103% 101%

Variety Breeder UK Yield North Yield

Group 2 – This variety sold out in its first full year of recommendation, due in no small part to its top rated disease resistanceratings, in fact it had the highest untreated yield of any recommended variety. Ratings of 9’s for both mildew and YR and ascore of 6.8 for Septoria will catch the eye again this season.

The variety has very good grain quality and performs across all soil types and all rotational positions, not quite as stiff as itssister variety KWS Lili but earlier to mature, its best drilled from mid September onwards where its vigorous growth habitcomes to the fore.

Trade predictions suggest this could well be the NO 1 selling variety in 2017.

LG MOTOWN LG Bantam x Hunter x Denman 103% 104%

Group 4 Soft / OWBM Resistant – One of six new soft wheats added to the recommended list and at -1 for maturity, theearliest of them all, making it an ideal candidate to be considered for northern growers.

It’s yield is 5% above Revelation and substantially earlier to mature and with the exception of eyespot, it has a superb set ofdisease resistance ratings including a 9 for YR. As a result its untreated yield is one of the best available; indeed it beats KWSSiskin in that regard.

A short strawed variety that is best suited to that first wheat slot, however data seems to suggest it performs equally as wellas a second wheat. Its performance on light land is exceptional and it comes with the added bonus of OWBM resistance andis best suited to the traditional mid–September onwards drilling slot.

RELAY RAGT Gladiator x Vector 98% 100%

Group 4 Soft – This Gladiator cross has remained remarkably robust in terms of its disease resistance ratings with scores of 8for YR and 6.4 for Septoria tritici and offers growers good all round grain characteristics. A short stiff strawed variety that isequally at home when drilled as a 1st or 2nd wheat across all soil types, a solid performer. It is now starting to becomeoutclassed however ,as newer higher yielding varieties become available.

REVELATION Limagrain Alchemy x Claire x Shepherd 98% 100%

Group 4 Soft – A medium height variety which has very stiff straw and offers growers good grain characteristics, coupledwith excellent disease resistance ratings which include a score of 9 for YR and 8 for eyespot. Suitable for drilling from earlySeptember onwards, however growers should be aware of its later maturity.

KWS ZYATT KWS Hereford x Quartz 102% 102%

Group 1 – This new variety is the UK’s highest yielding Group 1 breadmaking wheat, however its northern performance isslightly behind that of the UK’s biggest selling variety Skyfall.

It has excellent grain quality, short stiff straw and one of the highest untreated yields available, this is further highlighted by itsPch1 eyespot resistance which may go some way to explaining its excellent second wheat performance.

Meet Charles Rook Seed Grower ForGrainCo, amongst many other things!

R & J Farms is a family run businessrunning from the Yorkshire Wolds tothe Vale of York, comprising of myself,brother Edward, father Robert andUncle John as well as 7 full time and 12part time staff. We have a diversespread of enterprises on the farm whichcomprises of 830ha of land, mostlyowned, but a proportion on FBT’s andcontract farming agreements.

Combinable crops account for 450ha,80ha potatoes, 80ha vinning peas,35ha of forage crops (Fodder beet andmaize) and 200ha grass. The livestockenterprises include a pure breedStabiliser suckler herd of 200 animals,which are either kept for replacements,sold for breeding or fattened alongsidea 300 head beef fattening unit.

A 40,000 bird duck fattening enterpriseprovides 6 crops a year for Faccenda

Foods at Caistor, 35,000 free rangelaying hens and 50,000 enriched colonylaying hens producing eggs forChippindale Foods at Harrogate. Themanure from all these livestock unitsprovides very useful fertiliser and organicmatter for the arable enterprises andworking alongside the Yara N Sensor,we have seen consistent yield increasesover the last 5 years.

We are currently in the ELS and HLSschemes with buffer strips, wild birdmixes, field corner management, pondmanagement and low input grasslandjust a few of the habitats that we havecreated within the arable enterprise.Coupled with planting over 10ac ofwoodland and creating a bee habitat onour free range chicken unit we haveseen improving numbers of insect andbird species and when the Bumble BeeConservation Trust undertook a surveylast year they found 5 different speciesof bee.

Rotation consists of potatoes, twowheats, oilseed rape, two wheats andthen vining peas on the wold land andon the sand land in the Vale of Yorkpotatoes, spring/winter barley, sugarbeet and maize make up the rotation.The maize is fed to the 300 beef cattlealong with any excess beet. We are, forthe first time since the York beet factoryshut growing sugar beet for BritishSugar, previous beet growing was doneto supply a local AD plant.

Cereals are generally sown afterploughing with minimal cultivation usedafter potatoes and on a small acreageof heavy land. We generally start drillingon the 10th September withRevelation due to its later ripening andwill keep going until late October earlyNovember after potatoes and maize ifconditions allow. Varieties consist ofLili, Dickens, Graham and Relay in thesecond wheat slot, which was the firstseed variety we grew for seed some 10years ago. Grain is stored in varietyspecific sheds after passing through ourcontinuous flow drier and rotarycleaner. This enables us to get a goodquality, clean, dry sample, makingmarketing a lot easier.

Seed is segregated once it has beenthrough the drier and is generallymoved to the seed plant at Piercebridgefrom late August to early September.The seed department and Peter Collinsrecognise the need to move the seed asquickly as possible; over the years wehave built up a good trustingrelationship which is important to meand the business and I haven’t been letdown yet!

Farmer focus: R & J Farms of EastYorkshire

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The news that Senova’s hard Group4 winter wheat, Costello, hasmaintained its good resistance toyellow rust puts it in a differentleague to other feed varieties.

Now one of only three recommendedwheat varieties with both seedling andadult plant resistance to yellow rust, itadds this sought-after characteristic togood resistance ratings for otherdiseases and some of the best grainquality of any variety on the AHDBRecommended List.

That combination explains why it hasfound a place on farms looking forconsistent yield and quality performancetogether with some end marketflexibility, but without the need for ahigh fungicide spend or additionalmanagement time.

“Costello is the type of variety thatappeals to growers, as it has in-built riskmanagement and premium-earningpotential,” explains Jeremy Taylor,commercial director at Senova.

“It doesn’t need to be sprayed first,monitored constantly or givenpreferential treatment at busy times ofyear. It is less reliant on the chemicalcan than others.”

As such, Costello offers scope to makesavings, either with the type andfrequency of fungicide products used,or the amount that has to be spent onit, he notes.

After 2016 proved to be an exceptionalyear for yellow rust, with very highlevels of the disease being recordedand new races being identified,changes had to be made to varietal

resistance ratings to reflect their truesusceptibility to the disease.

This resulted in a drop of two points ormore for some varieties, as the newyellow rust races caused a change intheir virulence profile and higher-than-expected levels of disease.

While more than half of the 36recommended varieties have good adultplant resistance, only three of thesewere found to be also resistant at theseedling stage. Costello is in this elitegroup, with a 9 rating for yellow rust.

“The difficulty with just having adultplant resistance is that it is hard toknow when it is going to kick in, orhow much yield is being lost by earlyinfections,” says Mr Taylor.

“The very few varieties with good all-round resistance don’t have thisproblem, as they don’t get yellow rustin the early part of the season.”

Already taking 5% market share,Costello is a good choice for growerslooking to complement their JB Diego

acreage, as there is no need to sacrificethe grain quality advantage that bothSenova varieties offer.

“Costello’s specific weight is the highestof all the varieties on the RecommendedList, at 80.1kg/hl,” continues Mr Taylor.

“It also has short, stiff straw and similarmaturity.”

Costello shows its worth withdisease resistance

Tel 01223 890777 • Email info@senova.uk.com • www.senova.uk.com

No.1 for grain qualityChosen for its outstanding grain quality,

Group 4 variety Costello also bringsexcellent yields, the highest specific weight

on the RL, superb disease resistance andstiff straw. It will reduce your risk and

enhance your profit.

Jeremy Taylor, Commercial Director, Senova UK Ltd.

Growers in search of a high-yieldingwinter barley with excellent strawstrength should consider KWS Orwell.

As the highest yielding two-row feed onthe 2017–18 RL it is ahead of both KWSTower and KWS Cassia while its strongagronomic credentials and impressivedisease resistance make it the obviouschoice for those looking for a new varietywith exciting potential.

Its medium height, stiff straw andconsistent grain yields make KWSOrwell well-suited to those with mixedfarms or with more fertile soils, says WillCompson, KWS cereal product manager.

“Disease resistance is generally soundwith the exception of mildew, thoughthis is easily controlled with anappropriate mildewicide.

The natural successor to KWS Tower

and KWS Cassia it improves on the latter

with earlier ear emergence, but similar

maturity, explains David Harrap, KWS

barley breeder.

“With KWS Orwell we have maintainedthe maturity date of KWS Cassia but

brought forward the ear emergence dateby about two days. This gives us anincreased grain fill period and a yieldimprovement across the country ofabout 5%, without any delay inharvest,” he says.

“KWS Orwell delivers a step up in strawstrength and yield over existing2-row feed varieties. It yields 3% higherthan KWS Cassia in the North and is theleading 2-row feed variety,” DavidHarrap adds.

Winter barley tends to perform betterwhen drilled early and KWS Orwell isno exception.

“The best barley yields will come from acrop producing a high number of tillers inthe autumn and so we’d like to seegrowers get the crop into the ground inreasonable time and ensure it goes intothe winter well,” he says.

“Growers should look for a target earcount of 1000 heads per sq m. Drilling inlate-September, in good conditions,you’ll need to use around 250–275seeds sq m and to utilise a BYDV seedtreatment, such as Deter. Rates willneed to be higher if conditions are pooror at higher altitudes.

“The aim is to produce the biggest, mostrobust, plants prior to winter. This givesthem every opportunity to put down agood root system and pile on the yield inthe summer.”

“A three spray T0 to T2 fungicideprogramme would help build the veryhigh yields it is capable of, but most willstick with T1–T2 timings. PGRs should beapplied early to help strengthen andmaintain tillers, but it is worth noting that

later applications should be timed carefullyas dry conditions at application canintensify plant stress,” adds David Harrap.

If growers are to achieve the higher yieldsmodern two-rows are capable of, KWSbelieves nitrogen applications should beincreased above what might betraditional practice.

“Varieties such as KWS Tower and KWSGlacier have helped push official trialyields up by between 0.5–0.75t/ha overthe last 10 years and KWS Orwell hasbeen shown to be a step on in yield, butnitrogen rates must be matched tooutput,” says Will Compson.

“In contrast, advances in wheats haveslowed and this makes barley a moretenable proposition, particularly in thesecond cereal slot. With higher yields,lower variable costs and a range of highlyeffective fungicide chemistry available inwinter barley, there’s plenty to begained,” he adds.

KWS Orwell offers higher yields withbetter straw stiffness

14

David Harrap, Senior Barley Breeder, KWS.

seed special

Winter barley variety comments

15

KWS CASSIA KWS Carat x Saffron 99% 101%

Variety Breeder UK Yield North Yield

Two Row – First recommended in 2010 this variety was still the third most popular two-row variety nationally last season andaccordingly still has a large following within our trading area. Medium tall with very stiff straw and the best specific weight ofany barley variety on the new 2017/18 Recommended List, something that was repeated in our own processing plant lastautumn, this variety is equally at home on both light and heavy soil types.

KWS GLACIER KWS Cassia x Retriever 102% 103%

Two Row – The second most popular two-row variety in 2016, taking a 18% market share. Shorter than the other listed two-rows , the variety has an excellent specific weight producing a large bold grain and performs equally as well on light or heavysoils. Some farmers have commented that in some situations the variety has had a tendency to brackle.

SUNNINGDALE Syngenta 109% 113%

Hybrid – Along with Bazooka, this variety is the joint highest yielding hybrid on the recommended list and the variety reallycomes into its own in the northern region where it is yield of 113% of controls is unrivalled, in fact it’s a full 6% ahead of Volume.

BAZOOKA Syngenta 109% 109%

Hybrid – Consistent across all regions and at 109% of controls it is the joint highest yielding barley variety on the currentRecommended List.

This tall, but stiff strawed variety offers northern growers the best heavy land performance and the best specific weight of anyrecommended hybrid, coupled with a solid all round disease profile.

KWS TOWER KWS KWS Saffron x Retriever 102% 103%

Two Row – The UK’s leading two-row variety in 2016 taking a near 19% share of the winter barley market. Slightly tallerthan its sister varieties with no major disease resistance weaknesses, KWS Tower has been very consistent over the last fiveyears of trials producing those characteristic long ears with large bold grains, in fact it has the largest grain of any variety onthe Recommended List.

KWS FUNKY KWS Gigga x KWS Meridian 107% 107%

Six Row – This is the new conventional 6 row that looks very promising indeed matching Volume for yield and being only2% behind Bazooka and the newly recommended Sunningdale.

Shorter than its hybrid competitors, it offers growers early maturity and the highest specific weight on the RecommendedList of any 6-row. In addition it’s excellent disease package is highlighted in its untreated yield; the equal highest on theRecommended List.

KWS ORWELL KWS KWS Tower x Salsa 104% 104%

Two Row – The first of the Tower x’s, this variety sold out in its first year of recommendation and was the top performingtwo-row at the NIAB TAGG site at Croft nr Darlington.

At 104% controls, a full 5% above KWS Cassia, it sits top of the RL for two-row feed varieties and is incredibly consistent acrossall regions of the UK. It’s stiffer strawed than both Tower or Glacier and comes with a good set of disease resistance scores apartfrom Mildew. While the variety is equally at home on both light or heavy soils, it does save its best performance on lighter soils .

Suggested drilling rates are 200 seeds m/2 for September drillings in good conditions, these could be adjusted to suit local conditions at thetime of drilling and with all hybrids to feed their vigorous spring growth it’s important that early nitrogen availability is not limiting.

* To ensure your barley seed is on farm in good time, please order by 21st August 2017 *

Meet Stephen Buckle, arable farmerand host of the new Grainco winterwheat demonstration plots.

Limebar Farm extends to 285 acres andis worked solely by Stephen with someseasonal labour at harvest and autumndrilling. There is 1,000 tonne of grainstorage and another shed for fertilizerand machinery which includes acombine, a tele-handler, two tractorsand associated implements.

The Farm is on sandy loam and, likemany farms in the area, grew sugar beetin a four year rotation until York sugarfactory closed in 2007. At that time thecrop rotation was simplified to grow onlycereals as work was also underway toconvert three of the farm buildings intoresidential properties, including the barnconversion Steve now lives in with hiswife Dee. Since then, half the farm(including the trial plots) has growncontinual wheat while winter barley andspring wheat occupy the remaining area.

Stephen is well known to the staff atGrainCo as he regularly trades both feed

and milling wheat with local GrainCorepresentative Tony Ault and has grownseed barley crops for the Piercebridgeplant for many years. For the past fiveyears, Stephen has grown KWS Cassia, avariety that despite the many newadditions to the Recommended List inrecent years has remained very popularin our region. This year, in addition tothe KWS Cassia seed crop, KWS Orwellis also being grown for the first time duein part to its combination of increasedstem stiffness and high yield potential.

The main wheat varieties grown on thefarm are Skyfall, for its milling potential,and the hard feed variety Dickens dueto its dependable high yields in the northand ability to consistently deliver goodgrain quality.

Stephen was very keen to get involvedwith the demonstration plots and played aleading role in the selection of the fifteenwheat varieties chosen as he wanted toensure the site was relevant to whatfarmers were growing locally. In addition itwould give him the opportunity tomonitor how these varieties performedthroughout the growing season in a trueon farm situation.

Stephen says the AHDB RecommendedList contains a lot of very useful

information, however there are

characteristics of varieties which are not

addressed. For example he has already

observed speed of emergence, tillering

ability and spring growth habits, all of

which are important when selecting a

variety.

The field used for the trials is in its 11thconsecutive crop of wheat and was

established by ploughing and drillingwith a power harrow drill on the11th October.

KWS Barrel, KWS Siskin, LG Motownand Graham were the most vigorousvarieties seen early doors, interestinglyenough as of early May these remainthe pick of the plots which overall arelooking very well indeed and are a creditto Stephen.

Stephen has always been interested inexploring ways to increase his yieldsthrough research and he is currently aparticipant in the LearN project, run byADAS at Boxworth (Cambridge), whichinvolves 18 farms across the UK trying toidentify optimum nitrogen rates forwheat. This four year project uses yieldmapping, a technology he hopes toutilize with the variety plots.

We are very grateful to Stephen forgiving up his time to establish and hostwhat we are sure will become a veryuseful and informative demonstrationsite for farmers within the local area.

Farmer focus: Stephen Buckle fromNorth Yorkshire

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Varieties on displayGroup 1Skyfall KWS ZyattGroup 2KWS Lili KWS SiskinGroup 3KWS Barrel

Group 4 – SoftLG Mowtown LG SundanceRevelationGroup 4 – HardCostello DickensGrafton GrahamJB Diego KWS GatorKWS Kerrin

seed special

Ensuring you choose the right seedtreatment is one of the key factorsin helping to establish your cropand maximize its yield potential.

REDIGO PROActive – Prothioconazole /TebuconazoleConsidered to be the leading singlepurpose seed treatment on the marketfor the control of the principal seed andsoil-borne diseases and is applied asstandard to all of our wheat and barleysupplied via our Piercebridge based plant.

REDIGO DETERActive – Prothioconazole /ClothianidinWheat & Barley

Uses – For the control of the principalseed-borne diseases and soil-borne bunt,provides robust aphid and thereforeBYDV control in cereals by up to 10

weeks , reducing the need for follow upsprays. Furthermore it helps improvescrop establishment by reducing damageby wireworms, slugs and crucially has nobuffer zone restrictions.

So how does it work in reducing slugdamage?Individual seeds become attractive toslugs within hours of drilling, theyattack the embryo within the softenedgrains, killing the seed resulting in thecharacteristic seed hollowing, which inturn leads to a decrease in the yieldpotential of the crops. Whilst it doesn’tkill the slugs directly, the clothianidincreates a zone of protection aroundthe seed itself, deterring the slugs fromfeeding on the grains and allowingbetter overall crop establishment.Redigo Deter however does not offerany control once the plant hasemerged therefore additional measures

may be needed if the slug populationis high.

What about Aphid and thereforeBYDV control in cereals?Winter wheat crops treated with RedigoDeter should be sown at a minimum of125kg/ha and for late August/ earlySeptember drillings 7–9 weeks protectionwill be given after which a follow upaphid control treatment is recommendedie mid-late October. A further follow uptreatment in mid-late November will berequired if conditions remain mild.

For the traditional mid–September drillingsslot, 8–10 weeks protection will be givenand for late September sowings usinghigher sowing rates, over 10 weeksprotection will be given. Under normalaphid pressure no follow up sprays wouldthen be required for late Septembersowings. Treated seed should not be sownbetween 1st January and 30th June.

Spotlight on seed treatments

17

Redigo Deter contains prothioconazole and clothianidin. Redigo and Deter are registered Trade Marks of Bayer. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label. For further information, please visit www.cropscience.bayer.co.uk or call Bayer Assist on 0808 1969522. © Bayer CropScience Limited 2017.

Redigo DeterBigger, better yieldsseed treatment

With grain prices where they are, you need to squeeze the maximum yield and quality out of every hectare.So use Redigo Deter cereal seed treatment. You�ll get a healthier crop and gain 2.15 t/ha higher yield in wheat and 2.75 t/ha in barley*.See a video at the address below, talk to your advisor or call us on 0808 1969522.www.cropscience.bayer.co.uk/redigo-deter

RADIATEAid to better rooting and establishmentWheat, Barley, Oats and Oil SeedRape

This complementary seed treatment isincreasingly being used by farmers tohelp encourage improved establishmentand increased root mass in their cropsand in turn better yields. It can be co-applied with other seed treatments suchas Redigo Deter and Latitude and beused on both wheat and barley. Inaddition since the withdrawal ofneonics, growers may have noticed aconsiderable amount of rape seedsupplied to the market is also nowtreated with Radiate.

So how does it actually work?Radiate is a ‘one shot life-long’ bio-stimulant and nutrient complex basedon zinc ( a micro-nutrient) in anammonium complex form for rapiduptake. Zinc promotes auxin production( a rooting hormone for plants ) whichcauses rapid root development ( toresist adverse conditions ) and leafexpansion to maximise lightinterception and early growth. Radiatetreatment triggers significantlyimproved photosynthetic activity whichpersists throughout the life of the cropand is especially important during thegrain fill period .

NEW MANGANESE SOLUTIONWheat, Barley, Oats

Many soils in the UK are manganesedeficient and although foliar applicationsare effective at critical stages of growth,many growers simply forget that sprayingcannot take care of the early stages ofdeficiency when there is insufficientfoliage or indeed as can often be thecase poor spraying conditions.

New Manganese Solution is a trueliquid formulation of manganesenitrate which ensures it is immediatelyavailable to the germinating seed,independent trials have shown thatManganese levels in treated plants

were between 45% and 41% higherthan in untreated plants after 7 and 14days respectively.

This really is a very cost effective wayto protect your crop from earlydeficiency problems.

Spotlight on seed treatments

18

seed special

LATITUDEActive – silthiofam For 2nd and 3rdwheats (white crops) and 1st wheatsafter non cropped land or springbarley.

The only seed treatment on the marketto effectively reduce the effects of take-all and consistently shows a yieldresponse in trials of over 0.5t/ha and ourPiercebridge Plant was proud to beinvolved in the trialing process when itwas being developed.

How does Latitude actually work?The take-all fungus lives within the soiland infects the root system of the plantby making them become blackened andstunted, with the result that the plantbecomes unable to access the nutrientsand water needed.

Once drilled and in contact with the soil,

the Silthiofam rapidly moves off the

seed, creating a zone of protection

around the developing roots of each

seedling. The active remains at the site of

action, even if rainfall follows drilling,

actively delaying primary infection from

the take-all fungus in the soil from

infecting the newly developed roots. This

allows better establishment and rooting

and in turn reduces the level of take-all

right through to grain fill by maintaining

root efficiency well into May and June.

This reduces the secondary symptoms

such as stunting and whiteheads.

For optimum results co-apply Radiatewith Latitude to further enhance the

plants root system.

Spotlight on seed treatments

19

Bayer Sure Start seedtreatment QualityAssurance SchemeGrainCo cereal seed customerscan have the confidence that theseed they are supplied with isbacked by Bayer’s SureStartassurance scheme.

Precision is everything in seedtreatments and modern seedtreatments are becoming moresophisticated, therefore Bayercollect and analyse treated samplesfrom our plant on a regular basisthroughout the season, to ensurethe correct levels of seed treatmentsare being applied.

In the unlikely event of an issue,individually treated samples fromeach batch are retained for furtherinspection and analysis, we are evenrequired to log the date, time of dayand prevailing weather conditions atthe time of each application.

Both of our seed plant operatorsSteve Taylor and Andrew Dowsonhave all the necessary qualificationsin the handling and application ofseed treatments and are rightlyproud of their quality of work insupplying seed cleaned and treatedto the highest standard.

Should you ever wish to have apersonal tour of the plant youwould be most welcome to do so.

BOOSTYOUR

CHANGEYOURPERSPECTIVEFOCUS ONROOTHEALTH

IMPROVED ROOT HEALTHBROAD SPECTRUM DISEASE CONTROL OF ESTABLISHMENT DISEASES REALISE THE POTENTIAL OF YOUR SEED

seed special

21

Oats have bucked the trend of theother main cereal and oilseed cropsin 2017, with the winter plantedarea up by 20,000ha across the UK.

Despite increases for all winter crops inScotland, the total UK data released byAHDB shows a 3% reduction for winterwheat, a slightly lower winter barleyarea and a 1% decline for oilseed rape.

In contrast, the oat area is up by 8% –reflecting some of the changes thathave been taking place with rotationsand the importance of market appeal.

However, as these figures only relatedto plantings up until December 2016,the total oat area increased furtherwhen spring plantings were completed,giving the crop even more of a boost,points out Tom Yewbrey of Senova.

“What we’re seeing with oats is a realsuccess story,” he says. “Demand isrising, markets are expanding andvarieties are improving all the time.So it’s not just the consumer who isbenefiting from the range of healthyoat-based products on sale – thefarmers are too.”

A new winter oat variety from Senovajoined the AHDB Recommended List2017/18 at the end of last year and willbe available for planting later thiscoming autumn.

Griffin, a very high yieldingconventional husked winter oat with an8% yield advantage over Mascani, hasjoined the list ahead of both of lastyears’ introductions, Maestro andLineout.

With a yield of 106, a kernel content of75.5% and a specific weight of50.3kg/hl, Griffin offers both high

output and milling quality – an essentialcombination for today’s humanconsumption market.

“It has sound agronomics as well,”continues Tom. “It is slightly later tomature than Mascani, at +1, and it hasrespectable 5 ratings for both mildewand crown rust.”

Like most winter oat varieties, Griffinresponds well to PGRs, as it is quite atall variety at 120cm, he adds.

Of course, the miller’s favouriteMascani will take some replacing,having performed consistently in UKmills for over ten years.

“There are good reasons why Mascanicontinues to dominate and remainpopular. It may be lower yielding thanmore recent additions, but itcompensates for this with a high kernelcontent and specific weight.”

Large grains, low screenings andexcellent hullability add to its appeal,acknowledges Tom.

“It’s also less susceptible to mildew, hasthe best resistance to crown rust andthe highest resistance score forlodging.”

Oat area increases to meet demand

Tom Yewbrey, Sales Manager, Senova UK.

22

With rapeseed prices today almost£100/t up on this time last year atcirca £350/t before oil bonuses, andfirm market prospects for theforeseeable future the crop makesan attractive proposition.

Indeed, current forecasts put the plantedarea for the coming season at anincreased coverage of 580k Ha. With thisand many other factors winter OSRremains the number one break crop forUK farmers. Key to on farm successhowever is to achieve a consistency inperformance and growing practices thatwe often struggle to realise in practice.

To reduce the risks of winter oilseed rapeproduction and increase the flexibilitywith which the crop can be managed weneed far greater resilience in the varietieswe grow.

DEKALB varieties are standing well clearof the field in grower preference andsatisfaction as well as performance,according to the latest independentmarket research. The winter 2016/17round of the industry-leading KleffmannGroup WOSR AMIS panel shows bothDK Extrovert and DK Exalte increasingtheir share of plantings this season.

The fact that both varieties are nowamongst the five most widely-grown inthe country is all the more remarkablefor the fact that neither have ever beenon the Recommended List – incomplete contrast to almost every otherpopular variety. Their popularity is notsurprising given the fact that theyoutperformed the current top RL varietybeing a good 0.10t/ha ahead.

Unsurprisingly too, perhaps, growers ofDK Extrovert and DK Exalte expressedmuch greater satisfaction with thevarieties than growers of any of theother top 10 varieties. Growersidentified high yield, consistentperformance and easy management astheir three most important criteria foroilseed rape satisfaction. And, in allthree of these areas, levels ofsatisfaction were clearly higher amongstDK Extrovert and DK Exalte growersthan growers of other varieties.

Apart from the superior value these twovarieties deliver, this underlines theextent to which growers are looking formore than just yield in their winter OSRvarieties. Alongside yield, the 2016/17research, indeed, reveals light leaf spotresistance, phoma/ stem cankerresistance, vigorous establishment,standing ability, earliness of maturity,rapid autumn development and pod

shatter resistance as the most soughtafter characteristics. The fact that DKExtrovert and DK Exalte, in particular,and DEKALB varieties in general deliveron so many of these key characters goesa long way towards explaining thepopularity they command on-farm. Italso explains, why more growers thanaverage have chosen DEKALB varietiesthis season because of experience,recommendations, disease resistanceand robustness and why growers are somuch more loyal to DEKALB varietiesthan to those of other breeders.

Clearfield varieties bred to be resistantto Imazamox herbicides provide anotheropportunity for OSR growers to reducerisk and improve flexibility.

First and foremost, they enable theproblem cruciferous weeds like charlock,runch and hedge mustard which canserious compromise profitable rapegrowing to be effectively controlled. Thisand their ability to control volunteerrape from seed surviving in the soil formany years, also makes them valuable inreducing the risk of erucic acidcontamination.

By moving broad-leaved weed controlfrom pre- to post-emergence too, theClearfield system means crops can betreated only once they have safelydeveloped to 2–4 true leaves, reducingany risk of setting-back OSRestablishment. In addition, Imazamoxresistance protects the crop against SUresidues from previous cereal crops thatmay also affect establishment.

With establishment issues seen as amajor factor effecting the successfulcropping area last season this last pointis rising in importance.

Oil Seed Rape – still the no. 1break crop

Mark Shaw – Business Development Manager, Seeds &Traits – UK, Monsanto UK Ltd

seed special

23

Winter Oil Seed Rape variety comments

ANASTASIA 110% 45.1%

BARBADOS 109% 45.5%

CAMPUS 109% 45.7%

ELGAR 110% 45.4%

BUTTERFLY 112%(north) 45.4%

DJANGO 110.5% 45.3%

ALIZZE 109% 46%

AQUILA 108% 45.7%

EXTROVERT – –

DK IMPERIAL Clearfield Technology – –

Variety

Leading Conventional’s Northern Region

Leading Conventionals East+West Region

GO Oil Content

Sitting top of the Northern List, this is a very stable and reliable variety that has short stiff straw and a vigorous autumngrowth habit.

Slightly later to mature and taller than Anastasia, but with very stiff straw. It has the best combination of LLS and Phomaresistance on the northern list. Suitable for early drilling.

Sitting top of the E+W List, this early maturing, stable variety offers very stiff straw ,with the best combination of LLS andPhoma resistance of any conventional on the list.

Leading Conventional Candidate

With a combination of very good early vigour, a strong disease package, short stiff straw and an oil content of 45.3%, thisvariety is one of the most promising candidates in trials.

Campus is a conventional variety from KWS which has produced high gross output in both the North and East/West regions.Medium tall plants with good standing power. Medium early to flower and medium late maturity. LLS 6 and Stem canker 6.

This variety has a prostrate growth habit making it suitable for the early-mid drilling slot. It is extremely stiff having twin 8’s forstanding and one of the best disease resistance packages scoring twin 7’s for LLS and phoma, seed will be limited this autumn.

Leading Hybrids Northern Region

The highest yielding hybrid on the Northern list, also appears on the E+W list and offers growers relatively short stiff straw,excellent LLS resistance, very high oils coupled with strong autumn vigour.

Leading Hybrids East+West Region

A very stiff strawed variety that offers growers excellent disease resistance ratings, coupled with strong autumn and springvigour with the added bonus of pod shatter resistance.

Popular Varieties not shown on the Northern List

The UK’s top selling hybrid variety despite not being on either Recommended List. Excellent disease ratings, pod shatter resistance,suitable for the main drilling window, however its very strong autumn vigour also make it an excellent choice for later drillings.

It’s rapid autumn growth habit ensures this Clearfield variety is not only suitable for the main drilling window, but also for the laterdrilling slot and comes with the added bonus of pod shatter resistance and very good levels of phoma and LLS resistance.

Your Contact Details

Every care is taken in the preparation of this booklet, however it should only be used as a guide and GrainCo cannot accept any responsibility for any losses incurred as a consequence of this information.Data from the AHDB Recommended List except where otherwise stated: Full database available at www.ahdb.co.uk

24

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