Variety top trumps: Wheat, barley and OSR

This year we are focusing on how varieties we offer can fit your farming system, whether your high input and high output or whether you are trying to maximise your return from a crop with slightly less inputs! Wynnstay are constantly monitoring and evaluating both new and existing varieties ensuring our advice is always up to date. Here are my varieties to consider for Autumn 2023 planting. 

There are less additions to the RL this autumn with only a couple that are particular interest to us at Wynnstay. However, after seeing existing varieties perform over the last growing season, we are in a better place to recommend this variety to you and your farming system.

• LG Redwald which enters the RL as the top yielding variety, a variety with puts a new mean on vigour. Excellent in the late drilling slot.
• Champion an extremely high yielding feed wheat, suited for drilling from October. Excellent resistance to septoria
• KWS Dawsum has the best-combined grain quality and yield most suited September drilling.
• Typhoon is suitable for early sowing situations and offers resistance to yellow rust and Septoria, also has a big tillering capacity so covers the ground well in the autumn.
• Extase which is strong and vigorous and holding up well to septoria but should not be sown before 1st October

Remember to look at the performance of varieties on the untreated list, as this will provide an understanding of the risk associated with a variety should the growing season not turn out as anticipated. For example, if sowing is delayed, the T2 fungicide programme is missed or the harvest period is wet, these factors can add up and have a large impact on yield and profitability.

With OSR, success is all about the establishment. Challenges which can impact the establishment include lack of moisture, cabbage stem flea beetle and damage from pigeons. Plant breeding and using the right variety for the right situation provide the best means to establish an OSR crop. Top picks include:

• LG Aviron is unanimously recognised as one of the most vigorous varieties and can be sown as late as 10 September.
• Dolphin from DSV has a high gross output thanks to its exceptional oil content, it’s a very short stiff variety which can be sown earlier than the likes of Aviron.
• KWS Campus a conventional OSR which offers complete flexibility over soil types and sowing date. Autumn vigour and gross output to compete with hybrids makes it a profitable option.

Winter barley can offer numerous options within your farming system, whether you want an early entry into OSR or an excellent home-grown feed for your cattle Wynnstay’s portfolio caters for it. Winter barley perhaps has the most exciting addition to the RL this autumn with LG Caravelle

LG Caravelle a 2-row conventional barley with a yield to put it top of the list. A fantastic specific weight and untreated yield. Secure your seed early for this fantastic variety.

• KWS Tardis a high yielding 2 row barley with stiff straw is perfect for heavy land.
• Elsom’s Bolton is very well suited to lighter and medium soils, offering top yields.
• Valerie which is early to mature and has one of the best specific weights available and offers plenty of straw.

In addition, hybrid barleys are great for later sowing, on wetter or drier soils and where there is a weed burden. By being extremely vigorous, hybrid barleys can outcompete blackgrass and other grass weeds. They can also be sown later, providing more time to create a stale seedbed. SY Kingsbarn is our pick of the hybrids as it combines vigour, yield, straw strength, and grain quality into a fantastic package.

For more wheat, OSR and barley insights listen to episode ten of season two of the Wynnstay Agri-Hub podcast. Alternatively, season one arable episodes include a deep dive into Environmental Land Management in episode 7 and all things seed in episode 2.