Choosing your variety for autumn sowing starts with reviewing your current variety under your specific farming system, it also requires assessing any new offerings to the market in which we have a couple this autumn. We have seen a high-pressure year for septoria tritici, numerous weather challenges and of course a continuation of the volatile grain market. Here are my top picks for this autumn.
Winter Barley – LG Caravelle
Top of the list and new this autumn, LG Caravelle, which has an excellent specific weight (71.8), is the highest yielder across the UK, meaning it will be highly attractive to many. A robust disease package gives Caravelle an excellent untreated yield offering some rest bite in a challenging spring. If you are on heavy land, a PGR application will be important, but Caravelle is comparable with most barleys on the RL. Caravelle will sell out early this autumn, with seed limited.
Winter Oilseed Rape – Dolphin
Being simple to grow with a high output, Dolphin is developed for the current economic and environmental climate.
It produces high yields, performing particularly well in the East and West regions with 105% gross output, but what we most like is its high oil content of 46%. Where every percentage means “£” then this is a must for a 2023/24 variety. Dolphin has a prostrate growth habit, which quickly produces considerable weed-inhibiting ground cover.
Its considerable vigour means that it can fight CSFB pressure and has flexibility in sowing, but ideally, it should still be drilled between July and mid-August. This is one of the shortest varieties standing at 144 cm, with one of the stiffest stems and most resistant to lodging (9). This feature also means Dolphin is unlikely to need an autumn PGR. It has some of the longest and biggest pods that we’ve seen, and with HarvestMax pod technology bred in, it ensures maximum seed retention during harvesting.
Winter Wheat – LG Typhoon
One of our highest yielding feed wheats on farm, we love Typhoon. It is a high tillering variety that performs well at low seed rates, and can be drilled from mid-September; however, it exhibits genuine suitability for the earlier sowing situation. Most noticeable is in spring when other varieties are hungry and yellowing, Typhoon is green lush and hugging the floor. Exceptional resistance to yellow rust (9) and Septoria (7.6) gives good untreated yields and growers peace of mind.
Autumn Seeds 2023 Brochure
Request a copy of the Autumn Seeds brochure today, choose from a digital or printed copy.
