Winter oilseed rape newcomer Sesame has taken more than a 10% share of the UK certified seed plantings this year, according to estimated figures by LS Plant Breeding (LSPB).

Over 200t of Sesame, a new conventional variety which is a candidate for the 2011 Recommended List, has been sold this year in its first commercial season.

“It’s a fantastic result for a variety that is not yet recommended,” said Theo Labuda, managing director of LSPB, which breeds Sesame.

“FERA estimated last year that the total in tonnage was 1700t. Even if the market has gone up by 10%, as analysts predict, the total certified seed is less than 2000t.

“Therefore, with Sesame at 200t, we are confident we have sold at least 10% of the market share.”

Sesame topped the National List Trials in 2008 and 2009 with a gross output at 117% of the control varieties in the east and west and 112% in the north.

It is a solid all-round performer with good resistance to lodging (8), stem stiffness (7) and good disease resistance for light leaf spot (7) and stem canker (6), said Mr Labuda.

Paul Nickerson, of Ebbage Seeds, which markets Sesame, said: “I’m very confident that Sesame will become the dominant and major oilseed rape variety for planting in 2011.”

Mr Labuda said Cracker, an LSPB hybrid oilseed rape variety, had taken over from Mendel in Scotland and the north of England as the top-selling variety with club root resistance.

“This year, just 360ha of Mendel has been sold compared with 6000ha of Cracker,” he revealed. “It has totally replaced Mendel as the club root variety and has in fact expanded the area.”

NL trials showed Cracker, the only other variety with club root resistance, was about 10% higher yielding than Mendel, scoring 118% for gross output in the north.

Cracker also offered better light leaf spot resistance (8) than Mendel (5) and growers who had chosen to grow the variety would also save money on spraying, he added.

“Farmers can now feel that they have covered their club root problem and they don’t have to spray twice for light leaf spot because Cracker covers all the bases.”

However, further south he said Cracker may not prove more popular because of its slightly weaker phoma resistance (4) than Mendel (5).

He said LSPB was working on a successor to Cracker, which would combine strong light leaf spot and phoma resistance.

The third key LSPB variety, Palace, a hybrid with strong light leaf spot resistance and yields, is to be considered for in east and west, alongside Cracker and Sesame. All three varieties will be considered for recommendation in the north next year.

The 2011 HGCA Recommended List for winter oilseed rape varieties is due to be announced around the end of November.