NEW BARLEYS, especially spring varieties, dominate the newcomers in the HGCA Recommended Lists for 2005/2006 announced on Wednesday (Dec 1).

There are four winter varieties, potential malter Flagon, the two-row feed types Saffron and Spectrum, and six-row feed Amarena.

Also added are seven for spring sowing. NFC Tipple, Oxbridge and Westminster are all malting types still being IOB-tested.

The quartet swelling the ranks of the pure feed types are Waggon, Tocada, Wicket and Power.

All three additions in the winter wheat sector are nabim Group 4 feed varieties.

Glasgow is a first for breeder Saaten Union.

Ambrosia, from RAGT Seeds appears to have useful Septoria tritici resistance, notes CEL trials manager Jim McVittie.

Brompton, from Elsoms Seeds, is specially recommended for the dry east or where growers need its proven orange blossom midge resistance.

All five new winter oilseed rape recommendations are conventional varieties offering gross outputs at least as good as Winner‘s.

Two are significantly better and the others have useful agronomic advantages, not least in stem canker resistance, notes Mr McVittie.

In output ranking order they are Lioness, NKBravour, Castille, Es Astrid and NKVictory.

Summaries of the new lists are available on the HGCA website, www.hgca.com, and the full booklet and CD will be distributed early in the New Year.

For more detail on the additions don‘t miss next week‘s Arable section of FARMERS WEEKLY (Dec 10).