Five new winter wheats have joined the HGCA Recommended List for 2012-13. Louise Impey asks if they have anything to offer

The arrival of a new Group 1 variety is good news for the industry and most variety and seed specialists expect Limagrain’s Crusoe to be welcomed.

Their only reservation, which would apply to any new quality wheat, is how the millers will respond to it. Warburtons has already backed the variety and Nabim has given it Group 1 status, so the initial signs are positive.

NIAB TAG’s wheat variety expert Clare Leaman believes Crusoe is the most interesting of all the newcomers.

“It may not offer a yield advantage over the current choices at 99 but it does bring better disease resistance,” she says. “It has excellent resistance to mildew and yellow rust and good scores for both brown rust and septoria.”

Crusoe also fits well with both of the existing Group 1s, Solstice and Gallant, she adds. “It’s important to have a bit of choice in this sector and being down to just two was a concern.”

However, with the exception of Warburtons, it’s early days for miller acceptance. “There’s always a bit of a time lag with new quality varieties. That shouldn’t concern growers too much, as there is a buy-back contract.”

Independent agronomist and AICC chairman Mike Warner says a move away from the two regulars, Solstice and Gallant, will take a while. “It took farmers long enough to get up to speed with Gallant. But I’m sure there will be some test acreages.”

Barry Barker of Masstock also agrees it will take a year or two before Crusoe is established. “Agronomically it’s a step forward, which is great. But seed will be limited.”

Much will depend on what value the millers will pay for Crusoe, he predicts. “I don’t think it will increase the area of Group 1s being grown, but it might take some Cordiale area.”

Lee Bennett of Openfield, which supported the variety last summer with a buy-back contract for Warburtons, points out Crusoe sold out very quickly in 2011.

“Both the market and growers were ready for it. Over time, I can see it taking market share from both Solstice and Gallant.”

David Waite of Frontier Agriculture agrees. “Crusoe brings the agronomic advantage and diversity that the group needs. The only unknown was whether it would be classed as Group 1 or Group 2, but that’s now been confirmed.”

He points out all three of the Group 1 varieties have different maturities. “And that will be useful for growers when it comes to harvest planning.”

Group 3

The new soft Group 3 variety, Torch, from RAGT Seeds, also joins the Recommended List with end user backing.

Another variety with a positive start, thanks to ADM Milling and United Biscuit’s endorsement, Torch is also approved for the UK’s export category.

Described as a biscuit wheat with a good Hagberg, it offers both high yields (105) and orange wheat blossom midge resistance.

Torch has been added to the list with a four rating for yellow rust, which puts it among a group of varieties with similar scores, many of which have significant market share. That shouldn’t put growers off, agree most, as farmers have shown themselves capable of controlling the disease when necessary.

Mr Waite says it’s the first time a biscuit manufacturer has got involved and backed a variety before its recommendation. “The end market is very important and Torch has got one,” he stresses.

There’s no doubt there’s demand for the product, says Mr Barker. “But the Group 3 market has suffered in recent years and Torch isn’t going to change that. It meets biscuit making and export requirements, but it doesn’t distil.”

Mr Bennett points out that its yellow rust susceptibility is the only weakness. “Otherwise Torch is sound and should be a useful partner to Invicta.”

He is not concerned about its mildew rating of three. “That’s not a problem. Growers can deal with mildew.”

But Mrs Leaman is a bit more hesitant about Torch. While she accepts it may look good on paper and is the highest yielding Group 3, she adds its yellow rust rating won’t suit everyone.

“Growers have managed worse,” she acknowledges. “Every other Group 3 is an eight or nine for yellow rust, so on that basis, it is a risk. If you’re particularly worried about yellow rust, it may not be for you.”

Torch also has the lowest protein content of all the Group 3s, although it isn’t adrift by far, she notes.

“There’s such a wide range of applications for Group 3s, from biscuits to batters and cakes to coatings, that this won’t matter.”

Mike Warner says there is already a strong set of Group 3s, with Scout, Invicta and Warrior taking a good acreage in his part of the country. “They all stack up well, so Torch is going to have to prove itself, just like any other new variety.”

Group 4

Horatio, the new soft Group 4 variety from Limagrain, has a yield of 105. That puts it on a par with one of last year’s additions, Gravitas, which hasn’t made any inroads to date, most point out.

Opinions on Horatio are divided. The stalling of the biofuels market hasn’t helped this type of variety to make much progress, suggests Mrs Leaman, who notes neither Gravitas nor Denman have made their mark.

“That means that it’s up against Beluga and Viscount, both of which the distillers like. Horatio gets a medium rating for distilling and can be exported as a blend, which is similar to Alchemy and Viscount.”

Mr Waite believes Horatio is a good variety for Scotland. “I like the look of it. It has a good Hagberg, which usually means it has good resistance to sprouting, and it came top in Scottish Agronomy trials.”

Mr Barker describes Horatio as a solid variety, with good background disease resistance and a good Hagberg. “But it isn’t a significant improvement on Gravitas, which hasn’t taken off. If it does distil satisfactorily, that will be an advantage.”

But Mr Bennett thinks Horatio is one variety too many. “It’s not obvious what it brings over and above the other soft Group 4s. It has no yield advantage, no real disease resistance benefit and only slightly better straw.”

Two new hard Group 4s have joined the Recommended List, although neither KWS Gator nor Relay offers better yield than existing choices KWS Santiago and Conqueror.

For this reason, both varieties could take time to find their feet, believe commentators. KWS Gator’s disease resistance profile is described as borderline, but Relay has some supporters among the seed trade.

Both varieties have good second wheat data, although their figures are based on just one year, cautions Mrs Leaman.

“Much will depend on how these varieties perform on farm. They are high yielding and people growing just hard feed types do want a mix.”

If yellow rust hits KWS Santiago, they may establish themselves, she adds. “The other variety to beat in this sector is JB Diego. And growers really value its consistency and reliability.”

Mr Barker describes KWS Gator as typical of the varieties from the breeder. “It’s a bit on the late side and you can’t really see it as a companion variety. It doesn’t help spread the risk on maturity either.”

Mr Bennett also struggles to find any advantage. “I don’t think there’s going to be much seed, so it’s not going to feature.”

And Mr Waite is of the same view. “It’s hard to find a reason for either of the new hard feed wheats. Good second wheat performance is a niche opportunity.”

But RAGT’s Relay, with its east and west region recommendation, gets more support from Mr Bennett and Mr Barker, with both men pointing out it is a different type and brings some diversity.

“A useful alternative, although we’ve still got to learn more about it,” notes Mr Barker.

Short, stiff, not too late and with very acceptable disease resistance, says Mr Bennett. “And it’s an awesome second wheat. I can see a place for it.”

Mr Warner believes there’s significant competition from the likes of KWS Santiago, Oakley, Conqueror and JB Diego – the latter for its second wheat consistency – that it will be hard to convince growers to change.

“Acreages of these new ones will be on test basis,” he suggests. “I can’t see them having a huge effect on market share this coming year.”

Spring Wheat

One new spring wheat, KWS Alderon, has been added to the Recommended List for spring and late autumn sowing.

A hard feed variety with good resistance to both yellow and brown rust, it is higher yielding than Belvoir when spring sown, at 108, and challenges winter types in the late autumn sown slot with a yield of 110.

“It’s certainly one to consider if you can’t get the quality that one of the bread-making types produces,” says Mr Waite.

And Mr Barker sees a decent market for KWS Alderon. “Belvoir sells quite widely, so this addition could be a challenger.”

• Read more from the Recommended List 2012-13