The launch of three, high-yielding, quality wheat and barley varieties, plus a look at how Syngenta innovations in cereal breeding can help farmers now and in the future.

These will be just some of the items showcased by Syngenta Seeds at this year’s combined Cereals and Sprays and Sprayers Event (stand number 1027) being held near Royston, Cambridgeshire.

In particular, the event will see the launch of the new Syngenta winter malting barley varieties Winsome and Purdey, plus the new nabim Group 2 winter wheat variety, Kingdom.

“After recent grain price difficulties, the malting barley sector could really do with a lift,” explains Syngenta Seeds UK cereals sales and marketing manager, Samantha Smith.

“Every extra 1% increase in yield from a new variety can put extra money back in growers’ pockets.

“To this end, the launch of Winsome and Purdey will provide two, new high-yielding options for next season. Winsome has the highest UK treated yield figure of all winter malting barley varieties on the current HGCA Recommended List, while Purdey has the joint second highest alongside existing variety Flagon.”

Importantly, Ms Smith says both Winsome and Purdey also offer growers good combinations of disease resistance, especially against the key diseases of rhynchosporium and net blotch. Purdey also combines this with resistance to BaYMV.

“Winsome on the other hand combines disease resistance with very high quality in terms of potential alcohol yield or hot water extract,” she adds.

“It also has the practical benefit of being very early maturing.

“Meanwhile for winter wheat growers, hot on the heels of the nabim Group 1 breadmaking variety Gallant we launched last year, we will be launching the new, quality wheat variety Kingdom.

“As a nabim Group 2 variety, it will provide a key opportunity to help milling wheat growers spread end market options, and we hope to be able to discuss a market opportunity for the variety at Cereals.”

Other on-stand demonstration plots will feature the growing line-up of Syngenta Seeds’ top-yielding cereal varieties – including Gallant winter wheat, Volume hybrid barley and the recently-launched, top-yielding spring malting barley variety, Propino.

* Cereals 2010 exhibitor information as supplied by Syngenta Seeds.