OSR growers will be able to benefit from a new stress-tolerant, high-yielding hybrid launched at the Cereals event.

Available to drill this autumn, DK Excentric outperformed every other Dekalb variety in both the higher yielding 2022 season and the more challenging 2023.

Overall, it is the top-performing variety to emerge from the breeder, with a gross output of 5.11t/ha in two years of Niab and Scottish Agronomy trials.

This was due to a combination of above-average yields and oil content in excess of 45%. 

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This was reflected in tramline trials carried out across the UK, where it performed equally well, as either the top-yielding variety or close to the top at almost every site.

Bayer says its performance is a clear demonstration of its superior environmental stress tolerance.

Bayer campaign manager Grace Hayward points out its flexibility in terms of drilling date.

“DK Excentric brings together an excellent combination of characters and growth habit for early planting, yet has the flexibility for sowing well into September should soil, pest or weather conditions necessitate a change in drilling plans,” she says.

Its excellent stress tolerance package includes good resistance to light leaf spot (6) and phoma (7), as well as having turnip yellows virus resistance and pod shatter resistance. 

Standing power is also good, having an 8 for stem stiffness and 9 for lodging. 

Grace adds that the latest Adas stem health trials show the variety has good tolerance to verticillium wilt, together with low levels of premature pod ripening.

Seed is available for drilling this summer.