Winter wheat variety choices – Growing for the Market

Varieties with soft textured endosperm are the most important choices for Scottish wheat growers. With two-thirds of the Scottish crop destined for grain distilling, and further bulks sourced for soft milling, variety selections are predominately from UKFM and AHDB Groups 3 and 4.

In grain distilling, a soft endosperm provides high spirit yield and ease of processing with the preferred varieties rated as ‘good’ or ‘medium’. Varieties from Groups 3 or 4 achieving a ‘good’ rating are the most consistent in their distilling performance.

In flour milling, a soft texture provides good extraction rates and an extensible but not elastic gluten. Although sourced predominantly from Group 3 it is worth checking if your end-user will accept a soft Group 4 that meets the desired specification.

Hard textured wheats also have a place in the crop rotation for their feed use and specialist hard milling needs. Several new hard milling and feed varieties also offer improved agronomic features including excellent untreated yields.

The thumbnail sketches below highlight the strengths and weaknesses of varieties with most value for Scottish farms and wheat markets. Unless otherwise stated all choices are believed to be resistant to orange wheat orange blossom midge (OWBM).

Soft textured varieties for distilling, biscuit-making or feed

Elation is rated ‘good’ for distilling. A competitive yield includes good performance as a second wheat and on lighter textured soils. Weak resistance to Septoria tritici and eyespot means that untreated yield is poor, though it has above average resistance to yellow rust and mildew.

Elicit is a biscuit-making variety with a ‘good’ rating for distilling. Specific weight is intermediate and Hagberg figures are below the category average. It has high resistance to yellow rust but is weak against Septoria tritici and very susceptible to eyespot. It has moderate straw strength but responds well to plant growth regulators.

KWS Barrel is grown for biscuit-making and feed but is rated ‘poor’ for distilling. It has short and stiff straw and has produced very high yields, with good performance on lighter soils and as a first wheat. Its untreated yield is very poor because of high susceptibility to Septoria tritici, eyespot and yellow rust.

KWS Brium is a new biscuit-making variety with a ‘medium’ rating for distilling. It has a relatively high specific weight and Hagberg falling number. Both treated and untreated yields above average, though maturity is late. The variety suits a range of sowing dates and is moderate as a second wheat. It has high resistance to yellow rust and mildew but is not resistant to OWBM.

KWS Jackal is an established soft wheat with a ‘medium’ rating for distilling, though it has become outclassed for yield, untreated yield, specific weight and Hagberg figures. It has poor resistance to Septoria tritici and eyespot, but high resistance to yellow rust and mildew. It suits early sowing and is moderate as second wheat.

LG Astronomer is a biscuit-making variety with a ‘medium’ rating for distilling. This variety has high agronomic value among the soft wheats with a good untreated yield, high specific weight, very stiff treated-straw and good sprouting resistance. Treated yield is below average, but it suits early sowing. It has high resistance to yellow rust and Septoria tritici, though is susceptible to mildew.

LG Illuminate is a biscuit-making variety rated ‘medium’ for distilling. It has a competitive yield and suits early sowing and lighter textured soils. It has intermediate straw stiffness, and above average resistance to sprouting.

LG Skyscraper is a leading soft feed variety with a ‘medium’ rating for distilling. High yields have been produced across a range of soil types, sowing dates and as a second cereal. Straw strength is only moderate and a lowish untreated yield reflects susceptibility to Septoria tritici and eyespot, though it has good resistance to mildew.

LG Spotlight is a soft feed recommendation with a ‘medium’ rating for distilling. Despite excellent grain characteristics it has become outclassed in the market and is no longer under test in RL trials. It is best suited to a first cereal position and heavier textured soils.

 RGT Bairstow is a new soft feed variety rated ‘good’ for distilling. It is high yielding and untreated yield is an improvement over older varieties. Specific weight is intermediate and Hagberg figures just below average. It has performed well across all soil types and as a second wheat, and suits late sowing. Straw strength is relatively weak.

RGT Saki is a soft feed variety but is rated ‘poor’ for distilling. It has produced high treated yields and is versatile across rotational positions, soil type and sowing dates, though it has a low specific weight. It is very late maturing and has moderate straw strength that responds well to plant growth regulators. It has good resistance to yellow rust but is susceptible to eyespot.

RGT Stokes is a new soft feed variety with a ‘good’ rating for distilling. It is very high yielding across rotational positions and soil types. Its untreated yield is above average with good resistance to yellow rust and Septoria tritici. It is relatively late maturing and has a low specific weight. Its weaker straw responds well to PGRs. It is not resistant to OWBM.

Swallow is a soft feed variety rated ‘good’ for distilling. It performs well in the early sowing slot and on lighter textured soils. It has very stiff straw, but disease resistance is mediocre with very high susceptibility to eyespot. It has intermediate specific weight, but Habgerg figures are very good for a soft wheat.

Hard textured varieties for feed or specialist milling 

Champion is a new high yielding hard feed variety with its main value being an excellent untreated yield and early maturity. It has very high resistance to Septoria tritici. It suits a range of rotational positions, soil types and sowing dates, though initial data indicate it underperforms in the North region, and specific weight is low.

Gleam is an established high yielding hard feed variety, but with low untreated yield. It is relatively early maturing and has given high yields as a second wheat and across soil types and sowing dates. It is weak for yellow rust and eyespot.

KWS Dawsum is a new very high yielding hard feed wheat, with excellent specific weight and Hagberg figures. It performs well across a range of rotational positions, soil types and sowing dates. Its untreated yield is exceptionally good with high resistance to mildew and yellow rust, and short stiff straw. It is not resistant to OWBM.

KWS Extase is a Group 2 milling wheat with very good specific weight and Hagberg figures. It has an outstanding untreated yield. It is early maturing and best suited to lighter textured soils and when sown late. It can show reduced seed set (ear sterility) on exposed land or fields prone to late spring frosts. It is not resistant to OWBM.

 KWS Palladium is a new Group 2 milling variety with an excellent untreated yield. It produces very high Hagberg figures and has potential for good protein levels. It is early maturing and suits different rotational positions. It has very good resistance to yellow rust, mildew and Septoria tritici, and has short stiff straw. It is not resistant to OWBM.

 LG Typhoon is a new hard feed wheat, with very good treated and untreated yields. It suits the second cereal position, early sowing and lighter textured soils. It is relatively late maturing. It has very high resistance to mildew, yellow rust and Septoria tritici.

Mayflower is a new Group 2 bread-making with an excellent untreated yield conferred by very high resistance to Septoria tritici as well as high resistance to yellow rust and mildew. It produces high Hagberg figures and specific weight and has achieved good protein specification for milling. Its moderate straw strength responds well to plant growth regulators. It is not resistant to OWBM.

RGT Wolverine is a hard feed variety with a specific recommendation for resistance to Barley yellow dwarf virus. It has a modest yield and a low specific weight. It has a very poor untreated yield with high susceptibility to yellow rust, and is relatively late maturing. It is not resistant to OWBM.

SY Insitor is an established high yielding feed variety, with high specific weight and good Hagberg figures. It has performed well across a range of soil types, rotational positions and in a late sowing situation. Its moderate straw stiffness responds well to plant growth regulators. It has high resistance to Septoria tritici and Fusarium ear blight but is weak against rusts and eyespot.

Candidate varieties from harvest 2022 

The position of twelve candidates will be considered at Recommended List meetings in November. Several candidates from the 2022 cohort look promising for agronomic features or grain quality. The highlights are as follows.

Gefion is a potential biscuit-making variety with high UK yield. It has a good specific weight and early maturity.

KWS Webbum has potential as a soft feed variety with a good treated yield and specific weight. LG Redwald is a soft feed candidate with very high treated and untreated yields. Zoom is a soft feed candidate with excellent untreated yield and early maturity.

Mindful has potential as a hard feed variety with very high yield and excellent specific weight. SY Coach is a hard feed candidate with an excellent untreated yield.