No major changes to winter wheat and oat recommended lists

By Andy Doyle

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Earlier this week the Department of Agriculture released its 2005 winter wheat and winter oat recommended lists. Three are no content changes on last year but some variety yield and characteristic ratings have been changed in response to the challenges of 2004. All varieties listed are now fully recommended.

The recommended list is our best guide to relative variety performance with its three-year averaging. However, 2004 saw very variable variety performance commercially.

Winter wheat

The ten winter wheat varieties are now fully recommended for 2005 - the exact same ones as 2004. The varieties and their relative ratings are shown in the table. Some of the relative yield figures and other data have changed a little relative to last year. This year did not provide a strong test of disease resistance (except for mildew and BYDV) or standing power but it did test the potential of varieties to yield and also to sprout.

The recommended varieties

Access: Has been made fully recommended. Yield, straw, etc. are similar to last year. Mildew and sprouting resistance have been lowered a point each on last year. Access has good mildew resistance and is a better against septoria than Tanker. It has a rating of six for ear blight. Grain size is about average but specific weight is on the low side.

Access was bred by Cambridge Plant Breeders/Twyford in the UK. It is the result of a cross between numbered varieties (90-15 x 91-6). It is handled here by Goldcrop.

Claire: Relative yield remains on the low side. Resistance to lodging has been increased one point on last year, as has its rating against sprouting. Its mildew resistance has been lowered once again and its earliness of maturity has been taken back a point. Grain is of biscuit quality with middle of the road specific weight.

Bred by Nickersons in the UK it is a Wasp x Flame cross. Handled in the Republic by SeedTech.

Einstein: Its relative yield is back one point to 104 but most other characteristics remain the same. Now fully recommended. Had a good year commercially in 2004. It is a bread wheat that combines Savannah-like straw with a good disease resistance package.

Resistance to yellow rust has been increased one point. It is relatively early maturing. Septoria resistance is rated similar to Claire. Ear blight and sprouting are also both rated at seven. It has very large grain size and high specific weight.

It was bred by Nickersons in the UK and is the result of a NSL WW 91/1670 x NSL WW 90/1282 cross. It is handled here by SeedTech.

Marshal: The only changes to last year is that it is now regarded as slightly later maturing and slightly more susceptible to mildew. It has very stiff straw. It is quite susceptible to yellow rust, should it occur. Sprouting resistance is moderate but it tends to have low Hagberg values. It is a feed variety with big grain and low specific weight.

Bred by Advanta Seeds in the UK it comes from a Kontiki x Brigadier cross. It is handled by Power Seeds.

Richmond: Relative yield is up a point on last year suggesting that it had a good year in 2004. Straw strength rating has been lowered by a point, as has its mildew resistance. Thought to be good against yellow rust. Has very good sprouting and ear blight resistance and its sprouting resistance has been increased by one point. Grain size is big and specific weight is very good.

The breeder is Cebeco Seed Innovations in the UK. It is the result of a cross between Brigadier and Flame. Handled here by Power Seeds.

Robigus: Now fully recommended. Had its first commercial year in 2004 with variable experiences. Its relative yield rating is up a point. Lack of disease pressure masked its main asset in 2004 - good septoria resistance.

Straw is similar to Einstein and Savannah. It is now a four for earliness of ripening having been a six last year. Mildew and septoria resistance levels are up a point on last year but resistance to yellow rust is down two points. Its big Achilles' heel is its sprouting susceptibility, which has been dropped form a seven to a three. Grain size is small and specific weight is average.

This UK CPB/TWY bred variety is a result of a cross between Z836 and 1366. It is handled here by Goldcrop.

Savannah: Had a very good year commercially in 2004 but its list yield rating is back a point again following similar moves over the past few years. The only changes to its ratings is that it is deemed less resistant to mildew but more resistant to sprouting.

It is still a solid variety and will remain important. It is quite susceptible to septoria. It has very big grain size with average specific weight.

Bred in the UK by Advanta it is a Riband x Brigadier cross. Handled here by Power Seeds.

Soissons: An old stager at this point but still filling the very early maturing slot. Its relative yield rating is down again this year from 91 to 89. All other ratings remain the same. Straw is quite short and stiff.

Good resistance to mildew and moderately susceptible to septoria. Good against yellow rust and rated a seven against ear blight. Resistance to sprouting is good. It is a bread making wheat. Seed size is small but specific weight is very high. Bred by Deprez in France from little known parents - it is a cross between Jena and HN 35. It is handled by Power Seeds.

Tanker: Yield rating is up a point on last year as is its sprouting resistance. All other characteristics remain the same as shown in the table. Grain size is big but specific weight is on the low side. A feed wheat variety.

Tanker was bred by Elsoms Seeds in the UK. It is a cross between Zodiac and Beaver. It is handled by Power Seeds.

Trust: Yield is down a point on last year, as is its mildew resistance. Now fully recommended. Both yellow rust and sprouting resistances have been increased by a point. Grain size is large and specific weight is average.

It was bred by Momont in France and is an Apollo x Viking cross. Handled here by SeedTech.