The recommended list of spring cereal varieties contains seven new varieties.

The list published by the Department last week contains four new spring barley varieties, two new oat varieties and one new spring wheat.

The four new provisionally recommended spring barley varieties are KWS Cantton, Prospect, SY Arderin and SY Errigal. The two new oats are WPB Isabel and Delfin and the new wheat variety is KWS Chillam.

Chillam is a short-strawed, high-yielding variety (104) bred by KWS. But its short straw is regarded as being on the weak side and is rated as susceptible to lodging and straw breakdown. It is good on disease but late-maturing.

The spring oat variety, WPB Isabel, is very high yielding (111) with very good straw characteristics. Bred by Wiersum, it shows good resistance to mildew and crown rust and it has exceptionally good grain quality. It seems like the first variety we have seen in 30 years that offers a superior package to Barra.

Delfin is an even higher yielding oat with a relative yield of 117. Bred by Nordsaat, it has OK straw characteristics and is good on mildew but poor on crown rust. Its overall grain quality is OK but still the lowest on the list.

KWS Cantton is a high-yielding (103) early spring barley but it does not have great straw. It is generally good on diseases and has good grain quality.

Prospect is also high yielding (104) but it is moderately susceptible to lodging while being reasonable on brackling. Bred by Sejet it is good against mildew but weak on net blotch. Grain quality is good.

Syngenta have two new varieties listed – SY Arderin and SY Errigal. They have yields of 102 and 103 respectively.