With the recommended lists now published it is interesting to look at the individual variety options in conjunction with the additional information presented at the recent crops forum. Growers continuously ask about varieties suitable for early drilling but the answer is complex.
For early planting, disease resistance and standing take on additional prominence and must always be considered. If you are sowing in a take-all risk site you should delay planting until the second half of October, even with Latitude.
At the recent crops forum John Joe Byrne from the Department outlined variety performance in 2018, plus the results of early planting trials in recent years. Varieties that stood out in that slot over the past three years were Garrus and KWS Lili. Bennington performed very well also but there are only two years of results. Torp also did well on average but its performance was variable.
Other unknown varieties that did well in this slot in the past two years were LG Tattoo and KWS Scimitar. Cellule performed well in 2018 but it was very variable across sites.
Garrus and KWS Lili are slow developers but Cellule is both a fast developer and an early ripener. The other recommended varieties show medium speed of development.
John Joe reported trial results across sites from 2018. These should always be treated with great caution and the yield differences between varieties were relatively small. Bennington stood out a bit from the recommended varieties and Graham stood out amongst the rest. Bennington has been very consistent over the past three years, as has Costello.
Of the varieties tested John Joe reported that most of the varieties that do well in early planting had lower specific weights – below 75KPH. Bennington was above that. Cellule and Costello had KPHs above 78 in 2018.
AVATAR: Average yield. Straw has good resistance to lodging and breakdown. Moderately late maturing. Moderately susceptible to mildew, susceptible to septoria and sprouting, moderately resistant to ear blight and has good resistance to yellow rust. Average to good hectolitre weight.
BENNINGTON: High yield potential. Straw is moderately long but has good resistance to lodging and very good resistance to breakdown. Has moderate resistant to mildew, septoria and yellow rust, with good resistance to fusarium. Moderately susceptible to sprouting. Big grain with good specific weight. Current results suggest that it does well with early sowing.
COSTELLO: Solid yielder with short straw, very good resistance lodging and good resistance straw breakdown. Very good resistance to mildew, yellow rust and sprouting with good resistance to ear blight. It is moderately susceptible to septoria. Has excellent hectolitre weight.
GARRUS: Good yield potential. Straw is moderately short with good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to breakdown. Very good resistance to mildew, moderate resistant to septoria and ear blight. Susceptible to yellow rust and sprouting. Average grain size with lower specific weight. Moderately late maturing. Suits early sowing but watch yellow rust.
JB DIEGO: Remains a good performer. Straw is moderately short with moderate resistance to lodging and good resistance to breakdown. Moderately early maturing. Good resistance to sprouting, moderate resistance to mildew and ear blight but is moderately susceptible to septoria and yellow rust (down two points). Big grain size with average to good hectolitre weight.
KWS CONROS: New this year and provisionally recommended. High yield potential. Straw is moderately tall with very good resistance to lodging and breakdown. Moderately late maturing. It has very good resistance to mildew and yellow rust but is moderately susceptible to septoria. Good resistance to sprouting. Small grain but hectolitre weight is good.
KWS LILI: Lower on yield but does well with early sowing. Straw is short with very good resistance to lodging and good resistance to breakdown. Late maturing. Very good resistance to mildew, moderate resistance to septoria, yellow rust and sprouting but is susceptible to fusarium. Seed is small and hectolitre weight is on the low side.
KWS LUMOS: Good yield potential with short, very strong straw. It has good resistance to straw breakdown, mildew, yellow rust and sprouting. Moderately susceptible to septoria and ear blight. It is early maturing. Small grain but very good specific weight.
TORP: Fully recommended. High yielding and late maturing. Straw height is average with good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to breakdown. Good resistance to septoria, moderate resistance to yellow rust and sprouting. Is moderately susceptible to mildew but susceptible to fusarium. Big seed but hectolitre weight is on the low side.
Varieties that performed well with early planting include Garrus, KWS Lili, Bennington and Torp.Costello and Cellule were kings of quality.Bennington had a good year in trials and so did Graham, which is grown in parts of the country.
With the recommended lists now published it is interesting to look at the individual variety options in conjunction with the additional information presented at the recent crops forum. Growers continuously ask about varieties suitable for early drilling but the answer is complex.
For early planting, disease resistance and standing take on additional prominence and must always be considered. If you are sowing in a take-all risk site you should delay planting until the second half of October, even with Latitude.
At the recent crops forum John Joe Byrne from the Department outlined variety performance in 2018, plus the results of early planting trials in recent years. Varieties that stood out in that slot over the past three years were Garrus and KWS Lili. Bennington performed very well also but there are only two years of results. Torp also did well on average but its performance was variable.
Other unknown varieties that did well in this slot in the past two years were LG Tattoo and KWS Scimitar. Cellule performed well in 2018 but it was very variable across sites.
Garrus and KWS Lili are slow developers but Cellule is both a fast developer and an early ripener. The other recommended varieties show medium speed of development.
John Joe reported trial results across sites from 2018. These should always be treated with great caution and the yield differences between varieties were relatively small. Bennington stood out a bit from the recommended varieties and Graham stood out amongst the rest. Bennington has been very consistent over the past three years, as has Costello.
Of the varieties tested John Joe reported that most of the varieties that do well in early planting had lower specific weights – below 75KPH. Bennington was above that. Cellule and Costello had KPHs above 78 in 2018.
AVATAR: Average yield. Straw has good resistance to lodging and breakdown. Moderately late maturing. Moderately susceptible to mildew, susceptible to septoria and sprouting, moderately resistant to ear blight and has good resistance to yellow rust. Average to good hectolitre weight.
BENNINGTON: High yield potential. Straw is moderately long but has good resistance to lodging and very good resistance to breakdown. Has moderate resistant to mildew, septoria and yellow rust, with good resistance to fusarium. Moderately susceptible to sprouting. Big grain with good specific weight. Current results suggest that it does well with early sowing.
COSTELLO: Solid yielder with short straw, very good resistance lodging and good resistance straw breakdown. Very good resistance to mildew, yellow rust and sprouting with good resistance to ear blight. It is moderately susceptible to septoria. Has excellent hectolitre weight.
GARRUS: Good yield potential. Straw is moderately short with good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to breakdown. Very good resistance to mildew, moderate resistant to septoria and ear blight. Susceptible to yellow rust and sprouting. Average grain size with lower specific weight. Moderately late maturing. Suits early sowing but watch yellow rust.
JB DIEGO: Remains a good performer. Straw is moderately short with moderate resistance to lodging and good resistance to breakdown. Moderately early maturing. Good resistance to sprouting, moderate resistance to mildew and ear blight but is moderately susceptible to septoria and yellow rust (down two points). Big grain size with average to good hectolitre weight.
KWS CONROS: New this year and provisionally recommended. High yield potential. Straw is moderately tall with very good resistance to lodging and breakdown. Moderately late maturing. It has very good resistance to mildew and yellow rust but is moderately susceptible to septoria. Good resistance to sprouting. Small grain but hectolitre weight is good.
KWS LILI: Lower on yield but does well with early sowing. Straw is short with very good resistance to lodging and good resistance to breakdown. Late maturing. Very good resistance to mildew, moderate resistance to septoria, yellow rust and sprouting but is susceptible to fusarium. Seed is small and hectolitre weight is on the low side.
KWS LUMOS: Good yield potential with short, very strong straw. It has good resistance to straw breakdown, mildew, yellow rust and sprouting. Moderately susceptible to septoria and ear blight. It is early maturing. Small grain but very good specific weight.
TORP: Fully recommended. High yielding and late maturing. Straw height is average with good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to breakdown. Good resistance to septoria, moderate resistance to yellow rust and sprouting. Is moderately susceptible to mildew but susceptible to fusarium. Big seed but hectolitre weight is on the low side.
Varieties that performed well with early planting include Garrus, KWS Lili, Bennington and Torp.Costello and Cellule were kings of quality.Bennington had a good year in trials and so did Graham, which is grown in parts of the country. 
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