Other crops (descriptive lists)

Spring oilseed RL trials reveal another challenging season

Descriptive lists (rather than recommended lists) are used when recommendation is not appropriate, but there is demand for data for varieties for which seed is likely to be available in the coming year.

Descriptive list trials for spring linseed and spring oilseed rape are conducted with the same rigour as other RL trials but are fewer in number. As a result, differences between varieties may not always be statistically significant and particular attention should be paid to LSDs (least significant differences) when comparing varieties. Varieties that differ by less than the LSD are not statistically different.

Spring linseed

Of the five spring linseed trials four were successfully brough to harvest, a fifth was rejected due to high weed pressure. Yields of the four trials were very low, with average control yield as low as 1.21 t/ha in a trial in Wiltshire, with the average over all four trials of just 1.67 t/ha compared with a five-year average of 2.13 t/ha.

Yield averages

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties. With just a small number of trials the five-year average yields are a better guide to variety performance. Having said that, the three highest yielding DL varieties in 2023 were Juliet (114%) and Bingo (110%) and Bliss (105%) which are also the highest yielding on the five-year averages (108%, 107% and 106% respectively). Ineke, Octal and Buffalo are all on 102% on the five-year average, through Ineke (97%) and Buffalo (99%) had a poor year in 2023. In contrast Daniel, 98% on the five-year average, had a very good 2023 (105%).

The candidate variety Skylark had a good 2023 (109%) and its five-year average of 109% makes it the highest yielding variety overall. The other new candidate, Richess, is yielding 97% on the five-year average. Both varieties look to be medium for maturity, but Riches has a higher oil content. Both varieties will be added to the DL in November, unless withdrawn by the breeder.

Spring oilseed rape

Spring oilseed rape is a challenging crop to trial and this proved to be the case again in 2023. Of the three trials planted two were lost, one due to poor establishment, one due to high weed pressure, with just a trial in Fife remaining. Gross output yield data (yield with an adjustment for oil content) shows even this trial was lower yielding that the five-year average.

Yield averages

Highest yielding variety in this trial (107%) and on the five-year average (106%) was Lakritz, with Lumen second highest yielding on 103%. Lumen, Lagonda and Performer are all on 100% on the five-year average, with Lavina on 101%. The conventional variety Fergus is on 95% on the five-year yields, alongside the Clearfield^® variety Contra CL, with the clubroot resistant variety Menthal on 93%. Though lower yielding these varieties offer different options for rotation management.

Further information

Access full trial results via the AHDB website: ahdb.org.uk/harvestresults

AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) trials test variety performance under optimum conditions. Care should be taken when making comparisons with commercial yields. Results from individual trial sites should not be used to make conclusions on variety performance. The RL publications are based on information from trials across the UK over several seasons. As more information becomes available from the current harvest, this will contribute to the over-trials averages – which comprise four years for oilseeds and five years for cereals. These averages provide better information for comparison between varieties. Performance variation is not the responsibility of AHDB. Since the focus is to test new varieties, not all RL varieties are presented. Yields for well-established varieties are published at ahdb.org.uk/rl

Winter rye and winter triticale harvest results – it’s a mixed picture

AHDB Descriptive Lists (DL) rather than Recommend Lists (RL) are published for winter rye and winter triticale. DLs are used where recommendation is not appropriate, but for which there is a wish to provide some descriptive data within the RL system. Far fewer trials are run than for the RLs and differences between varieties should be treated with more caution.

All trials for the AHDB winter rye and winter triticale lists have now reported in and it’s a complete switch around from 2022, when, average yield of the control varieties in the triticale trials exceeding the five-year average, and those in the rye trials were below the five-year average. In 2023, average yield of the controls in the triticale trials is well below the five-year average, while in the rye trials the average yield of the controls is well above the five-year average, perhaps reflecting the very different seasons in 2022 and 2023.

Yields

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties. The average of the yields from these varieties is represented as 100%. All trials receive a fungicide and PGR program, there are no fungicide-untreated trials.

Winter triticale 2023

Average treated yield of the control varieties in 2023 is 10.11 t/ha, well below the five-year average (10.65 t/ha). Quality is also reduced, with low specific weights in two of the four trials and like wheat, low protein.

With so few trials care must be taken not to overinterpret the results. Nevertheless, the highest yielding DL variety in 2023 is Lumaco at 104% of controls, matching its five-year average.  Second highest yielding in 2023 is KWS Fido (103%), with SU Liborious (102%) and Temuco on (101%) just behind, with all three of these varieties on 101% on the five-year average. DL candidates SU Askadus (99%) and RGT Eleac (98%) are a little behind these on yield, but their five-year averages are higher (100% and 101% respectively) and it must be remembered this is a small dataset. SU Askadus looks to have good quality as well. Tribeca seems to have had a poor year, but this is largely down to a very low yield at one high yielding site in Fife.

Winter rye 2023

Winter rye trials measure grain yield, not whole-crop yield, although the two are closely related. The 2023 average yield of the control varieties (11.02 t/ha) is above the five-year average (10.17 t/ha), with particularly high yield in the Fife trial. Like triticale and wheat, protein is low in 2023, with specific weight and Hagberg Falling Number also lower, reflecting the season.

Differences between varieties should be treated with caution due to the small number of trials, but KWS Igor has performed well in 2023 (105%) with SU Baresi second highest yielding on 103%. The DL candidates SU Perspectiv, SU Karlsson, KWS Inspirator, KWS Gilmor and Astranos are all on 102% in 2023, though except for SU Karlsson, this is below their five-year average.  KWS Tayo is also on 102% in 2023, but again, this is below its five-year average. Poseidon has performed well below its five-year average in 2023 across all trials and the season does not seen to have suited it.

Candidates

All the candidate varieties will be added to the DL for both rye and triticale, unless the breeder withdraws them from the system. Seed may no longer be available for some varieties on the DL or only available in small quantities and these will be removed from the DL in December.

Further information

Access full trial results here.

AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) trials test variety performance under optimum conditions. Care should be taken when making comparisons with commercial yields. Results from individual trial sites should not be used to make conclusions on variety performance. The RL publications are based on information from trials across the UK over several seasons. As more information becomes available from the current harvest, this will contribute to the over-trials averages – which comprise four years for oilseeds and five years for cereals. These averages provide better information for comparison between varieties. Performance variation is not the responsibility of AHDB. Since the focus is to test new varieties, not all RL varieties are presented. Yields for well-established varieties are published at ahdb.org.uk/rl