Winter wheat recommended and candidate lists

First RL winter wheat harvest results continue trend of lower yields due to extreme temperatures and low rainfall

• Fungicide-treated yields available from six trials with average yield of controls at 9.85 t/ha, which is 1.27 t/ha below the 5-year average
• Average yields of the controls in fungicide-untreated trials is 8.58 t/ha, 0.3 t/ha below the five-year average of 8.88 t/ha

The first harvest results for AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) winter wheat trials are reported today (29 July 2026) including results from three fungicide-untreated trials.

Results are reported from six fungicide-treated sites with two trials from Norfolk, and one each from Suffolk, Hampshire, Devon and Dorset. The average yield of control varieties stands at 9.85 t/ha, 1.27 t/ha below the five-year average of 11.12 t/ha, though with lots of trials still to report this is likely to change.

Also published today are results from three fungicide-untreated trials. The average yield of control varieties stands at 8.58 t/ha, 0.3 t/ha below the five-year average of 8.88 t/ha.

Calculating yield results

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties. In 2026 they are Skyfall, KWS Extase, LG Skyscraper, Bamford and Champion. The yield average from these varieties is represented as 100%.

2025-2026 season

Autumn 2025 got trials off to a good start, with favourable drilling conditions and a relatively mild winter meaning trials emerged from winter in good condition. Conditions looked set for a high disease pressure year, but the low spring and summer rainfall combined with high temperatures has seen levels below what was anticipated. The Yr15 virulent strain of yellow rust that emerged last year has been seen across the UK, with very high infection levels in untreated plots of susceptible varieties in some locations.

While the weather has suppressed disease it has also suppressed yield. Early promise disappeared as drought and record high temperatures caused trials to mature early, limiting yield potential.

In dry seasons such as 2025 and 2026, growers are understandably keen to identify varieties that perform well under drought stress. However, generating reliable drought‑response data remains difficult. Trials affected by drought often show substantial within‑trial variability driven by subtle soil‑type differences that influence water availability. This makes it challenging to separate environmental effects from true varietal drought tolerance. As a result, the most drought‑affected trials may be rejected for yield, although none have required rejection so far in 2026.

2026 results

With just six of thirty fungicide-treated and three of eleven fungicide-untreated trials reporting so far these results should be treated with caution as the performance and ranking of varieties is likely to change as more trials report results. This is perhaps especially the case this year where the effects of drought are likely to impact trials to differing degrees making trial to trial variability greater than normal.

Fungicide-treated trials

The highest-yielding variety so far is the newly recommended hard group 4 variety KWS Aintree on 111%. Behind is another hard group 4 variety KWS Scope on 107%, followed by RGT Guardsman which has a specific recommendation for resistance to BYDV and LG Redwald, both on 106%. The newly recommended hard group 4 variety LG Challenger sits just behind on 105%.

Below this are a group of varieties on 104%: UKFM Group 3 variety KWS Flute, Bamford, Champion and the newly recommended group 4 hard variety LG Defiance.

Other newly recommended varieties are performing broadly in-line with their 5-year averages, with slight dips for some. The group 4 soft variety Sparkler is on 103% and group 4 hard variety KWS Fowlmere on 102%. KWS Grebe, a UKFM Group 2 variety is on 101%, sitting toward the top of this group of varieties.

The remaining newly recommended variety, UKFM Group 1 variety Arlington, is on 95% in the fungicide-treated trials, sitting in the middle of the UKFM Group 1 varieties on yield.  

With only six fungicide-treated trials having reported yet it’s too early to draw any firm conclusions about variety performance in 2026, with some varieties will likely improve their position as more data comes in, others may slip down the rankings.

Fungicide-untreated trials

The highest yielding varieties in the fungicide-untreated trials so far is the newly recommended RGT Guardsman, which has a specific recommendation for resistance to BYDV, on 119%. Three other newly recommended varieties follow, with group 4 hard LG Challenger on 115%, UKFM Group 1 variety Arlington on 114% and group 4 hard variety LG Defiance on 111%. On 110% are the UKFM Group 2 variety for the E&W KWS Equipe and Graham, followed by KWS Vibe on 109%.

Those varieties that saw a shift in yellow rust ratings last year due to the new Yr15 strain of yellow rust continue to show a poor performance in fungicide-untreated trials, with LG Typhoon on 85% and the newly recommended UKFM Group 3 variety KWS Aintree and Champion both on 80%. KWS Aintree's performance, topping the fungicide-treated trials while ranking among the lowest yielding in fungicide-untreated trials, highlights the significant impact of yellow rust pressure and demonstrates that this strain can be successfully managed with fungicide applications.

The three sites reported so far have been characterised by differing disease pressures, with septoria most prevalent in Devon, yellow rust in Norfolk and brown rust in Hampshire. As further trial results are added, varietal rankings are expected to change, demonstrating the relative strengths of individual varieties under different disease scenarios.

Five-year average

The 2026 results show yields based on one season. The five-year average is a better measure of variety performance over seasons. Despite the dry conditions in 2026, with less than a quarter of fungicide-treated trials from 2026 in, the over-year results largely reflect these five-year averages.

The top three are all newly recommended hard group 4 varieties; KWS Aintree on 108%, followed by LG Defiance on 106% and LG Challenger on 105%. They are closely followed by another hard group 4 variety KWS Scope, the newly recommended soft group 4 variety Sparkler and the newly recommended hard group 4 variety KWS Fowlmere all on 104%. Also on 104% are LG Redwald, Champion and UKFM Group 3 variety KWS Solitaire. Newly recommended RGT Guardsman, which has a specific recommendation for resistance to BYDV is on 102%.

KWS Arnie tops the UKFM Group 2 varieties on 102%, followed closely by the newly recommended KWS Grebe on 101%. The newly recommended Arlington is top in the UKFM Group 1 varieties on 97%, followed by KWS Vibe on 96% and SY Cheer on 95%.

2026 Candidates

The five-year averages are the best measure for assessing the potential of candidates and suggest likely additions to this year’s RL, though when they are considered for recommendation their overall balance of features including grain quality, agronomic characteristics and disease resistance will be considered in addition to yield.

Data can only be shown for varieties that have been added to the GB and NI Variety List (VL).

Potential bread making varieties

KWS Voyage has the highest yield potential for a bread making variety in fungicide-treated trials at 108% but sits at 104% in fungicide-untreated trials. It so far seems to be outperforming this in the 2026 fungicide-treated yield results. LG Windmill is on 101% in fungicide-treated trials and 104% in fungicide-untreated trials. Gibson and KWS Melesie both sit on 100% in fungicide-treated trials, but Gibson is the highest yielding candidate with making potential in fungicide-untreated trials on 114%, with KWS Melesie also performing well on 110%. The 2026 performance of LG Windmill, Gibson and KWS Melesie is broadly in-line with the five-year averages.

UKFM will decide on which of these varieties meets the specifications for bread making in time for them to be considered to adding the recommended list in December

Biscuit making varieties

Sunspire has the highest yield potential for a biscuit-making variety in fungicide-treated trials on 105%, with a fungicide-untreated figure of 114%. LG Spear and Lucifer are both on 103% in fungicide-treated trials, but LG Spear is higher yielding in fungicide-untreated trials at 115%, with Lucifer behind on 105%.

Feed varieties

The hard feed variety KWS Checkmate is highest yielding on 105%, with Bastion and Percy just behind on 104%. KWS Checkmate is also highest yielding in fungicide-untreated trials on 125%, with Bastion on 115% and Percy behind on 107%.

Other hard feed candidates are RGT Kraken and Girton both on 103% in the fungicide-treated trials, followed by RGT Griffin and Bluebird on 102% and RGT Gorgon on 101%. In the fungicide-untreated trials, RGT Griffin is highest on 117%, RGT Gorgon on 112%, Girton on 110%, RGT Kraken on 108% and Bluebird on 107%.   

The highest yielding soft feed variety is NOS Beast on 105% in fungicide-treated trials and 118% in fungicide-untreated trials. This is followed by RGT Hydra on 104%, SY Mirage on 103% and Dreadnought on 102% in fungicide-treated trials. In the fungicide-untreated trials, Dreadnought is on 112% and SY Mirage and RGT Hydra are both on 111%.

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