Rebecca Joynt
Winter Wheat Variety Selection
Now is time to consider your variety choices for planting this autumn, with variety demonstrations taking place across the country.
There are five new winter wheat varieties on the AHDB Recommended list 2023/24.
KWS Ultimatum joins Group 2 with a strong all-round disease profile, including a rating of 6.4 for septoria, a 9 for adult plant yellow rust resistance and juvenile yellow rust resistance too. It has the highest specific weight in this group and alongside KWS Dawsum, this variety also has the highest score for resistance to sprouting.
RGT Wilkinson joins group 3 with a UK average treated yield of 101%. This variety is short with high lodging resistance scores both with and without PGR. It is the only group 3 variety with the Pch1 eyespot resistance gene, reflected in the rating of [7], and also boasts the highest mildew rating of the group (8).
There are two new soft group 4s: LG Redwald was recommended for the east and west, although has the highest yield on the list (107% UK treated yield). It’s septoria score of 6.7 is comparable to Graham, although Redwald’s yellow rust rating of 7 is slightly weaker than the majority of varieties (27 out of 39 varieties on the list score an 8 or 9!) and has juvenile susceptibility. It is also the tallest variety on the list and has associated weaker lodging scores of 5s. KWS Zealum has a north recommendation only, although it’s UK average yield of 103% is consistent across the east and west regions. It’s septoria score of 5.8 ranks in the middle of this group, with a score of 9 for yellow rust resistance. An eyespot rating of [6] and fusarium rating of 7 strengthen the all-round disease profile.
The final addition to the list is Oxford, a hard group 4 recommended for east and west. It’s septoria score of 6.4 and yellow rust score of 9 are equivalent to KWS Dawsum, although Oxford has slightly weaker scores for mildew, brown rust, fusarium and eyespot but does add orange wheat blossom midge resistance.