Independent crop consultant Pat Thornton, farms 150ha’s of arable land at Low Melwood Farm, Owston Ferry, North Lincolnshire, and has grown cereal and pulse seed crops for Limagrain for the last six years.

We asked him about the pros and cons of growing crops for seed.

What are the main benefits of growing crops for seed?

Growing crops for seed adds value to what I already grow across the rotation. It gives me a premium on top of a standard feed crop. One of the most exciting aspects is seeing new genetics in action before they become widely available. It’s great to be part of that development process and see how these new crops perform in real farm conditions. I have direct access to the breeder, which is invaluable for understanding the crop and getting expert advice. Seed crops are also collected relatively quickly at harvest, helping to move crops on faster; and this helps with cash flow.

Are there any challenges associated with growing crops for seed?

Yes, growing seed crops requires stricter quality control and attention to detail. There are specific requirements for purity and disease management, which means I must follow precise guidelines to meet standards. We have to be extra vigilant about weeds like wild oats, which can be an issue, and blackgrass, which is a particular challenge on my heavier soils. To manage this, I tend to grow seed crops on my cleaner fields.

Is storage capability an issue?

Storage is an important consideration because seed crops need to be kept separately to maintain purity. This means having dedicated storage space and ensuring it is well-managed to meet seed quality standards.

Pat Thornton of Low Melwood Farm.

This year Pat is growing LG Beowulf and Tundra winter beans. Pat has grown Tundra for a few years now and is looking forward to seeing the new genetics coming out of the LG pulses breeding programme.

Find out how becoming an LG seed contract grower can benefit you.  Contact Victoria Smith on:

 T: +44(0)1472 370159
E: victoria.smith@limagrain.co.uk

This article is featured in the June 2025 edition of GatePost.  Click here to read the full edition.

The inclusion of winter barley can significantly enhance productivity, as well as economic and environmental sustainability on farm. Unfortunately, in recent years, there has been a decline in the winter barley area planted, similar to oilseed rape, likely due to depressed commodity prices.

The versatility of winter barley, particularly in combination with oilseed rape, should not be overlooked. This is especially relevant with the launch of Limagrain’s Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle resilience oilseed varieties this Autumn.

Improved Soil Health
Winter barley has a positive impact on soil health. It acts as a cover crop, protecting the soil from erosion and nutrient leaching during the winter months. Its root system improves
soil structure, increases organic matter, and enhances water infiltration, all of which contribute to long-term soil fertility.

Weed Suppression

Winter barley is effective at suppressing weeds. Its rapid establishment and dense canopy outcompete many weed species, reducing the weed seed bank and minimising
herbicide use. This lowers production costs and promotes sustainable farming by reducing inputs.

Flexibility, Pest & Disease Management

Incorporating winter barley into the rotation can break the cycle of pests and diseases. For example, it reduces the incidence of take-all and eyespot. Staffordshire farmer Rob Atkin mentions that “being able to drill varieties with high yield potential, like LG Caravelle, means we can drill early. Early September drilling helps take the pressure off, and we’ve grazed forward winter barley crops with sheep for extra feed into winter.”
Limagrain’s Cereals & Pulses Product Manager emphasises that winter barley requires earlier foliar applications than winter wheat. This consolidation of workload allows for more effective attention to crop needs.

Newly Recommended variety LG Carpenter and RL Candidate LG Catapult are both BYDV tolerant. BYDV in severe cases can lead to significant crop losses, up to 50% in severe cases, reduced tillering, yellowing and stunted growth, and delayed maturity. LG Catapult is a competitive two-row feed variety, with short straw, good standing, a robust disease package, and high yield potential; a clear step forward in winter barley breeding.

Yield Stability and Early Harvest
Winter barley is less affected by adverse weather compared to spring-sown crops, ensuring reliable yields even in challenging growing seasons. Additionally, it matures earlier, allowing for an earlier harvest, which frees up time and resources on farm. Helping to spread workloads and save costs. Varieties like LG Capitol, which performed well on Luke Palmer’s farm, near Cambridge, yielded 9.5t/ha in 2024. The years of breeding, attention to detail, and collaboration between farmers and breeders, are showcasing excellent results.

Economic Benefits
Due to adverse weather in Autumn 2023, many farmers planted spring barley in 2024, leading to depressed prices. Over the last decade, winter barley has been a profitable addition for farmers. Its early harvest provides early cash flow, and the straw offers an additional income stream. The reduced need for inputs also lowers production costs.

Environmental Benefits

Winter barley plays an essential role in reducing soil erosion, improving soil health, and lowering input needs, making it a key part of a sustainable farming system.

Conclusion
Winter barley offers numerous benefits, including improved soil health, weed suppression, pest and ” disease management, yield stability, and economic and environmental advantages. For these reasons, it should remain a valuable addition to any crop rotation.

This article is featured in the June 2025 edition of GatePost.  Click here to read the full edition.

From unpredictable weather, to evolving disease threats, there are numerous risks to crop profitability; some of which can be managed,
or at least mitigated, with careful variety selection, says our arable technical manager, Ron Granger.

Yield remains a top priority when choosing what to grow, but the key is selecting proven varieties that deliver “yield security” across multiple, often very different seasons, by combining yield potential with agronomics and disease resistance, suited to specific situations.
Yield security is something Limagrain is providing, with a range of exciting hard wheat varieties, including LG Typhoon, LG Beowulf, LG Rebellion, and two new Candidates for 2025, LG Challenger and LG Defiance.

LG Typhoon has been on the RL for three years, and has proven popular with many agronomists and farmers, especially those drilling early and with wider-row
regen-type systems. It has an excellent disease resistance profile, especially for yellow rust (9) and Septoria tritici (7.2). This, combined with orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM) resistance, good specific weight and agronomic characteristics of a slow, prostrate, growth habit, and high tillering ability, all suit such situations.
These characteristics make LG Typhoon a great all-round package, but it should not just be considered as an early drilling variety. It has proven to be a great all-rounder, showing good results when drilled later, affording extra flexibility should the weather disrupt plans.

LG Beowulf takes genetic gains further, building on its strong Costello x Gleam parentage. It offers robust disease resistance, rated 9 for yellow rust, and 6.6 for Septoria tritici, stiff straw, strong tillering, OWBM resistance and excellent grain quality, particularly specific weight. LG Beowulf has all the key agronomic attributes for securing yield potential, with proven performance across different situations, soil types, drilling dates, and regions. It is a variety that offers great all-round flexibility, suiting most on-farm situations, and is certainly one for consideration this Autumn. It also has faster Spring growth than LG Typhoon, which could make it a better option for those concerned about black-grass and wanting to maximise crop competition. Another variety with variety with growth is LG Rebellion. Although not on the RL, it has performed consistently well over the past three years in official trials and Limagrain remains fully committed to it for the coming Autumn, confident that it offers a differential package to many other hard feed wheats. LG Rebellion capitalises on its KWS Extase parentage, offering more rapid Spring growth, high untreated yield potential, and good grain characteristics, with the bonus of Pch1 eyespot resistance.

Early maturity is a particularly valuable asset for spreading harvest date and the potential for land preparation or an early entry into oilseed rape.
LG Rebellion is more suited to the main and late drilling window, performing well on all soil types, but probably warrants special consideration for more testing, lighter and medium-bodied soils where varieties with faster growth, earlier maturity, and good specific weight are considered beneficial. It also suits growers wanting to sow a hard wheat after late-lifted root crops, veg,
and maize. Yellow rust is something to watch out for on-farm, but recent seasons show all varieties – even those with the highest resistance ratings – should be monitored, given the pathogens constantly evolving nature.

Raising the Bar

The two exciting new Candidate varieties, LG Challenger and LG Defiance, promise to raise the yield potential bar further, backed up by high untreated yields. They mark the latest results of ongoing Limagrain breeding development, bringing new hard wheats to the UK market.

LG Defiance builds on its Gleam x KWS Extase parentage, offering the second-highest treated yield of all Candidate varieties (111); slightly ahead of three-way cross, LG Challenger (108). LG Defiance is more of a KWS Extase-plant type, but with a slower Spring growth, suiting the mainstream to late drilling window. 

LG Challenger, in contrast, sits tighter to the ground and tillers better, which is likely to make it a more suited option for earlier drilling and Northern regions, based on limited data.

Both have OWBM resistance and good grain quality, although LG Challenger has a slight edge on specific weight and Hagberg.
With hard feed wheats accounting for around half the UK wheat market and likely to feature heavily again this Autumn, selecting a variety that fits your situation and offers yield security is key to maximising returns, whatever next season throws at us!

This article is featured in the June 2025 edition of GatePost.  Click here to read the full edition. 

Regenerative farming has become a bit of a polarising subject amongst growers in recent years. There are those who reject the term completely and others who have embraced it in its entirety.  Generally, growers are adapting Regen ideas and practices in a way that fits their existing system, with a watchful eye on yields and overall profitability. Equally, breeders and machinery manufacturers alike are paying attention to this trend and innovating accordingly.

“The question we often get asked is whether we are creating the right varieties for regenerative farming systems,” says Ron Granger, arable technical manager at Limagrain.

Though untreated yield figures and disease resistance ratings are useful, there’s no data on varieties grown in wide rows and established by direct-drilling, both of which are typical of the approach. Similarly, the use of inter-row cultivations or companion cropping with wheat may require plants with a specific growth habit and speed of development.

Ron remarked, “What was interesting was the finding that 43% of growers we surveyed in a recent re-gen poll said the RL data isn’t extensive enough for selecting varieties for these systems. It was a real ‘could do better’ moment.”

Factors like consistency, yield and disease resistance have always been integral to the development of new varieties. These are even more important when you consider a variety suitable for regen. Ron also lists attributes such as tillering ability and plant growth habit as well as rooting and grain quality as key considerations.

Cultivation is a basic tenant of regen practice and increasingly farmers are looking for varieties that work with their latest machinery purchase and suit the no or minimal tillage approach.

“From HORSCH’s perspective, it is encouraging to see seed breeders developing and trialling new seed varieties specifically designed for direct drilling and minimum tillage practices. While HORSCH offers a comprehensive range of seeding and tillage equipment, recent trends have shown a shift towards low-disturbance and direct drilling methods. As a result, the outcomes we have observed with LG Typhoon are particularly promising.“

Limagrain have been proactive in testing varieties on farm in a Regen situation. This has resulted in internal endorsements for LG Typhoon and LG Redwald, with the newer varieties LG Beowulf and LG Rebellion also under testing and in the running for consideration for the future. 

The AHDB Recommended List has traditionally served as a catalogue for wheat growers when it comes to selecting varieties for the coming season. Breeder’s compete for the top rankings in this publication each year. With increasingly tough growing conditions, ever tighter margins on farm and stricter legislation on nutrition and chemical inputs. Some farmers take a more granular approach when it comes to varietal selection, 43% of growers in a survey conducted by Limagrain said the RL data isn’t extensive enough for selecting varieties.

“Whilst recommended varieties are often suitable for the more conventional farming systems, there’s a case to be made for selecting varieties tailored towards less orthodox systems” suggests Ron Granger, LG’s arable technical manager.

As a plant breeder at the forefront of food production, we believe good genetics are the backbone of our agricultural economy in the UK, and it appears farmers agree! We received 900 responses to our survey of wheat growers, with further thoughts and ideas gathered during focus groups and stakeholder interviews it was made abundantly clear that disease and pest resistance is key when selecting a variety. Other agronomic features such as good grain quality and high, stable yields were also highlighted.

Ron Granger – Arable Technical Manager

Senior wheat breeder, Phil Tailby confirms, “this is very much aligned with the strategy and key objectives of the Limagrain breeding programme in the development of new varieties.

LG Rebellion, despite its unlisted status has demonstrated a very consistent high treated yield over both seasons and regions (UK 106%) This is backed up by an impressive untreated yield (93%), performing consistently across three contrasting high pressure disease years. Although the variety has a good disease resistance profile and has shown very high untreated yield, Yellow Rust was seen in some regions on the variety in 2024 and Limagrain’s technical team suggest that this should be monitored, and if present, treated accordingly to maintain high yield potential on farm.

LG Rebellion has the desirable attribute of early maturity, breaking the trend for later maturing varieties delivering the highest yields. With increasingly unpredictable weather patterns, and the shift in climactic conditions over the past few harvests, this has proved a great attribute on farm. The opportunity to spread both harvest period and workload, offers growers increased flexibility when it comes to things like land preparation and future cropping opportunities.  

LG Rebellion has many of the desirable attributes of key consideration to growers. A high yielding feed wheat that demonstrates strong and consistent performance on farm, backed up by an earlier maturity and with excellent grain quality characteristics of a high hagberg and specific weight. On top of this, the variety has a wide drilling window and shows good results from October sowing onwards through to December, giving growers flexibility for sowing after root crops and maize

 Limagrain considers this variety worthy of its place both on farm and in the market 

#JOINTHEREBELLION

Following the extremely difficult autumn of 2023, we had hoped for a better 24, unfortunately it was not to be. British farmers are practiced at preparing for all eventualities, which is handy when the only consistent currently is change! Who knows what autumn 2025 will hold? In terms of crop choice, I am confident that the Limagrain portfolio has varieties to stand up to it!

On the back of an 11.1 million tonne wheat crop last harvest, this year’s AHDB Early Bird Survey surprisingly came in at only 1.6 million hectares, in recent times the average has been closer to 1.8. The Early Bird Survey shows further declination in winter barley, from the very small crop area planted in 2023. The decline in oil seed rape hectarage is marked, in terms of both production and area we are approaching a fifty-year low.

We know spring cropping can be seen as a get out of jail card for arable farmers, but is there a mindset change happening? Will this impact cropping choices and varietal selection next autumn?

Last year’s growing season did not offer a very clear picture on performance of individual cereal varieties. Disease was prevalent, crops went in late and were stressed from the go. The story is clearer when comparing varieties across consecutive growing seasons.

The varieties that have demonstrated consistent resilience both in trial and on farm across the previous 3 to 4 years are the ones that I would be choosing to drill again this Autumn.  Consider LG Beowulf or LG Typhoon if you are looking for wheat, with LG Caravelle and LG Capitol great contenders for barley.

With oilseed rape the story is slightly different, though weather has of course played a significant part, it is the flea beetle that is having the greatest impact. Limagrain has listened to the concerns of growers, and through our skilled UK based breeding programme, we are actively selecting varieties that show a resilience to flea beetle, that alongside solid IPM strategy will work to mitigate the devastating crop loss experienced in previous years.

Spring barley was a get-out-of-jail card for some growers last season, after wet weather prevented autumn drilling, yet many crops went on to deliver above average yields.

Why they performed so well owes much to the age-old issue of tiller retention, Ron Granger says.

Maximising spring barley yield is all about retaining maximum tillers through to harvest. In some seasons, prolonged dry periods can cause crops to drop tillers and reduce this potential, yet last year, plentiful moisture availability throughout the growing season benefitted many spring crops, especially on lighter land. We cannot control the weather, but there are five actions that will help barley produce and retain as many tillers as possible this spring. Such foundation work is essential, whatever the weather.

1. Select The Right Variety
Choosing a variety with greater tillering ability drives yield, and having more tillers helps crops compensate for tiller loss, should stressful conditions arise.

2. Wait For Optimal Conditions
While earlier drilling can increase yield potential, this may only be possible on lighter, free-draining land that dries and warms faster than heavier soil. Barley must go into a
good seedbed with warming soils and temperatures to germinate and establish quickly, so be patient.

3. Optimise Seed Rate
For high yield potential, aim for a final tiller count of 775-800/m², and work back from this to calculate seed rate, varying according to soil type, drilling date, seedbed conditions and weather. LG trials indicate 350 seeds/m2 is optimal for more vigorous, higher tillering varieties drilled in ideal conditions around mid-March, although 300-325 seeds/m2 might suffice if drilling
into an “onion bed”. Later drilling dates reduce tillering potential, so once into April, closer to 400 seeds/m2 may be more appropriate. Higher seed rates should also be considered for black-grass control.

4. Tailor Nutrition
Balanced macro and micro nutrition improves rooting and canopy development, which benefits tiller survival. Apply most nutrition early, to the seedbed or soon after drilling. Don’t be afraid to push new, higher tillering varieties with more nitrogen. In continued LG trials, an extra 30 kg N/ha applied in the second split generated 0.5-1 t/ha extra yield in some varieties, with crops still achieving low grain N.

5. Minimise Weed Competition
Weeds compromise crop establishment and tillering capacity, so drill into good condition and control early weed growth with effective chemistry sets that do not “knock” early plant development.

For more information, watch our spring barley agronomy series.

Growers looking for a strong-performing winter wheat that they can sow late this autumn and harvest early next year, should consider the hard Group 4 variety, LG Rebellion, from Limagrain Field Seeds UK.

The variety builds on many of the agronomic strengths that made KWS Extase such a popular choice on farms, but brings with it higher yield potential and even earlier maturity.

“It’s a high yielding hard feed wheat and has shown very consistent high yield potential across testing seasons and regions, with additional desirable agronomic characteristics,” says Limagrain Field Seeds arable technical manager, Ron Granger.

Early maturity is a particularly valuable characteristic of LG Rebellion, offering growers in many parts of the country, north and south, a way to spread harvest workloads or provide an early entry for following crops, such as oilseed rape, he says.

LG Rebellion has strong tillering ability and good spring vigour, and suits drilling around the traditional October window. However, it can also perform well when sown later, into November, providing conditions allow, therefore could make a good choice for growers looking to sow wheat after later harvested potatoes, sugar beet, or maize, Mr Granger says.

“While LG Beowulf remains the highest yielding variety in late drilling situations on the present AHDB Recommended List, there is also a good opportunity for extended drilling dates with LG Rebellion, because it’s so quick out of the blocks regarding its vigour in the spring. It produces strong tillers and responds very well to PGR programmes.”

Another key strength of LG Rebellion is its consistently high untreated yield. The 2024 AHDB provisional harvest results (published 26 September) show that LG Rebellion delivered the second highest mean untreated yield over the four years to this harvest (2020-2024), at 117% of control.

This is partly due to an excellent disease resistance profile, especially for Brown Rust and Septoria, plus the variety also offers Pch1 eyespot resistance, which will be particularly important for growers looking to grow it in a second wheat situation, says Mr Granger. Indeed, LG Rebellion has performed well in second wheat situations, he notes.

Grain quality is excellent, offering a high Hagberg and specific weight, although he reminds growers that it is a hard Group 4 feed wheat with ukp export potential, rather than a Group 2 quality wheat like its parent.

“It’s a KWS Extase derivative with 4% higher yield, offering yields comparable with the best hard feed wheats commercially available.

“But choosing a variety should never be just about yield,” he adds. “While yield is important, it’s also important to consider all of the other attributes that a variety offers growers on farm, whether that’s variety positioning, early maturity, disease resistance, or grain quality.”

LG Rebellion spreads workloads on Cambs farm

Cambridgeshire farmer Michael Brown grew 20 ha of LG Rebellion for the first time last season, utilising its early maturity to help spread harvest workloads on the 600 ha farm.

The variety was one of the last to be drilled before the weather broke in the middle of October last year, but despite that, it was easily the first to reach harvest, which this summer was on 30 July.

“The LG Rebellion established well last autumn, but it was in the spring that it grew away really quickly,” he remarks. “Throughout the spring, the variety was easily the most forward of all the wheats I grew.”

Mr Brown’s LG Rebellion also went on to produce the farm’s joint highest winter wheat yield last season, averaging 10.5 t/ha, with a specific weight of 78 kg/hl.

On the back of that strong performance, he is increasing the area of LG Rebellion for this season, with 30 ha being grown for seed, and another 30 ha as a commercial crop.

Alongside LG Rebellion‘s early maturity, Mr Brown also values its strong disease profile, as reflected by the high untreated yield.

“We grow a lot of crops for seed, so generally like to maintain a robust fungicide programme, but it’s good to have the varietal resistance as an insurance policy in the event that the weather prevents us getting on with sprays at the optimum time. There may be scope to reduce inputs slightly on the cleaner varieties, such as LG Rebellion, in the future, so that’s something we may look at doing.”

LG Rebellion

•   –>  Hard Group 4 feed wheat with consistent high yield potential
•   –>  Consistent yield performance over multiple seasons and across regions
•   –>  Very high untreated yield
•   –>  Good disease resistance profile, including Pch1 eyespot resistance
•   –>  Strong tillering with good spring vigour
•   –>  Very early maturity
•   –>  Suitable for drilling from early October onwards
•   –>  Excellent grain quality – ukp export potential
•   –>  A true replacement for growers of KWS Extase and its agronomic type
•   –>  Has shown good black-grass competition in external trials

The sisters LG Capitol and LG Caravelle are definitely doing it for themselves, and proving to be a force within the winter barley sector.

Winter barley sister varieties LG Capitol & LG Caravelle, continue to show a high consistency of yield performance in what is considered to have been one of the most testing seasons for winter cereals, ever!

Both varieties retain their positions as high yielding fully recommended 2-row feed varieties on the AHDB Recommended List harvest results mean 2024 (provisional results 28^th August), with LG Capitol achieving 105.4% and LG Caravelle 105.2% of controls, for treated grain yield. Both varieties show a yield increase over KWS Tardis.

Ron Granger, Limagrain Field Seeds arable technical manager, shares his views on why both varieties have a place on farm this coming season.

LG Capitol has been the highest yielding 2-row feed variety for the last two seasons – just beating its sister LG Caravelle, by less than a decimal point!

He believes their excellent consistency of performance over some very difficult seasons is a headline note, with both varieties demonstrating this consistency of yield performance over not just seasons – but also across regions – as confirmed by AHDB RL harvest results for the mean of four years, from 2020–2024, which shows both varieties continue to sit at 106%.

He says the high yield potential of both varieties comes down to their increased tillering ability and this in turn also delivers valuable straw yields.

This excellent tillering ability of both LG Capitol and LG Caravelle, allows for as good black-grass competition as that offered by hybrid barley. In particular, LG Capitol’s performance on heavy soils which, generally favour black-grass populations, is the best of any of the winter barley varieties available, hybrids included.

On farm characteristics

Mr Granger notes, agronomically, there are such subtle differences between the two sister lines but both varieties can be treated the same with regards to agronomic inputs and timings, as shown by results from Limagrain in-house agronomy trials over the last 2 seasons.

“It’s worth noting, LG Caravelle and LG Capitol winter barleys can offer a higher yield potential with better agronomics and specific weights compared to a second or third winter wheat, along with a reduced fungicide spend and an earlier harvest opportunity, if oilseed rape is back on the agenda.”

The first year of growing LG Typhoon proved to be a resounding success for Leicestershire farm and contracting business, F J Garner & Sons.

The variety out-yielded other wheats on the farm by around 25%, and produced a good grain sample, with big, bold grains, despite very challenging growing conditions throughout much of the year.

Extending to 420 ha of land, plus another 120 ha of contracting for neighbours, across a mixture of soil types, the farm tried 9.3 ha of LG Typhoon last year on the recommendation of seed merchant, Saxon Agriculture, explains Peter Garner.

“We like to stay one step ahead of the curve by growing new varieties, otherwise there is a risk you get left behind. It was only one field last year, so wasn’t a particularly big gamble.”

But it was a decision that paid off, after the crop, which followed oilseed rape and received biosolids prior to being direct drilled on 20 September, yielded an average of 11.4 t/ha, well above all other varieties grown last season.

“The crop was initially a bit slow to get going last autumn, but once it did, it started to look good, then very good in the spring.

“By harvest, the LG Typhoon yielded really well. I did see 16 t/ha at one point on the combine yield monitor, and certainly many parts of the field were typically doing 11-14 t/ha. Inevitably, the headlands did pull down the overall average slightly.

“It’s not the highest yield we’ve ever had, but in a year where everything else was yielding nearer 7-9.2 t/ha, it was head and shoulders above the rest.”

The crop produced a good grain sample too, with a thousand grain weight of 53 g; the highest of all wheat varieties grown last season, Mr Garner adds.

Disease-wise, it stayed clean throughout the growing season and looked a good colour in the spring, he notes.

Following the strong performance in 2023/24, the farm is growing LG Typhoon again for the coming season and plans to sow another 20 ha this autumn, which will be direct drilled around the third week of September, weather permitting.

The 2023/24 season proved to be a stern test for most crops and varieties, but third generation Staffordshire farmer, Rob Atkin, is pleased with the resilience LG Typhoon has shown.

Rob Atkin

Last year was the 380 ha mixed arable and beef farm’s first time for growing LG Typhoon, with a 6 ha field sown to assess the variety’s performance.

“We saw LG Typhoon in Agrii trials in 2022 and were really impressed with how it looked; it was clean, stood well, and has relatively high yield potential,” says Mr Atkin. “We also try to pick varieties that are competitive in the spring against bromes and black-grass.”

“LG Typhoon seemed to fit the bill and suit our heavy land, as well as being a good second wheat performer, so we decided to give it a try.”

Given the wet conditions last autumn, the field, which followed forage maize, was drilled later than Mr Atkin planned, on 17 October. “We got the maize off, but then had 65 mm (2.5”) of rain, which meant we couldn’t get back on the land for a while, and had to plough and combination drill instead of our usual minimal tillage. Normally we’d start drilling in the second week of September and be all done within a month, so it was right at the end of our usual window.”

Despite the late start, which was followed by an exceptionally wet autumn and winter, Mr Atkin says the LG Typhoon established well and appeared to be less affected by the tough conditions than other varieties grown on the farm, which included Graham, Oxford and KWS Extase.

“It was a little slow to get going, probably due to the cold, wet soils, but once it did, it withstood the wet conditions really well. Disease-wise, it has also been impressive; it was one of the cleanest varieties on the farm last season, despite some others breaking down to Septoria later in the season.”

Crops stay clean

That cleanliness is even more impressive given the generally high disease pressure last year, and the fact that Mr Atkin employs a reduced two-spray fungicide regime on most wheats, which does not follow conventional timings.

“We want to utilise varietal resistance and extend the cover fungicides provide, so essentially both sprays went on mid-way through the conventional timings. The first was applied at the equivalent of T1.5, while the second was at T2.5. While we are reducing the number of sprays, we do use robust chemistry at those timings.”

The first treatment was 0.8 L/ha Cleancrop Vulture (prothioconazole + tebuconazole) plus 1 L/ha Phoenix (folpet), with additional micronutrients and trace elements. This was followed four weeks later by 1.3 L/ha Boogie Xpro (bixafen, prothioconazole + spiroxamine), again with trace elements.

“The odd field did need an additional T3 last season, but we stuck with the two-spray approach on the LG Typhoon, and it looked really clean all the way through.

This resilience meant LG Typhoon was one of the best performing varieties on the farm this harvest, although Mr Atkin says all winter wheat yields were around 2.5 t/ha (1 t/acre) below normal, due to the wet conditions from autumn to spring.

Increasing the area

Mr Atkin is keen to give LG Typhoon another go this season, and is increasing the area of the variety to 20 ha, which he hopes to sow by the end of September. “One field will be a first wheat after oilseed rape, but we’ll also try the variety in a second wheat position to see how it performs there.”

He also hopes to be able to avoid the need for the plough this autumn, and get back to a minimal tillage system, based around a shallow disc-based cultivation after harvest, to work the top 10-20 mm of soil, which is allowed to green-up, before spraying off with glyphosate and then drilling with the farm’s Amazone Cayena tine drill.

Other varieties going in the ground this autumn include Oxford, Bamford, Crusoe, Fitzroy and a 5ha trial area of LG Beowulf, which joined the AHDB Recommended List this year.

“A lot of people have been raving about LG Beowulf and it looks good in trials, so I’m keen to give it a try on our farm. We’re growing it as a first wheat after maize or oilseed rape this season, and if it performs, we’ll look to multiply up the area next year with home-saved seed.”

Mr Atkin concludes: “It has been really hard to evaluate varieties this season given the weather, but from what we’ve seen, LG Typhoon has done well and seemed to cope better with the conditions, so we’re keen to see how it, and other varieties, perform in – hopefully – a more normal season.”

Demonstrating flexibility

Limagrain Field Seeds UK’s Ron Granger says LG Typhoon has clearly shown its great flexibility for drilling date in the 2024 season.

“Although now established as a true early drilling wheat, the variety should not be ‘pigeon-holed’ into this one category,” he says.

“The variety has demonstrated a consistency of yield performance from its agronomic characteristics, to perform in both the standard and later drilling dates, showing a robustness from its plant development, and great disease resistance profile.

“For growers seeking security for on-farm performance in challenging years of high disease pressure, then LG Typhoon is a variety worthy of consideration.”

•   –>  Atkin Farms, Uttoxeter, Staffs
•   –>  380 ha (930-acre), mixed arable and grassland family farm
•   –>  Predominantly heavy copper marl soils
•   –>  Cropping includes winter wheat, milling oats, feed and malting barley, winter beans, forage maize,
•          oilseed rape, and cover crops (trialled ahead of maize)
•   –>  101 ha of grassland, home to 300-350 Belgium Blue cattle
•   –>  Predominantly min-till since 2003, plus some direct drilling where possible
•   –>  Strong focus on protecting water quality (working with South Staffs Water)
•   –>  Annual rainfall usually 890-900 mm – 1,200 mm in 2023

In a season characterised by wet weather and high disease pressure, one East Lothian grower says his LG Caravelle winter barley has remained “spotless” and delivered the yields it ‘promised.’

This is the first time the variety, LG Caravelle has been grown on the Baro Farm, just outside Haddington, with yields ranging from 8.9 t/ha to 10.8 t/ha, across 4 fields.

James McLaughlin

Farm manager James McLaughlin, is delighted with the performance of the variety, pointing out that not only has it yielded very well, it has also made the specification for pearling and will be bought by local merchants, Silvery Tweed, in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

Cereals managing director for Silvery Tweed, Bob Gladstone says: “LG Caravelle performs well in our plant, producing a high-quality pearled barley for our customers within the UK food and drink sector. The consistent high pearling yield delivered by LG Caravelle, allows us to produce a competitively priced product for our customers.”

“Considering we have had what is being cited as the wettest winter in 25 years, this is an impressive performance from the variety,” he says.

The barley, at the 450 ha farm, forms part of a rotation centred around combinable winter crops, oilseed rape and spring oats. “We like to grow winter barley mainly because it’s harvested earlier, which gives us a good window of opportunity to establish following wheat crops.”

Mr McLaughlin says the LG Caravelle sown in mid-September, established quickly and was just emerging as the weather broke later that month, but showed excellent vigour, despite saturated soils and tough growing conditions.

“We’ve barely lost anything, which is amazing compared with what some have faced. In fact, the variety tillered really well.”

Staying ‘spotless’

Importantly, Mr McLaughlin says all of his LG Caravelle has remained “spotlessly clean”, despite very high disease pressure throughout this season.

“With winter barley varieties in the past, we’ve often found disease will get in during the winter and early spring, then never really seem to go away.”

The fact crops have stayed so clean is testament to LG Caravelle’s strong genetics, supported with well-timed fungicide applications. These included: T1 Folpet + Bixafen+Prothioconazole+Spiroxamine at T1, followed by Folpet + Prothioconazole + Pyraclostrobin at T2.

“The crop ripened off evenly – we didn’t need to burn it off, which is a nice saving to make on glyphosate, and it was combined on 1 August which is fairly standard for us,” he says.

Mr McLaughlin confirms that on the back of the very pleasing performance of the variety, all of the 2025 winter barley crop will be put down to LG Caravelle.

James McLaughlin tried LG Caravelle on the advice of Douglas Bonn of Nickerson Seeds, who sees the variety as possessing all the key characteristics for a winter barley.

”In my opinion, LG Caravelle is the stand out winter barley to grow, as the highest yielding two-row winter barley for the second year running, since joining the AHDB Recommended List in 2023.

“Offering UK yields of 105.6%, LG Caravelle continues to dispel any misconception that two-row barleys are lower yielding than hybrids. The variety certainly competes with the best yielding hybrid barleys,” he says.

“LG Caravelle’s high yields are backed up by an excellent disease profile, reflected in its superb untreated performance. It is early maturing with stiff straw and good brackling resistance.

“LG Caravelle also offers an exceptionally high specific weight for a winter barley, of 71.4 kg/hl, combined with low screenings %.”