Limagrain Takes Trials Beyond the Plot with New Farmer‑Led Demo Farm Network

 Book onto our Demo Days!

Suffolk Summer Demo Day – Thursday 4th June 2026

Staffordshire Summer Demo Day – Monday 22nd June 2026

Limagrain Field Seeds is taking variety trials beyond the plot with the launch of a new UK farmer-led Demonstration Farm network.

The initiative is designed to give growers a clearer, more practical view of how varieties perform in real farming systems, moving away from purely small-plot data and into field-scale reality. Instead of relying solely on trial sites and headline figures, the network will showcase Limagrain genetics under the pressures that shape day-to-day farm decisions, including soil type, rotation, cultivation and input strategy.

Nicolle Hamilton, marketing director at Limagrain, says the aim is to give growers a different perspective. “We want to offer growers a more meaningful way of looking at our varieties, through a farmer lens,” she says. “That means taking them out of controlled conditions and putting them into real farming systems, managed by farmers making commercial decisions every day. While she stresses that formal trials and the AHDB Recommended List remain important benchmarks, she says they do not always reflect the realities of commercial farming.

“This is not about replacing trials, it’s about adding another layer,” she says. “Farmers want to know how varieties establish, how they cope with different soils and how they perform under lower inputs or after cover crops. That is where this approach adds value.”

“It’s about working with farmers, listening to them and learning from them.”

Heather Oldfield, Limagrain cereals product manager, says the strength of the network lies in its farmer-led approach. “This is about genuine collaboration,” she says. She adds the focus is not on identifying a single standout variety, but on understanding where different genetics fit. “There is no perfect variety,” she says.

“Success comes from putting the right variety in the right place. What works on one farm may not work on another. These Demo Farms help us show those differences in a way that is much more relevant to growers.”

 

The Farmers

The first two farms in the network are based in Suffolk and Staffordshire, offering two contrasting systems. Ryan McCormack hosts the East Anglian site at Dennington Hall Farms, while Rob Atkin farms over in Staffordshire. Together, they provide a broad snapshot of how varieties perform across different soils, climates and management approaches.

Ryan McCormack is testing Limagrain varieties in systems that include reduced tillage, cover crops, and livestock to understand what works best under these conditions

At Dennington Hall Farms, Ryan McCormack is running a highly integrated system combining arable, livestock and environmental management. The farm operates a 12-year rotation and places strong emphasis on soil health, with cover cropping, minimal cultivation and livestock grazing all playing a role. “I’m farming for margin, but also for my soils,” he says. “That means I need varieties that can cope with reduced tillage, cover crops and lower inputs. The only way to understand that is to test them in those conditions.” His trials include comparing multiple varieties under different establishment systems within the same field, giving a clear view of how genetics respond to management.

In contrast, Rob Atkin’s Staffordshire farm operates across a wide range of soil types, from heavy clay to high-organic-matter silt. The mixed farm includes combinable crops alongside beef and sheep, with a growing focus on soil health and cost control. “I still need yield to pay the bills,” he says. “But I want varieties that work on farm, not just in perfect plots. I want to know how they perform under pressure.” For Mr Atkin, the value of the network lies in its honesty. “It’s about seeing what works, what doesn’t and why, that’s far more useful than just looking at figures.”

Rob Atkin believes that seeing varieties in real situations helps him make better decisions

To help growers follow crops through the season, Limagrain Field Seeds is supporting the Demo Farm initiative with on‑farm demonstration days. These demonstration days offer the opportunity to see varieties in the field, discuss results with farmers and Limagrain experts, and gain practical insight into real‑world performance.

 

More information and registration details can be found below:

Suffolk Summer Demo Day – Thursday 4th June 2026

Yorkshire farm to showcase beans as sustainable livestock feed

Yorkshire farmer Richard Barker is inviting visitors to his farm near Richmond on Tuesday 2nd December to see how home-grown beans can cut feed costs, boost sustainability and reduce reliance on imported soya.

The From Field to Feed open day is organised by the NCS Project, in which Richard is a ‘Pulse Pioneer’ trialling wholecrop beans in his beef herd’s diet.

Visitors will discover how beans are grown, harvested, stored and fed on farm – and how they can provide a high-protein, home-grown alternative to bought-in feeds.

Richard said: “As livestock farmers we need to balance cost, sustainability and performance. Wholecrop beans have proved a valuable option for my business – they fit well in my rotation, yield well and provide a reliable protein source for my cattle. I’m looking forward to sharing my experience and hearing from others.”

The open day will start at 10am at the Black Bull Inn, Moulton (DL10 6QJ) with presentations from leading experts including PGRO’s Erin Matlock on the agronomy of successful bean production, and an update on varieties from Limagrain. Michael Carpenter from Kelvin Cave Ltd will share insights into harvesting, processing, preservation and storage, and livestock nutritionist Lizz Clarke will tackle bean nutrition and ration formulation.

After lunch, a tour of Richard’s farm will include a look at the wholecrop bean storage, along with an opportunity to discuss feeding results and practical adoption with specialists.

The event is free to attend, but please register at www.tinyurl.com/NCSOpenDay.

From Field to Seed Open Day 2025

 

Winter beans drive protein self-sufficiency for mixed family farm

A family-run beef, sheep and arable farm in Northumberland has become virtually self-sufficient in protein and feed requirements, by growing as much as they can in-house.

Homegrown wholecrop winter bean silage as a high protein alternative to soya, is a key part of this strategy for T Bean and Sons, near Newcastle, and has helped completely displace the need for bought-in protein feed.

Indeed, they estimate the annual benefit from growing their own feeds could be worth at least £50,000 to £60,000, so there are strong financial and efficiency benefits, as well as being more environmentally sustainable, says Wayne Bean.

“We started looking into growing our own protein several years ago – mainly because the price of purchased products was increasing quite a lot at the time, and we were never entirely happy with the consistency of the liquid molasses we used to buy.

“We initially started off growing a few acres of Fuego spring beans in 2007, but four years ago, we switched to winter beans, mainly because it gives us more herbicide options for controlling brome. Being a winter crop, it also eases the workload in the spring, as things can get quite busy around lambing, with 2,500 ewes to look after on the farm as well.”

The business now grows 20-25 ha (50-60 acres) of Tundra winter beans from Limagrain UK; a pale skin, pale hilum variety, chosen for its yield potential, reliability, protein content, and agronomics, including good standing ability.

Winter beans are grown in rotation with a number of other crops – all for feed – including 40 ha (100 acres) of LG Astronomer winter wheat for crimping, 73 ha (180 acres) of winter and spring barley (Bolton and Sienna), also for crimping, and 38 ha (95 acres) of LG Prospect maize, for silage. Fodder beet, forage rape, and grass, are also grown for the sheep flock.

Getting a better crop

A traditional plough/ power-harrow cultivation system is used to establish beans in the autumn, and Mr Bean believes it is important to keep seed rates reasonably high to drive yield and produce a better crop.

“We generally find that around 250 kg/ha is comfortable for us, and gives a crop that is better at shielding itself from pigeons and other vermin, grows tall, stands well, and produces a decent yield. Typically, we’re getting wholecrop yields from the Tundra, of around 20 t/ha (8 t/acre) on heavier ground, but that can vary quite a lot depending on the season.”

Crops are cut once pods and stems are dry enough in early September – usually a couple of weeks before the point at which beans would normally be combined.

A notable benefit of growing Tundra winter beans is the residual nitrogen that is left for the following wheat crop, Mr Bean says. “We often see a 20-30% reduction in nitrogen use on wheat after beans, and they are quite a good soil conditioner too.”

He also thinks chocolate spot is less of a problem in the Tundra winter beans, than in the spring beans grown previously.

Quality protein feed

Once cut, the chopped wholecrop beans are added to the top of the silage clamp containing crimped wheat and barley, to utilise available space and help “seal in” the clamp, Mr Bean says. Maize silage is clamped separately.

A total mixed ration (TMR) is fed to the 200-head of beef cattle fattened every year, which includes 80 Limousin-cross suckler cows, plus other store cattle bought in from Hexham Market, aged 12-15 months. Cattle are typically taken to around 400 kg finishing carcass weight – usually reached by around 22-24 months old.

“Our aim is to finish everything as efficiently as possible, and the move to growing our own protein from winter beans has helped with that. The protein seems a lot more consistent, and has a higher digestibility, so cattle are able to utilise more of it.”

All new stock bought in for fattening can go straight onto the TMR from day one on the farm, rather than having to be eased onto the ration, as used to be done when feeding soya and dry rolled barley, he adds. That used to result in a temporary drop in performance and additional work.

Mr Bean estimates finishing time has been reduced by 3-4 months, and carcass grades are better and more consistent, with everything achieving U and U+ grades.

The move to feeding crimped grain, which began in 2007, also has benefits, he adds, as they have noticed less acid, which means no loose muck, bloated or lethargic animals, and no sign of acidosis.

Farm Facts: T.Bean & Sons

Balancing agronomics and output: variety selection on a Staffordshire arable farm
Located just outside Uttoxeter in Staffordshire, Rob Atkin manages a 1,000-acre farm with a focus on arable cropping and grass -fed, home-reared cattle. As a third-generation farmer, he works alongside his father Peter, combining experience with a practical, forward-thinking approach to land management.

The farm operates across a wide range of soil types, from organic-rich alluvial soils to heavier, more challenging clays; Mixed – light alluvial (9–12% OM) to heavy clay (3–4% OM).

To maintain soil structure and workability, Rob has used a shallow tillage system since 2003, working to a depth of 10–15 cm, but remains flexible — what he refers to as “thoughtful farming” — adjusting his methods according to seasonal and soil conditions.

The cropping strategy is designed around maximising first wheat performance while maintaining oilseed rape (OSR) as a break crop just once every five years. The rotation includes wheat, barley (winter and spring), oats, beans, maize, and OSR. Cattle are fed using home-grown rations based on forage maize and beans, contributing to a fully integrated farm system.

 

How many different varieties are grown and how long is a variety grown for?

Wheat: LG Beowulf, LG Rebellion, Oxford, Bamford, LG Typhoon
Winter Barley: LG Caravelle
Spring Barley: LG Diablo, Planet, Skyway
Oats: Ascani
Beans: LG Raptor (spring), Tundra (winter)
Maize: KWS Leto, LG Gema

Rob grows a wide range of varieties tailored to different roles in the rotation.

His current wheat portfolio includes LG Beowulf, LG Rebellion, Oxford, Bamford, and LG Typhoon, grown for feed and marketed through Openfield and ADM. He aims for around 8.5t/ha.

“A variety is typically grown for two to three years to assess performance across different seasons. If it continues to deliver strong results, it remains in the programme until yield performance begins to decline,” he explains.

Barley plays a smaller role in the rotation, with 13–14 ha of winter barley (currently LG Caravelle) and around 80 ha of spring barley split between LG Diablo, Planet, and Skyway.

OSR remains an important break crop, typically covering 50–60 ha. While the farm has long favoured Dekalb hybrids, this season Rob is trialling LG Armada and LG Avenger to evaluate their performance.
Rob prefers to use local trials when looking at new varieties to grow. “ We are an Agrii iFarm and host trials for then, so that gives us an invaluable insight to how varieties will grow on our farm, I also judge for the Staffordshire Agricultural Society so get to visit farms in the region and look at a range of different varieties that way.”

 

What characteristics are most important to you when choosing a variety?

For Rob, yield remains a key priority — but not at any cost. He looks for varieties that offer good performance without needing excessive inputs.

“Yield is always important,” he says, “but I want that to come without ridiculously high inputs— we are not interested in a variety that requires high spend to push for yields.”

High disease resistance is just as critical. “That’s really linked to yield and just as important,” he adds.

Crop vigour is another major consideration, both in autumn and spring. “I’d much rather be managing a forward crop in March than trying to catch one up.”

Early drilling suitability rounds out the main criteria, as drilling around the third week of September is standard practice on the farm. “Any later than this and crops just don’t have the time to get the tillers on before the winter.”

1. Yield
2. Disease resistance
3. Vigour
4. Early driller

 

Have these characteristics, or weight of importance, changed over recent years?

No! Rob believes his priorities in variety selection have remained consistent. While environmental and regulatory pressures may be evolving, the fundamental traits he values have stayed the same.

“It’s always been about finding the right balance between yield and reliable agronomics,” he says.

 

Why LG varieties?

LG varieties feature strongly in Rob’s rotation because they offer a practical combination of yield and agronomic strength.

“In my view, LG produces farmer-friendly varieties,” he explains. “They’re high yielding, but they’re also clean, vigorous, and manageable. That gives us a kind of yield security — and that’s worth a lot.”

He also values how clearly LG varieties are positioned in terms of agronomy and management. “Take LG Typhoon — it’s well suited to early drilling, and it’s a very clean variety. You know where it fits and how to get the best out of it.”

 

How have the varieties performed this season?

Crops are performing well so far, with low disease pressure across all varieties. Rob reports that the season has allowed for a reduction in fungicide inputs, helping to control costs without compromising crop health.

“Disease levels have been low this year, so we dropped the T0 spray. We’ll go in with a T2 as the flag leaf pulls away from the ear — what I call a ‘head & shoulders’ spray.”

To compensate for the lighter fungicide programme, Rob has focused on supporting plant health through nutrition:

• Nitrogen: All wheat crops receive around 200 kg/ha in three splits, with early applications of sulphur
• Micronutrients: Particular attention is paid to managing trace elements, especially on the alluvial soils where nutrient availability can be more variable
• Spring applications: Crops received boron, sulphur, magnesium, and manganese to support key growth stages

“On the light soils, trace elements like magnesium and manganese are critical. If they’re not available when the plant needs them, it shows.”

“Among the wheats LG Beowulf and LG Rebellion are looking very clean this spring, and in the dry conditions appear to be holding on better than other varieties.”

OSR crops are also showing promise, supported by slurry applications pre-drilling and targeted spring nutrition.

“LG Armada has held onto its petals just that little but longer than other varieties, so hopefully this will play out in numbers of pods.”

• Early slurry helps establish strong root systems
• Spring sulphur is applied to maintain growth and yield potential
• A cost-effective fungicide approach is used — selecting varieties with good phoma and sclerotinia resistance is essential

“We don’t overspend on fungicides for OSR — that’s why varietal resistance is a key factor for us.”

Introducing LG Legends grower, Ryan McCormack
Ryan McCormack is the Farm Manager at Dennington Hall Farms based in Suffolk. Dennington Hall Farms is a 1,600ha combinable crops and sugar beet operation.

Since joining the business in May 2022, Ryan has developed a diverse cropping rotation, set a new machinery strategy to suit a regenerative approach and is creating a forward-thinking team culture.

With a key focus on soil, air and water health, Ryan now operates a 12-year cropping rotation, integrating grazing livestock across arable land, moving to variable rate liquid fertiliser, reduced tillage and a block of Wildfarmed Bi-cropping.

Ryan is BASIS and FACTS qualified and has a continued passion for data, innovation and technology. He achieved silver in the British Farming Awards, ‘Arable Innovation’ award in 2019 and is a member of the 68th Worshipful Company of Farmers. Ryan completed his Advanced Business Management Course in 2018.

Introduction

Dennington Hall Farms is a family-run 1,600-ha heavy land farm in east Suffolk, that has recently transitioned to a regenerative farming system as part of its ongoing commitment to sustainability and responsible land stewardship.

There is a particular focus on building the health of the predominantly heavy clay soils, promoting biodiversity, and sequestering carbon, through a range of techniques, including; reduced tillage, cover and catch crops, a diverse 12-year rotation, and managed grazing.

Cropping includes; winter wheat (mainly Group 4s for local feed markets), oats, spring barley, winter barley, sugar beet, vining peas, beans, mustard, oilseed rape, plus Wildfarmed bi-crops, cover and catch crops. Livestock – sheep from a neighbouring farm – are also integrated to graze cover crops.

 

 

How many different varieties are grown and how long would you grow a variety for?

 

This season, the farm is growing around 15 different varieties across all crops, plus several blends. Varieties include:

 

Farm manager Ryan McCormack says a variety is usually grown for three or four years (assuming no disasters in year one), before deciding whether to replace it with something else.

“That decision depends how strongly it has performed; there’s no real timescale for how long we’ll keep any variety for. Generally, we’ve got four or five mainstream varieties, and every year we look at what’s new, what’s going to work for us, and then replace the weakest of those main varieties.”

Sometimes a new variety may be trialled on a small 30-40ha area first if there are potential question marks over how it might perform, but he may also commit a whole 100ha block if confident in its potential – as was the case with LG Beowulf and LG Typhoon this season.

 

 

What characteristics are most important to you when choosing a variety?

 

While yield is important, Mr McCormack’s aim is to select varieties that also have good agronomics and characteristics to suit the specific requirements of different parts of the varied rotation.

“After sugar beet, for example, we’re looking for something that gets up and away quickly, and has high vigour, even if sown late into sub-optimal conditions, which is where LG Redwald fits in.

“On other parts of the rotation, we’re looking at lowering our inputs and reducing cultivations, so that’s why LG Typhoon was chosen, as it can be direct drilled, knowing that we’ll get a good plant stand – it has that agronomic advantage over some other varieties.”

 

 

Have these characteristics, or weight of importance, changed over recent years?

 

The farm’s approach to variety selection has evolved with the move to regenerative farming, Mr McCormack says, with greater focus now given to finding the agronomic characteristics that suit specific situations, to improve yield security.

“Traditionally the farm would have been more intensively cultivated, drilled early, looking primarily for high yields, and not necessarily focused on agronomics, gross margin, or soil health when looking at varieties.

“But in recent years, we’ve been focusing much more on gross margin and the other aspects that varieties can bring to the party, not necessarily just looking for ‘barn fillers’. Yield is still important, but it’s about finding varieties that also have good agronomics that suit our soils and the situations we’re putting them in.”

 

 

Why have you chosen LG varieties?

 

This season, Dennington Hall Farms is growing 100ha blocks of three Limagrain varieties, LG Typhoon, LG Beowulf, and LG Redwald.

LG Typhoon was chosen primarily for its suitability to wider-row regen-type systems, says Mr McCormack. “We wanted a variety we could scratch in, or direct drill after legumes, and LG Typhoon seems to be the choice for regenerative farming, given it can go into a very min-till, or direct-drill situation and produce a good plant stand. Agronomically it’s very pleasing and has good yield potential.

“It has definitely got different characteristics to other varieties; it spreads and stays quite flat to the ground over winter, which is good for wider rows, or direct drilling scenarios, where you want a developed canopy to smother any grassweeds before stems start extending.”

He also values LG Typhoon’s suitability for earlier drilling. “We’re not drilling really early, but typically look to start in the first week of October with LG Typhoon, and aim to finish by the end of October.”

LG Redwald, grown for the first time in 2023/24, was chosen for its vigour when being sown later in the autumn after sugar beet. “LG Redwald is known for being very vigorous, and might seem a risky choice for highly fertile, heavy soils, but if it’s being drilled late into a sub-standard seedbed after sugar beet, you want that extra vigour to grow away and still yield well.”

Another new addition this season is LG Beowulf, grown as a first-wheat after oilseed rape. “I saw it twice in trials last year and for me, it was the stand-out variety for its agronomics, yield potential, and vigour,” says Mr McCormack. “I’d describe it as the ‘heavy land LG Redwald’.

“LG Beowulf is clean, high yielding, and has good vigour, but suits our fertile, heavy soils. It’s everything we want from a variety right now.”

LG Redwald also features in a three-way blend alongside Champion and Dawsum, which is being trialled to see if mixing genetics and agronomics can help reduce disease pressure, improve plant stand, and maximise yield.

The farm is heavily into conservation, so avoids using insecticides wherever possible, therefore having Orange Wheat Blossom Midge resistance in all three Limagrain varieties helps in that respect, Mr McCormack notes.

 

 

How are the varieties performing to date and have you managed them differently this season?

 

At the time of writing, approaching the T2 timing in mid-May, Mr McCormack says the 100-ha of LG Beowulf after oilseed rape looks the strongest of the wheats.

“It looked well all winter and early spring, although the lack of rain is a concern for all crops. Coming into spring, it looked like a 12 t/ha crop of wheat, but if I had to put a figure on yield now, I’d say it’d be nearer 11 t/ha, which is still very good. That might reduce to 10 t/ha if we don’t get any rain in the next three weeks though.”

Mr McCormack says a different establishment approach was tried on some fields of LG Beowulf this season, whereby a summer catch crop went in after the OSR harvest, which was mob grazed with a neighbour’s sheep, before direct drilling LG Beowulf on 27/28 October. “That’s later than most people would drill first-wheat after oilseed rape, but it was a good opportunity to bring a catch crop and livestock into the rotation. It also improved soil resilience to a spell of heavy rain in mid-October.”

Given the dry spring, the LG Beowulf has only received liquid fertiliser, while other varieties have had a 50:50 split of granular and liquid fertiliser.

Disease pressure has been relatively low across all varieties, with no real issues seen thus far, other than odd incidences of rust and Septoria, Mr McCormack says. As a result, he has been able to reduce fungicide spending at the T0 and T1 timings, adjusting both product choices and rates to risk and yield potential.

The later-sown LG Redwald has so far received the lowest fungicide input, reflecting the fact that yield potential has been compromised by an estimated 1-1.5 t/ha due to late sowing after beet, and a very dry spring, he says. The more open canopy also means ground has dried out slightly more than in the other LG wheats where larger canopies have provided more of a shading effect, he notes.

While fungicide inputs have been reduced overall, this has been supported with additional micronutrients, such as manganese and magnesium, to build plant health and natural disease resilience.

Mr McCormack says LG Typhoon has stayed true to its characteristics, remaining close to the ground in early spring, before a dramatic change in late April/early May as growth started to extend upwards.

“Now it’s looking good, and more vigorous. If I had to put a yield on it at this stage, I’d say it’s on the ‘good’ spectrum, at around 10 t/ha, providing we get some much-needed rain in the next few weeks.”

The blend trial looks well, although he admits the dry conditions have not really tested the aims of the trial. “We haven’t had the disease pressure, nor have we been increasing fertiliser due to massive yield potential, so it’s hard to judge performance. Crops look well from the field edge, but once you get into them, you often find they haven’t put huge amounts of biomass on.”

 

 

Finally, if a breeder gave you three wishes for varietal traits what would they be?

 

One key trait would be to have mainstream wheat varieties with resistance to barley/cereal yellow dwarf viruses (BYDV), to remove the need for using any insecticides in the autumn, says Mr McCormack.

Ergot is another issue that can be “a bit hit and miss”, so removing that through varietal breeding would be beneficial, he says. Another is gout fly resistance, as that seems to be becoming an increasing issue, he adds.

“Finally, if I were to fast forward 20 years, we’d be looking to grow varieties that allow us to be fully self-sufficient, so we’re not having to buy in lots of fertiliser and we can supply the nutrients required.”

5 key considerations for drilling spring pulses
With soil temperatures warming, growers are already drilling spring pulses, or at least thinking about it!

 

Security of yield has never been more critical. We asked Heather Oldfield, Cereals and Pulses Product Manager, to share some key points for growers to consider;

• Seed-to-soil contact is crucial for germination, early growth, and overall yield. Don’t rush!
• Waiting an extra week can help with soil temperatures and avoid seeds sitting in a cold, damp seedbed.
• More favourable conditions mean better early growth, root development, and Nitrogen fixation.
• For optimal spring bean yields aim for 45-55 established plants per square metre. It’s important to consider field losses when deciding on the drilling rate, the conditions will always affect this.
• Green (Blue) and Yellow (White) peas have the best chance of achieving good yields when 80-90 plants per square metre are established.

Varietal choice is key to meet end market requirements, and achieve good returns. The right variety choice can make all the difference;

Beans

LG Viper — This variety has the best standing ability, and Downy Mildew and Rust tolerance available on the PGRO Descriptive List 2025. It is not the highest yielding, but farmers appreciate its consistent performance on farm.

LG Raptor — High yield potential combined with early maturity and good standing ability. It is a great variety option for a bi-cropping situation when combined with the spring pea variety LG Aviator, the two complement each other well. Watch out for the on-farm case studies – coming soon!

LG Eagle – The show’s star, topping the PGRO Descriptive List 2025. Sadly, all seeds are being used for multiplication in 2025, but please place orders early for LG Eagle in 2026 to avoid disappointment!

 

Peas

LG Aviator – A high yielding large blue pea with good Downy Mildew tolerance and powdery mildew resistance – not a common trait for a combining pea.

LG Corvet – New to this year’s PGRO Descriptive List, a high yielding Yellow (White) pea. Offering the best Downy Mildew tolerance in the White pea sector combined with early maturity and good standing. The variety has performed well and consistently in 3 very different trial years.

 

More info

To learn more about our range of pulses, please click here.

Our commitment to pulses – a breeders perspective
Pauline Lafage, Pulse Breeding Project Manager, tells us what the challenges and opportunities are for pulse breeding.

 

As a breeder, what’s our focus for the future?

We continually screen for disease, better standing ability, and test where varieties fit best in different on-farm rotations. We have a large range of varieties and traits, from across the globe, to ensure new introductions are robust, stable, offer maximum yield, are fit for market, and deliver the best economical return. 

We focus on different sources of resistance and due to the evolving nature of disease, and climatic challenges, we aim to evolve the breeding programmes just as quickly. By having close links to farmers and the onwards supply chain, we are confident LG varieties are fit for future challenges. As pulse breeders, we know the positive attributes of the inclusion of pulses in both human and livestock diets and we look to achieve varieties that also offer a strong nutritional profile.

What do we see as being the biggest threats to UK pulses?

Difficulties with weather and competition for land now falling under SFI, has meant the true potential benefits of pulses have not always been realised in recent years.  The unintended consequence of this has put extra pressure on the inclusion of pulses within the rotation, with many mixtures containing legumes.The mixture with pulses (intermediate crops used between two main crops) used by the farmer is an interesting topic. We are not 100% that one pathogen is specific to one pulse or to all the pulses. Changes to cultivation practices have also caused difficulties with establishment, particularly of high yielding pea crops. 

How important is the UK to LG’s breeding programme?

We have a commitment to UK pulses, with extensive trial and multiplication work underway in England and Scotland.

The UK is our main target for faba bean breeding, with commercial production in 22/23 of 795,000 tonnes, compared to France, at 158,000 tonnes. Due to the maritime climate, the British Isles are well suited to the production of pulse crops, with some unique market opportunities, particularly in the blue pea sector.

A lot of the exploratory supply chain work conducted in the UK is leading the European breeding programme, with Low varieties at the forefront of this. 

The UK is well suited to the production of blue peas.

Our Commitment to Pulses
The addition of the joint highest yielding spring bean variety LG Eagle and combining pea LG Corvet, to the 2024/25 PGRO Descriptive List, demonstrates our continuing commitment to pulses.

 

Heather Oldfield talks through the characteristics of these exciting varieties.

LG Eagle joins the 24/25 PGRO DL as the joint highest yielding spring bean at 110% yield (as % control). During both Limagrain and DL trials, this extremely high yield potential has been delivered consistently over the last few, very different and challenging seasons, which is an important and valuable attribute for a spring bean – and one that growers look for on farm. However, it’s not just about high yields, this need to be backed up by solid agronomics and traits, and we are delighted that LG Eagle offers all of these. It is one of the earliest varieties on the DL to mature, is not too tall, stands well and offers a good disease package, including rust.

LG Eagle is suitable for human consumption, fish feed and animal protein markets, offering a range of marketing opportunities. Its consistent yields and disease resistance package means it will be taking a big bite into the spring bean acreage by 2026.

Combining Pea LG Corvet joins the DL as a high yielding, (111% of control), early maturing, relatively short variety. Alongside these attributes, LG Corvet also has very good standing ability, which is an important trait for ease of combining and protecting precious yield.

Poor standing ability can often be a barrier to growing peas. LG Corvet offers an exceptional downy mildew resistance rating of 8 – the result of a concerted focus from Limagrain on breeding for resistance against this devastating disease in peas.The variety holds one of the highest dry protein content percentages at 22.2%.

Success on the 2024/25 PGRO Descriptive List emphasises breeder’s commitment to pulses

The addition of the joint highest yielding spring bean variety LG Eagle and combining pea LG Corvet to the 2024/25PGRO Descriptive List from Limagrain Field Seeds, demonstrates the breeder’s continuing commitment to pulses.

LG Eagle joins the 2024/25 PGRO Descriptive List as the joint highest yielding spring bean at 110% yield (as % control).

“During both Limagrain and DL trials, this extremely high yield potential has been delivered consistently over the last few very different and challenging seasons which is an important and valuable attribute for a spring bean – and one that growers look for on farm,” says Heather Oldfield, UK cereals and pulses product manager for Limagrain Field Seeds.

“However, it’s not just about high yields, these need to be backed up by solid agronomics and traits, and we are delighted that LG Eagle offers all of these,” she adds.

“It is one of the earliest varieties on the DL to mature, is not too tall, stands well and offers a good disease package including rust.”

LG Eagle is suitable for human consumption, fish feed and animal protein markets offering a range of marketing opportunities.

Heather Oldfield

With limited seed availability for 2025, Heather believes LG Eagle’s consistent yields and disease resistance package mean it will be taking a big bite into the spring bean acreage by 2026.

Combing Pea LG Corvet  joins the DL offering a high yielding, (111% of control), early maturing, relatively short variety.

“Alongside these attributes, LG Corvet also has a very good standing ability, which is an important attribute for ease of combining and protecting precious yield. Poor standing ability can  often be barrier to growing peas,” says Heather.

“LG Corvet offers an exceptional downey mildew resistance rating of 8 – the result of a concerted focus from Limagrain on breeding for resistance against this devastating disease in peas,” she notes.

The variety holds one of the highest dry protein percentages at 22.2%.

To meet the growing demand for pulses, Heather highlights the hard work being done by the Limagrain pulse breeding team to enhance the major traits in their varieties and introduce new ones using routine diagnostic marker assisted selection (MAS).

She explains this is being done at a high-tech facility in the Netherlands which allows the breeders to undertake rapid generation cycling.

“Target traits sought for peas include reliable yields with consistently high protein levels, resistance to lodging, and tolerance and resistance to diseases, the results of which we are seeing in LG Corvet.

“Cold tolerance without damaging the protein percentage is also an important trait for growing in more northerly climates,” adds Heather.

“The new varieties are then put into schemes for extensive testing in both the UK and Europe. Our testing builds a comprehensive data set and highlights which varieties are adapted to multiple environments, so we can identify the best high quality, stable varieties,” she continues, adding that these extended trials also build understanding of optimum drill timings.

“We also continue to work closely with key stakeholders in the marketplace to develop varieties fit for future purpose for UK growers.”

Expanding the yellow pea market
Yellow peas have historically been only a small proportion of the UK pulses market but are grown much more widely in Canada and France. Originally, only grown as a niche product for animal feed, they now command a premium for bird food and human consumption markets.

The area of yellow peas has been increasing steadily in the UK over the past decade. Justin Barrett, from Askew and Barrett (Pulses) Ltd, explains “we are finding that yellow peas have a higher yield than large blue and marrowfat types. They are also flexible, as they are used in a number of processes including for fractionation, pea flour and split peas used for soups, stews and casseroles”.

Limagrain’s first yellow pea in the UK, LG Ajax, was first listed in 2022 and was followed by LG Corvet. Both of these varieties have a step up in disease resistance over other types, especially against powdery and downy mildew.

“One of the major benefits of yellow peas for growers, is there is no risk of bleaching during growing and harvesting and they are usually the first of the dry peas to be combined. I expect the market to continue to increase for yellow peas” says Justin.

Peas perform in dry conditions
Lincolnshire grower Edward Knight of James Knight Farms near Folkingham, Sleaford, Lincolnshire, was very pleased with how well the large blue pea LG Aviator coped with the challenging dry conditions of 2022.

“They stood up nicely to combine and yielded 3.7t/ha,” he says.

“This is the first year we have grown LG Aviator peas, which will go to Limagrain UK for seed”.

“We are impressed with LG Aviator as a variety – it’s clean, vigorous and with the dry conditions we didn’t have to spend too much on it. We also bale the straw as the cattle like pea straw, so it’s a good value crop for us.”

Direct drilling peas

“We have grown pulses on and off for the last fifteen years, depending on where they fit in the rotation. We work the soil in the autumn with a Sumo trio, and then drill in the spring once soils have warmed up enough. For the first time, we direct drilled the peas using a Mzuri in an attempt to conserve as much soil moisture as possible – which worked well.”

Importance of disease resistance

Product_Category_Pulses_Will Pillinger_Pulses BreedingAt a time when farmers are looking carefully at crop inputs, a variety like LG Aviator should provide some much needed varietal security as it offers the best disease resistance package of any large blue pea variety, including powdery mildew resistance,” says Corrie Dekker, Assistant Pulse Breeder for Limagrain UK.

“The variety also exhibits a unique architecture with most of the pods near the top of the plant, which keeps them off the ground and makes for easier combining.”

For these reasons, Ms Dekker believes that LG Aviator will feature in generations to come and is why it has been significantly taken up by the industry.

Farm facts

JK Farms
Family Farm & Contracting
Rotation
Peas/Beans
Wheat
Wheat/Spring Barley
Linseed
Wheat
Wheat/Spring Barley
OSR

LG Aviator peas in summary

 

You can download the technical data sheet for LG Aviator peas here

YEN Innovation Award winner
This year, to mark 10 years of the Yield Enhancement Network (YEN), a new Innovation Award has been commissioned which was presented at the YEN conference on 24th January. The award is for an outstanding contribution to on-farm innovation and has been sponsored by Limagrain.

“Limagrain has been an active supporter of YEN since its inception so it seems only fitting that we sponsored the Innovation Award for the 10th anniversary conference,” says Limagrain’s Arable Marketing Manager, Will Charlton.

“As a company that invests in UK based breeding activities for all major arable crops, innovation is a core value of our business. Alongside bringing new varieties to market, we invest a considerable amount of time and money in examining how our varieties perform in different farming systems. Over the years YEN has been invaluable in helping us facilitate this work by providing a structure and detailed analysis to aid Limagrain’s collaborations with innovative farmers across the country.”

The standard of nominations was exceptionally high with all the farmers demonstrating a passion for progress, learning and collaboration. However, there could only be one winner. The award was presented by Limagrain’s Arable Technical Specialist, Liam Wilkinson. 

Liam Wilkinson and Russ McKenzie

“I’m delighted to announce that Russ McKenzie, farm manager of DJ Tebbit and John Sheard Farms, has won the YEN innovation Award. Russ has demonstrated his commitment to YEN by being one of the few farmers to provide an entry every year since YEN began.

In particular, the judges were impressed by his recent on farm trials work which has sought to investigate fungicide, nutrition and variety interactions under his own establishment system, utilising the latest digital and molecular diagnostics, alongside a trials plot combine to analyse the results. The complexity of his trials required dedication and a significant time commitment throughout a busy growing season. The data generated has provided valuable insights into how different inputs interact and influence a farming system.”