Spring barley will always be a preferred spring crop for many growers, as it is an established crop of the rotation and offers wide flexibility over sowing date, and generally delivers an economical return on investment.

Although contracts for malting barley may be restricted this season, there will still be contracts offered, so it’s worth asking around in your vicinity or directly with your buying groups to see what’s available.

If malting contracts are not available, I would suggest that you have two options – firstly grow a dual use malting variety that the industry recognises, which may offer an opportunity if a demand becomes available for malting crops, after harvest 2026.

Or secondly, grow for out and out high yield potential, as this may give you a better return on investment, not only from the grain tonnage but more importantly from the straw, as there is a definite shortage of straw due to the testing season of 2025.

Limagrain’s work suggests that keeping and maintaining tiller number is essential for both grain and straw yield and this can be done in a number of ways. An earlier drilling date in a good seedbed with rising soil and air temperatures is always beneficial for any spring crop – the earlier you can get a crop established the better the opportunity for a crop to ride the stress of a dry spring, from better rooting and tiller number.

Nitrogen inputs and timing are certainly very important along with macro and micronutrients – these are key inputs to get the crop established and maintain tiller numbers for achieving final high yield potential. It’s important that spring crops are not limited for nutrient recourses, as a halt in plant growth usually results in a drop in yield potential.

Importantly, spring barley has proved itself as the ‘go to’ crop to use when blackgrass has become an issue on farm; certainly in the southeast of England, on many farms, it has now become the tool of choice along with other factors to help control blackgrass populations. In this scenario spring barley is usually drilled later to allow for either delayed cultivations, or herbicide control and in many cases, these are used jointly to ensure a reduced blackgrass population.

Drilling later has its dangers, especially around the erratic seasons we now appear to have, but generally seed rates need to be raised once you get past the end of March to compensate for the lack of time for tillering – basically your increasing tiller number per square meter by increasing seed rate with late sowings, to ensure maximum tiller number is achievable for maximum yield potential.

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.”

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:

• Wheat: LG Typhoon, LG Redwald, LG Beowulf, Champion, KWS Extase, KWS Dawsum
• Winter barley: KWS Tardis, LG Caravelle
• Spring barley: LG Aquarius
• OSR: Campus
• Spring oats: WPB Isabel
• Three-way wheat blend trial of LG Redwald, Champion, and KWS Dawsum
• Wildfarmed blend of spring wheat, and Laureate spring barley
• One variety each of beans, mustard and vining peas

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.”

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.

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.

LG has a range of summer open days across the UK, to present their demo trials, alongside Limagrain’s technical experts who will be providing all the latest information on new & existing varieties.

As well as the LG experts, each event will feature industry experts from within the agricultural sector, providing technical information on an array of topics such as fertiliser & micronutrients, agrochemicals, SFI’s and more. On top of this, we will again be running the Moisture Meter Clinic, which has been a farmer favourite in past years.

LG’s Summer Demos will have a wide assortment of winter wheat varieties to show, including Limagrain’s No.1 highest yielding variety; LG Beowulf, and a taste of Limagrain’s up and coming RL Candidates and NL2 offerings.

Alongside this, they will also be displaying commercial competitor varieties, with both untreated and treated plots.

Rothwell and Woolpit will be showing all varieties in the Limagrain winter barley portfolio, including the 2 highest yielding; LG Caravelle & LG Capitol, plus exciting new BYDV tolerant RL Candidate, LG Carpenter.

Register now…

     —->     Tues 9th July – Rothwell, Lincolnshire

     —->     Weds 17th July – Perth, Perthshire

BASIS/NRoSO points will be available for each Demo Day.

If you are thinking of growing an LG variety, have an interest in learning more, or have any questions for our experts, Register Now for one of our Demo Days.

Our malting barley laboratory at Rothwell in Lincolnshire has been upgraded to increase testing capability for the early screening of new varieties, from 1000 to 4000 samples a year, for both the UK and European markets.

“This will allow us to use the data generated more efficiently to enable more accurate genomic selection, to better predict the malting potential and quality of the next generation of malting barleys,” says Sophie Buon, barley breeder.

“This new approach will test varieties under different micro-malting regimes, that require less water and less steeping – and in response to end user requirements, do this in the most carbon neutral way possible.”

“We hope that the new facility will encourage end-users to visit and see for themselves, the extensive work that we are doing to breed new and exciting malting barley varieties, that meet all of today and tomorrows market requirements.”

Five priorities when choosing a spring barley variety

Spring barley is an important rotational option on many farms, and more growers may be looking to the crop in 2024 as exceptionally wet autumn weather has disrupted winter cropping plans.

But, whether the decision to grow spring barley is planned or unplanned, There are some key factors to consider says Limagrain UK arable technical manager, Ron Granger.

Market requirements

Start by fully understanding your grain buyer’s requirements in terms of variety and grain quality, especially when looking to supply premium brewing or distilling markets.

In some instances, contract specifications will dictate the variety that must be grown to supply a particular market, and criteria such as grain nitrogen content, will have an important impact on agronomic decisions and crop inputs throughout the season.

Dual use potential

Where variety choice is not dictated by the end user, growers have flexibility to select one that suits their requirements, growing conditions and farm situation.

Mr Granger recommends considering a dual use variety such as LG Diablo, which combines decent yield performance, with multiple end market opportunities, offering an advantage over many varieties now listed.

Vigour and tillering capacity

LG Diablo offers excellent spring vigour and high tillering capacity, which is a valuable trait in spring barley given the relatively short growing period.

The best way to maximise spring barley yield potential is to ensure high final ear counts. An 8-9 t/ha crop needs around 800 ears/m², which at a 350 seeds/m² rate, equates to around 2.5-3 tillers per plant at harvest.

Choosing a more vigorous tillering variety will help, as it will give some reassurance that the optimum tiller count will be reached.

Where spring barley is being used in a black-grass situation, it is important that a vigorous, high tillering variety is selected, as a high tiller number must be ensured for the variety to compete.

Spring barley is a fast-growing crop and if key nutrients are deficient at any time, yield potential will be affected.

Limagrain trials show that higher yielding varieties respond positively to higher nitrogen inputs, due to their increased yield potential and,more importantly, a dilution of grain nitrogen content.

Phosphate, potash, magnesium and sulphur, have proven beneficial to tiller retention and final yield, while micronutrients, including manganese, zinc, copper, iron, and boron, applied at the stem extension phase into flowering, are also useful.

Disease resistance

Strong disease resistance is an important characteristic to look for in any variety, and spring barley is no exception, with mildew, rhynchosporium, and brown rust being the main considerations, says Mr Granger.

Early drilling can significantly increase disease risk, so it may be particularly important to consider more disease resistant varieties for this situation.

Resistance to lodging/brackling

Choosing a variety with good straw characteristics, is key to protecting yield and grain quality at harvest and potentially offers another significant output from the crop.

While a variety’s RL ratings for lodging and brackling provide a useful indication, it is also important to recognise the role that agronomic decisions play, notably around seed rate, nutrition, and the use/timing of growth regulators.

The June 2023 issue of LG GatePost is now available to download.

This edition features articles about our newest wheat addition to the 2023-24 AHDB Recommended List, LG Redwald, as well as LG Caravelle, our excellent 2-row winter feed barley.

You can read about and view our Live Panel event which was a round table discussion on Varieties, Soils and Policy with industry experts.

We discuss the new Sustainable Farming Incentives and the new ‘actions’ involved, with an article about why to consider establishing a legume fallow.

There is also information about our upcoming Demo Days and a link to register.

Download the June edition here, and don’t forget to claim your BASIS and/or NRoSO points for reading it.

LG GatePost – June 2023

Limagrain’s newest wheat addition to the 2023-24 AHDB Recommended List, LG Redwald, follows in the footsteps of LG Skyscraper as the highest yielding feed wheat with a UK treated yield of 107% – sitting at 107% in the east and an impressive 109% in the west.

LG Redwald has shown this high yield consistency across regions and very testing seasons of weather. Its high untreated yield of 92% reflects its very good disease resistance, especially for Septoria tritici.

How to get the best out of LG Redwald

1. Adjust Seed Rates – LG Redwald is a high tillering, big biomass plant type, so consider a lower seed rate. Limagrain trials over several seasons show that reducing the seed rate by 20% had no effect on overall yield performance, with better lodging resistance.

2. Straw Strength – LG Redwald is a taller variety (94cm) with a big biomass, so a well targeted, robust, split PGR programme is recommended. If the desired early split timings are not achieved, then the inclusion of a late PGR (Cerone or Terpal) is advised.

3. Drilling Date – Do not drill LG Redwald too early, as it does not have the characteristics associated for the early drilling situation. It suits the standard drilling window of mid-October onwards and can be drilled to the end of January. For growers in the north, the drilling date can be pulled back to the beginning of October.

4. Soil Type – LG Redwald benefits from being grown on water retentive soil types; not lighter soil types associated with drought situations. Reduce seed rates and implement a good PGR programme for heavier/ fertile soils.

5. Rotational Position – LG Redwald performs well as a 1st or 2nd wheat. Sitting as the highest yielding wheat (109%) in a 2nd wheat situation, it is a valuable variety to improve gross margins in this challenging situation. It has good tolerance to take-all, but a low rating for eyespot and should be treated accordingly.

6. Fungicide Programme – LG Redwald has good disease resistance for Septoria tritici, and both Rusts – we advise that all crops should be monitored and treated accordingly.

Whilst trials show that a robust on-farm fungicide strategy should be implemented, a T0 spray may not be required, depending on disease pressure. However, a robust T3 fungicide is important for protection against Fusarium, and as it is a later maturing variety, there are benefits from maintaining green leaf canopy to maximise grain fill.

7. Insecticide – LG Redwald has OWBM resistance.

Download the latest edition of LG GatePost here

On 21st March, LG’s Ron Granger and Tom Barker were joined by industry experts, Tim Parton (Farm Manager, Staffordshire) and Susan Twining (CLA Advisor) for a live Q&A round table discussion on Varieties, Soils & Policy.

Key Questions raised…

1. Do you still think yield is king? Are breeders, such as Limagrain, breeding varieties specifically for a regen system?

RON GRANGER: “Yield will always be important because farmers have to make an income. But the key issue going forward is around yield security, especially with our changing climate. For example, the capability of a plant to withstand spring droughts is now becoming an increasingly important factor.”

“Robust disease resistance also has a key part to play – we are currently seeing the fruition of stacking genes in both Septoria and rust resistances. Resistance to pests is also key.”

“Most growers have been adopting some form of regenerative practise for the last 5 years, so we are in a position where growers are able to tell us, as breeders, what they want from varieties to suit a regen system for the future.”

“Generally, varieties for regen have been chosen from the present AHDB RL – which is not a problem. However, as breeders, we can look at the germplasm in our programme and identify varieties that will better suit a direct drilling, wide-row situation.”

2. What type or size of crop rotation is likely to be needed to sustain regenerative farming? Do you use companion cropping?

TIM PARTON: “I try to extend my rotation as much as possible and split spring to winter cropping by 50:50, to allow for as much cover cropping as possible. It’s the cover cropping that is key to the system and this brings in the variety of plants above and roots below the soil.”

“Companion cropping is important, particularly in OSR, where I grow white, berseem and crimson clover in the crop, to take it through. Nature doesn’t monocrop and plant diversity is key.”

3. Should regen ag be certified?

SUSAN TWINING: “At the CLA , we have looked closely at this, and decided that it is not something that we would advocate for at this stage, if ever. Regen farming is about a set of principles which allows for flexibility, depending on the farming situation etc. In certifying this, it would become a tick box exercise – which makes it a completely different concept.”

“ELMS offer a good suite of options to reward farmers for good practise. We already have the Soils SFI, the IPM, and Nutrient Management SFI’s coming out later this year.”

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In the spring, Limagrain took a group of UK growers to Denmark, to look at regenerative and conservation agricultural practices.

After two full days of visiting farms, agronomy companies and a plant breeder, there was some very interesting and surprising feedback:

GEORGE ATKINSON, LINCOLNSHIRE: “It’s been fascinating to see all the different farming systems, and also learn about Danish policies that contradict themselves. I was expecting to come and see the future, but some of the growers are where we were 15 to 20 years ago.”

AL BROOKS, HAMPSHIRE: “I came here with a preconceived idea that we were going to learn something from the Danes in terms of their view towards conservation and regenerative agriculture. I was stunned by the amount of red tape they are subjected to. They are constricted in the industry and don’t have the voice with government.”

TIM PARTON, STAFFORDSHIRE: “I think the government advisors in Denmark need to take a real hard look at what they are trying to achieve, and what their directives are. They are so restrictive; they are missing out on the big benefits they could be getting from regenerative and conservation agriculture. They need to help their farmers more, rather than restrict them.”

“Discovering that UK farming practice with regards to conservation agriculture or regen is ahead of Denmark, was a surprise to many on the trip, and a real positive take home message for the UK.

It’s very noticeable that plant breeding is paramount to the future direction of agriculture, as practices move towards lower input and better disease resistances. Limagrain look forward to sharing what we do with growers from the UK and abroad,” says Tom Barker of Limagrain, who hosted the trip.

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