Click to download the brand new guide!

The recent exceptionally dry seasons have challenged maize growers, with moisture stress affecting crop development and reducing yields. As a result, demand for forage maize is expected to remain strong, as dairy and livestock producers seek to rebuild silage reserves.

Continued expansion of the anaerobic digestion sector is also expected to support further market growth.

Improved genetics and earlier-maturing varieties are enabling successful maize production in more northern and marginal growing regions than ever before. Grain maize also presents increasing opportunities for arable growers, offering improved profitability, rotational benefits and greater cropping flexibility.

The independent five-year data featured in this LG Maize Guide highlights varieties that deliver consistent performance across a wide range of growing conditions and seasons. Key agronomic characteristics are included, such as rapid early vigour, which helps crops make the most of available soil moisture, establish strong root systems and achieve early canopy cover to maximise yield potential. By using the LG Maize Guide, growers can reduce risk, optimise variety selection and fully benefit from the advances in maize genetics.

The UK is not alone in experiencing weather extremes, with drought affecting many maize-growing regions across Europe. This has inevitably impacted maize seed production for all breeders, resulting in some supply challenges. We therefore encourage growers to discuss variety requirements and availability as early as possible to secure their preferred choice.

We wish you a successful and productive growing season!

Download the Limagrain Maize guide today.

For tips on how to get the best out of the brand new maize guide, you can watch Tim and Richard over on our YouTube channel!

Oilseed rape looks set to be Lincolnshire grower Ben Jackson’s most profitable crop this year, but he’s avoiding any knee-jerk reaction to increase his area for 2027.

Success in recent years has come from a more considered approach, with the crop grown no more than one year in five across the rotation, taking its place alongside first wheats, barley, legumes, linseed and maize.

Also underpinning rape’s upturn in fortunes on the farm has been a fresh look at establishment, which includes a firm philosophy to drill according to conditions and not date, along with a commitment to hybrid varieties.

“We’re taking a long term view with our cropping, and that includes oilseed rape,” says Mr Jackson. “Reducing its frequency in the rotation has certainly helped us to achieve better and more consistent performance, particularly in combatting flea beetle, as has being more selective about the fields used to grow it each year.

“We still don’t know enough about how far the beetle will migrate within a farm, so maximising the distance between previous rape crops and new drilling is an additional safeguard that we’re taking.”

Mr Jackson’s approach reflects several of the management principles promoted by the OSR Reboot Programme, including special separation and careful field selection, hybrid variety choice, and establishment based on conditions rather than calendar date.

From a base at Low Farm, Somerby, J.J. Jackson Ltd grew 480ha of oilseed rape for a 2026 harvest that spanned 11^th to 17^th July. Split mainly between the Limagrain Field Seeds hybrid varieties Attica, LG Adapt and LG Avenger, the crop achieved an average yield of 4.5t/ha, at 7.5% moisture and with an oil content of 45.5%.

“We’re very happy with the outcome,” says Mr Jackson, “with these yields well above the norm for us. We’re really seeing the value of hybrid vigour in these varieties, and will continue with broadly the same acreage and with the refined growing methodology that we’ve developed in recent years.”

Patience at drilling time is one of the key points, with nothing going into the ground until both moisture and soil temperatures are optimal, and there is greater accuracy in the use of a Sumo LDS that places the seed alongside liquid fertiliser.

“I’d rather wait until September than go earlier in the wrong conditions,” he adds. “Hybrid vigour is a big benefit here, as the crop requires less time, so there is no real pressure to drill early.

“We’re using a lower seed rate too, to give these more vigorous plants the space to grow.

“The important thing is to be ready to go as soon as conditions come right, so that we achieve the rapid establishment that will allow the crop to put its roots down and grow away from the flea beetle threat.”

Pre- and post-emergence herbicides are important, and some blackgrass control is incorporated into what is a largely standard inputs programme. Much of the land benefits from farmyard manure, so spring fertiliser tends to focus on nitrogen and sulphur, split over three applications, with P and K applied only where needed.

“We’re looking for the crop to kick on again in the spring, and the hybrid varieties do just that, developing a thick stem within robust and resilient plants,” says Mr Jackson.

“Harvest has been earlier this year, for all crops, but this has certainly not been to the detriment of the oilseed rape.”

With high quality oilseeds safely in store, it’s now about applying discipline in relation to next year’s crop, maintaining a sustainable acreage in the rotation, waiting for optimum conditions, and continuing to draw on the latest hybrid breeding technology.

A strong harvest performance from Ambassador and LG Armada oilseed rape varieties, has given Sherborne, Dorset grower, Tom Matthews of Marston Agriculture, plenty of confidence to put Limagrain OSR back in the ground next season.

Harvested on 9^th July, Tom’s two crops averaged a yield of 4.75 t/ha over the weighbridge, with his best field of Ambassador reaching an impressive 5.39 t/ha.

For Tom, Ambassador’s performance comes as very little surprise, having previously been impressed by the variety’s pod shatter resistance, alongside Limagrain’s track record for reliable, high-yielding OSR varieties.

“Five years ago, we grew a competitor variety which did not perform well,” Tom says. “LG’s pod shatter trait impressed me because it actually worked! LG always seem to have the top yielding oilseed rape varieties.”

Tom has been impressed with Limagrain’s oilseed rape varieties.

Ambassador was originally recommended by Nickerson’s southern regional manager, Fraser House, and given how highly Tom values the technical knowledge and support on offer from the Nickerson team, it was an easy choice for him.

Drilled from 9^th to 11^th September, Tom’s crops remained particularly clean throughout the season, however, considering the general unpredictability of OSR yield performance, Tom admits that the real test comes at harvest, once the combine goes into the crop.

All of Tom’s crops are grown without desiccation, and his oil content results are still awaited – although the farm has historically achieved high results, consistently exceeding 46%, and reaching a record of 49%, with Limagrain OSR varieties.

As one of the earliest harvests on record wraps up across the UK, growers turning their attention to oilseed rape drilling are being urged to hold their nerve and wait for moisture, rather than be guided by the calendar. 

The advice comes from Florentina Petrescu, oilseed rape product manager for Limagrain Field Seeds UK who says the hot, dry summer has left soils critically short of the moisture needed to establish a crop successfully. 

“There needs to be a decent amount of rain to restore moisture levels to where they need to be to sustain a rapidly emerging rape crop,” she says. 

Oilseed rape seed goes through a series of physiological processes during germination. Initially, the seed rapidly takes up water through imbibition, initiating germination. Continued water uptake is necessary to support further metabolic activation until germination is complete.  

“How often have we seen seed that has started to germinate, only for it to wither away through lack of soil moisture before completing emergence?” says Florentina. “This shows how sufficient moisture is needed in the soil to start the process, and then more rain following drilling, to ensure there is enough moisture for the crop to emerge.” 

Her advice is to be guided by seedbed conditions rather than the date on the calendar. 

“With not much rain in the forecast, many will be worrying about compromising establishment by holding off drilling until conditions improve. However, holding off doesn’t compromise yield,” she says.  

“It is possible to get good yields from later-drilled rape, when it is sown into the right conditions. In fact, later-sown crops can often outperform some of the earlier drilled crops.  

“Hybrid varieties will also have better vigour contributing to faster emergence and greater early biomass accumulation which results in a rapid establishment of the crop.” 

She points out crops drilled mid-September up in the Lincolnshire Wolds achieve yields of over 6t/ha, so there is definitely high yield potential for crops drilled into September in the right conditions. 

Florentina explains how strong oilseed rape yields can still be achieved from later-drilled crops when established in the right conditions.

“It is crucial to give the crop the right conditions to establish from the start, because that gives it the best chance of reaching its full yield potential. Drilling when conditions are not right means yield potential has already started to be eroded before the crop is even out of the ground.” 

That principle of waiting for the right conditions has been borne out for Rutland grower Sarah Bell, whose 17-hectare crop of LG Armada has delivered exceptional results after being drilled into a firm, moist seedbed last August after timely rain in late July into early August — proof, she says, of what a modern hybrid can achieve when conditions are favourable from drilling right through to harvest. 

The crop yielded strongly at 10% moisture, fully justifying the decision to grow it. 

“It is a strategic decision to grow oilseed rape, based on a risk-versus-reward calculation,” says Sarah, “and this year it has certainly paid off. 

“I like the Limagrain varieties because of the genetic resilience that’s been bred into them. Good disease resistance, strong vigour and good rooting are all traits that help to tip the balance a little more in the grower’s favour, so it’s an important part of the decision-making process.” 

Sarah has been impressed by the disease resistance and strong vigour of Limagrain’s oilseed rape varieties.

On the mixed farm, which runs suckler cows and sheep alongside its cropping, soils generally benefit from the legacy of farmyard manure, and the field that grew the LG Armada was in a favourable state. 

“This was a relatively light, but well-bodied site, and it had been ploughed two years earlier,” Sarah explains. “Spring barley preceded the oilseed rape, with minimal carryover risk from cover cropping, and there was plenty of moisture for early drilling. 

“We used berseem clover as a companion crop and, crucially, the rape was up and out of the ground and looking great very quickly.” 

The crop received a top dressing of 30kgN/ha in the autumn, and 190kgN/ha plus SO3 in two applications in the spring, with some early grass weed control. Fungicides and other inputs were kept to a bare minimum — a decision that paid off in a low disease-pressure season. 

“Our rainfall from April through to June was around 25% less than our average, and what we did have came in two heavy bursts,” Sarah adds. “The fact that the oilseed rape did so well is testament to the strength of its rooting, and the long dry spells kept any fungal disease at bay. 

“By harvest, in mid-July, the crop was seven feet tall, with stems as thick as my thumb. It has really shown what can be achieved when conditions allow full genetic potential to be realised.” 

Conditions will again determine whether winter oilseed rape goes into Sarah’s rotation for 2027, but she is content in the knowledge that — when there is moisture at drilling time and flea beetle pressure is low — she can reap the benefits of progressive plant breeding. 

With a first oilseed rape harvest in three years safely in storage, Lincolnshire grower David Bristow is pleased with the outcome and has already committed to at least maintaining his acreage for 2026-27.

Like so many growers, he was forced to take a break from the crop following years of battling flea beetle, but has been tempted back by plant breeding developments, including greater resilience to CSFB.

He has grown 52ha of LG Avenger, recording a finally verified yield of 4.04t/ha, with moisture content between 7 and 9%. Whilst being at the lower end of his mid-season expectations, he’s very satisfied, not least given the impact of the exceptionally hot and dry conditions leading up to harvest.

“We harvested the oilseed rape on the 10^th and 11^th of July, which would be a week to ten days earlier than normal for us,” he reports. “Given the rate at which the crop dried, which may have caused some issues with the desiccation, it was a relatively easy harvest.”

Farming at the 650ha Stourton Estate, on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, David is pleased to have a viable oilseed rape crop back in his rotation.

Following winter barley, the crop was drilled in the last week of August. Stubbles were cultivated with a low disturbance subsoiler before drilling with the farm’s Horsch Avatar at 2.6 kg/ha, alongside a companion crop of buckwheat (5 kg/ha) and a surface dressing of 150 kg/ha of DAP fertiliser.

LG Avenger established quickly and evenly at Stourton Estate, helping Mr Bristow achieve a successful return to oilseed rape.

Waiting for moisture before drilling paid dividends, as the LG Avenger was up and away quickly, with the drill achieving an even seed depth and excellent establishment.

An absence of the classical ‘shot-holing’ in the autumn was noted, and – as larval assessments in the spring confirmed – CSFB pressure was generally fairly low. This was despite no insecticides being used on the farm for the past six years, with a large area now under the SFI no insecticide action (CIPM4).

Nevertheless, Mr Bristow is very aware that CSFB remains a threat to oilseed rape, so has been keen to do all he can to mitigate the risks when coming back into the crop. This includes selecting LG Avenger, for it’s CSFB resilience, alongside the other management practices.

“A number of small things around establishment have added up to make a significant difference,” he says, “as has the right nutrition to boost spring growth.”

“We only applied two fungicides in the spring, and nothing last autumn, as the combination of LG Avenger’s phoma resistance and our careful disease monitoring was enough. Crops just never reached the threshold for treatment.”

Pod shatter resistance is another trait Mr Bristow has valued, especially as the tractor and trailed sprayer used for desiccation lack the ground clearance of self-propelled machines.

“LG Avenger has been a nice variety to grow, yielding well from a relatively easy harvest,” he concludes, “so we’re happy to be growing it again next year.”    

North Yorkshire farmer Paul Rogers is reporting one of his best ever oilseed rape harvests, with his 43ha crop averaging well over 5 tonnes/ha.

He points to the continuing progress in plant breeding as a major reason why he’s kept rape in his rotation for the last twenty five years, and sticks to a management philosophy that ensures he makes the most of the genetics.

“You have to be led by the conditions, and moisture in the seedbed with relatively early drilling are amongst the most critical factors,” he says. “We grow a hybrid variety, because it has the vigour to get up and out of the ground and establish quickly, which we find is the best way to combat flea beetle.”

Mr Rogers has grown Limagrain’s hybrid LG Adapt for the last two years. High ranking for yield and oil content, and suitable for all areas, the variety also has an outstanding trait package, including pod shatter resistance, strong stem health, and resistance to Phoma and Turnip Yellows Virus.

The 2026 crop followed spring barley, with the majority going in on 3^rd August and a 9ha block drilled three weeks later.

Paul has praised Limagrain’s plant breeding programme.

“We have an air seeder mounted on our Vaderstad TopDown, with a roller directly behind that helps to keep the moisture in the seedbed,” he explains. “It’s not as precise as some sowing methods, but has proven to be effective over the years.”

On land benefitting from plenty of farmyard manure in the past, the fertiliser inputs are relatively modest, with seedbed nitrogen at 75 units/ha and a 0:20:30 PK compound applied at around 115kg/ha.

“The main crop grew away really quickly, and we were concerned it might have become too big, but it sorted itself out,” recalls Mr Rogers. “The later drilled field was affected by flea beetle, so we had to spray it three times, but it came through alright.”

“By the spring we could see that the crop had real potential. We sprayed against Sclerotinia, and top-dressed with fertiliser in early March.”

Harvested on 26^th July, the earlier drilled proportion yielded 5.7t/ha, around half a tonne per hectare more than the later drilled field, with moisture content for most of the crop being under 9%.

“We’re very happy overall,” concludes Mr Rogers. “We stick to a tried and trusted method, and have great faith in the plant breeding programme, which continues to offer resilient varieties.”

Oilseed rape is expected to be one of the outstanding performers this season across Andrew Reed’s 800 hectares of mixed arable cropping, up in the north eastern corner of Northumberland, near Berwick-upon-Tweed.

He had taken the bold move of replacing previously successful Aurelia with newly recommended LG Adapt, staying true to his commitment to continually push forward with new breeding advances.

As the rape harvest concluded on 2^nd August, he was estimating a yield of close to 5.5t/ha, confident that his crop management had enabled the new hybrid to deliver fully on its genetic potential.

“We selected the variety on the basis of our agronomist’s advice and Limagrain’s trial results, with disease resistance traits as important as its yield potential,” says Mr Reed. “It has been a fantastic crop throughout, holding up to the weather conditions and delivering the kind of performance that we’d hoped for. There was a nervous period leading up to harvest, as it was a good 18 days between the desiccant going on and making the decision cut, but it looks like we were right to be patient.”

Andrew has been impressed by the consistent performance of Limagrain’s oilseed rape varieties.

Oilseed rape has long been a part of the rotation at East Anscroft Farm, typically grown one year in seven, following two wheats, two spring barleys, beans and winter barley. Seed for the 2026 crop was drilled with a seeder on the Simba SL 400, with a liquid starter fertiliser, and slug pellets applied, before firming up the seedbed with Cambridge rolls.

“This was all carried out within a tight window, between the 15^th and 20^th August,” adds Mr Reed, “and the crop got away well.”

In addition to some weed control and foliar micronutrients, an insecticide was applied in the autumn, but no fungicides were required.  In the spring, the crop received two main fungicide applications, one with additional growth regulation and foliar micronutrients at stem extension in March, and one more at flowering in late-April. Phosphate and potash was applied at variable rates in March, and the crop had a total of 245kgN/ha in three splits.

With the farm’s trailed sprayer lacking the clearance of many self-propelled machines, and much of the land being relatively exposed to the elements, seed loss around harvest is always a concern for Mr Reed, but he’s confident the variety’s strengths have paid dividends.

“The plants were well structured, rigid and hardy, and the pod shatter resistance has been effective, so we’re very happy with the outcome. We’re certainly going again with Adapt.”

This summer’s dry conditions have once again highlighted the value of grass reseeding for livestock farmers looking to improve forage production and build more resilient grazing and silage swards. New grass leys are generally better able to withstand drought stress thanks to deeper rooting systems and the absence of shallow-rooting weed grasses. As weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable, investing in high-performing grass mixtures can help improve long-term productivity and forage security. 

View Grass Reseeding as a Long-Term Investment 

While tight forage supplies may tempt some to opt for a short-term solution using Westerwold or Italian ryegrass, reseeding should be viewed as a long-term investment. While Perennial ryegrass-based mixtures may carry a higher initial cost, they typically deliver greater persistence, improved forage quality and a stronger return on investment over their lifetime. Selecting the right seed mixture can have a significant impact on productivity, grazing performance and silage quality for years to come. 

Start with Soil Fertility 

Successful reseeding starts with understanding soil fertility.  

Carrying out soil testing before sowing will identify any pH, phosphate or potash deficiencies that could limit establishment. A soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5, combined with adequate phosphate and potash levels is essential for seedling and a healthy root development. 

Soil testing before sowing is essential for seeding and healthy root development.

Create the Ideal Seedbed 

Seedbed preparation is equally important when establishing a new grass ley.  

Regardless of the cultivation method used, the aim is to create a fine, firm and level seedbed that provides excellent seed-to-soil contact. Good seedbed conditions improve germination rates, encourage even establishment and help maximise the performance of the new sward. 

Choose Proven Grass Mixtures 

Selecting the right grass seed mixture is vital for successful establishment and long-term productivity.  

Recent poor grass seed harvests across parts of Europe have increased the importance of checking that mixtures contain recommended, proven varieties.  

It is also important to choose mixtures with a proven track record in the field. While the performance of individual varieties is a key consideration, mixtures should also be trialled to ensure they deliver consistent performance when grown together.  

Crucially these trials should assess not only yield and persistence, but also forage quality, providing confidence that the mixture will support both productive grass growth and livestock performance. 

Mixtures containing a higher proportion of tetraploid ryegrasses often establish more rapidly due to their greater seed energy reserves. Farmers may also benefit from seed treatments such as Headstart Gold designed to promote early root development and improve establishment success. 

Timing and Early Management are Key 

For the best results, drill into moist soils between August and early October, depending on local conditions.  

Use soil analysis results to guide fertiliser applications and support early growth. Once the new ley is established, careful first-grazing management is essential. Early, light grazing encourages tillering and helps create a dense sward that will perform for years to come. 

Autumn grass reseeding offers an opportunity to improve forage quality, increase drought resilience and boost long-term sward performance. By focusing on soil fertility, seedbed preparation, proven grass mixtures and effective early management, farmers can maximise establishment success and secure a stronger return on their reseeding investment.  

Click here to find out more about Limagrain grass mixtures. 

Robert Mann is a business partner in R and G Mann, which farms over 450 hectares north of the river Blackwater in Essex. Operating a diverse arable rotation, the business has grown through both contract and shared locations. 

Having taken a break from growing oilseed rape as part of his rotation, Robert was advised to grow LG Academic to fill a gap in his rotation. His typical rotation consists of  wheat, barley, grass, and oilseed rape, with oilseed rape grown once every seven years.  When Robert was searching for a variety, he needed strong agronomic traits, particularly pod shatter resistance and Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV). LG Academic met these requirements, as part of its robust disease resistance package. 

Robert has been impressed with the disease resistance and yield of LG Academic

At harvest in July, LG Academic delivered a yield of 4.2t/ha, a result that impressed Robert given the challenging weather throughout the season.

“It was certainly above what I was expecting as conditions have been horrendously dry. As the crop grew, I could see it was the real deal. I believe you can always tell the quality of a crop once you’ve combined it, and the stalks were still green after harvest.”

Following the impressive yield results this season, Robert has no hesitation growing LG Academic again.

“I will certainly grow it again next season alongside a large percentage of hybrids. I was amazed at how well it produced large healthy plants.  It delivered exactly as it described; I’m quite nervous when spending money on seed due to the conditions, but we’ve more than made our money on it.” 

Winter Wheat has been a key part of the rotation at DM Sharp in Lincolnshire for several years, following root crops and providing the added benefit of helping with blackgrass. One variety in particular, LG Challenger, has delivered consistently high yields over the past two seasons despite the challenging growing conditions. 

Ben has been impressed by the performance of LG Challenger

Ben Sharp farms over 800 acres of arable land, investing heavily in rented land, meaning variety choice can have a significant impact on the business’s profitability. Having been impressed with LG Challenger’s performance last season, Ben retained some seed for this year’s rotation. 

Harvested in July, the crop delivered yields of 8.5-9.0t/ha, a strong return given the early Harvest date and the challenges caused by this summer’s drought. However, it wasn’t just the yield that impressed him.

 “The ears were fresh and clean, compared to other varieties which looked a bit browner and had smaller ears. The grain size was good, nice and even, with excellent all-round consistency. It’s a good variety that was easy to manage and didn’t struggle with disease.”

After two years of growing LG Challenger, Ben plans to make the variety his only wheat variety next season.

“I rent a lot of land, so the crop needed to deliver to pay the rent.” says Ben. “Based on its performance last year, I was confident that it would deliver high yields when I drilled it. Due to its consistent performance, LG Challenger will make up my entire wheat area next year. It’s chalk and cheese compared with other varieties.

“My livelihood depends on growing crops that perform, and this variety has certainly paid the bills.” 

Winter wheat plays an important role in Jeff Bush’s rotation, providing a reliable and consistent crop.  Jeff was looking for a variety that combined strong disease resistance with a high yield, and having been impressed with its performance in trials, he selected LG Defiance. 

With most of the farm’s grain marketed for feed, reliable and consistent crops are vital to Jeff’s farm. LG Defiance’s strong disease package and clean appearance in trial plots were among the first characteristics that caught his attention, giving him confidence ahead of drilling. 

At harvest, LG Defiance delivered yields of more than 10.25 t/ha, producing what Jeff describes as one of the best crops he has seen in recent years. However, it was not just the yield that stood out. 

“The cleanliness of the crop was what first impressed me. The trial results showed very little difference between treated and untreated plots because of its yellow rust and all-round disease resistance.”

The variety has also provided an important alternative within the farm’s wheat portfolio. While Jeff usually grows two or three varieties to spread risk, LG Defiance has quickly established itself as a key part of the rotation. 

“It gave us another strong option and put us in good stead,” he explains. “It stood very well throughout the season and performed exactly as we wanted it to.” 

Although the farm grows a considerable area of second wheat, Jeff chose to position LG Defiance in the first wheat slot, where he felt it offered a stronger package than other varieties. 

Following LG Defiance’s performance in a very difficult season, Jeff has no hesitation in growing the variety again. 

“We looked at a lot of trial sites and LG Defiance stood out as a strong variety. We didn’t see a better option. It fitted well with the way we farm, and we were able to save money on more expensive chemical products because we simply didn’t need them. It was easy to manage and delivered exactly what we were looking for.”

The value of varietal tolerance to Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) has been clear to see in trials and on-farm this season, following impressive results from the new two-row winter barley, LG Catapult.

The variety yielded close to the conventional two-row feed varieties LG Capitol and LG Caravelle in the latest AHDB harvest results, coming in at 105% of the control varieties in provisional data published in late July. The figures also show LG Catapult to be the highest yielding variety in fungicide-untreated trials at 116%.

“Although more results are still to come in, it’s clear that LG Catapult has done really well, in what has been another challenging season,” Limagrain Field Seeds arable technical manager, Ron Granger, says.

The variety’s BYDV tolerance is likely to be a significant contributory factor behind the strong performance, as the mild, wet winter of 2025/26 led to increased aphid activity, with more reports of BYDV in wheat and barley crops around the country this spring, he says.

Ron Granger says BYDV tolerance proved its value this season, helping LG Catapult maintain strong yield performance under high virus pressure.

“Issues were thought to be quite regionalised, with the southeast and west generally being the main high-pressure areas, but seeing these results, one can conclude that the pressure was higher than we thought, and possibly went unrecognised in the majority of crops grown across the UK.

“I think people underestimate the impact that BYDV can have, as you only need a small amount of virus to pull yields down,” he adds. “When you have a high pressure year for BYDV, such as 2026, the value of tolerance in a variety like LG Catapult really comes to the fore.”

Standing out from the crowd

Indeed, LG Catapult’s BYDV tolerance has been a key reason for growing the variety for Lincolnshire farmer Ben Bateman, of the 2,400 ha (6,000-acre) B Bush & Sons Ltd, near Boston.

The farm grew 130 ha of LG Catapult this season, 25 ha for seed and the remainder as a commercial crop, with pleasing results. “We tried a small area last year and could see the variety stood out as having something special,” he says.

“This year, the main block of 92 ha was near Lincoln, where we noticed that most of the other barley crops grown nearby seemed to have BYDV in the spring, whereas the LG Catapult didn’t appear to have any. That was despite no insecticides being used across any of that area, as we’re in the SFI no insecticide option.

“In this region, we used to get cold, dry winters that would kill aphids off, but that doesn’t seem to happen anymore, with mild and wet conditions increasingly becoming the norm,” he continues. “That means aphids – and the associated virus risk – are becoming a bigger threat, so if we can grow a variety that has tolerance, with no yield penalty, it’s a no-brainer. It’s another tool we can use to help de-risk the business, while reducing our environmental impact.”

Lincolnshire farmer Ben Bateman has seen first-hand the benefits of BYDV-tolerant winter barley on farm.

The farm’s main commercial crop was sown at the end of September/ first week in October, as a second cereal after wheat on average Grade 3 land, and yielded 8.6 t/ha (3.5 t/acre) this harvest, with a good grain sample. That was a decent result for that land given the lack of rainfall, Mr Bateman says.

“If we’d have grown a second wheat there instead, it would have probably died off prematurely and not produced a very high specific weight given the conditions. But, because winter barley is naturally that bit earlier maturing, it didn’t seem to be as badly affected by the lack of rain.

“With spring barley becoming more risky in dry springs, it makes sense for us to go for a high-yielding winter barley instead, especially if there’s a local demand for it nearby, as we have here.”

The farm also grew a small area (14 ha) of RL Candidate BYDV-tolerant variety, LG Caprice, which Mr Bateman was similarly impressed with after yields nudged 10 t/ha (more than 4 t/acre).

Given the performance of BYDV tolerant varieties on the farm this year, Mr Bateman sees the value of this genetic trait and plans to continue growing BYDV tolerant varieties next season.

Mr Granger says LG Catapult’s performance is proof that BYDV tolerance can be introduced into new two-row varieties, with no yield penalty, which combined with good agronomics, strong all-round disease resistance, and a good specific weight, makes it a solid option for growers this coming autumn.

He suggests BYDV tolerance could soon become a standard feature of all UK winter barley varieties, as it is in France, where it is fully endorsed as a valuable genetic tool for securing final yield potential on-farm.

“For BYDV tolerant varieties to be successful, they have to be commercially viable and competitive with the leading two and six row varieties presently in the market; LG Catapult does that, and has the right attributes to make real inroads into the winter barley sector.”

• LG Catapult

  – New 2-row winter barley
  – Combines BYDV tolerance with high yield potential
  – One of the highest untreated yields on the Recommended List (90%)
  – Strong all-round disease resistance (especially brown rust and mildew)
  – Good specific weight (70.7 kg/hl) and straw strength
  – Consistent performance, even in seasons without BYDV
  – Relatively early maturity (similar to LG Caravelle)
  – Suits a range of soil types, but prefers heavier soils