At this yearâs Cereals event Limagrain will have a range of cereal, oilseed rape and pulse varieties in plots for visitors to see first-hand how new and established varieties have performed under this seasonâs challenging growing conditions.
Plant establishment: Visitors to the stand will be able to look at the effect of thousand grain weight (TGW) in relation to size of seed in order to get the optimum plant population. Two plots of Horatio were drilled using the same weight of seed per plot. However one is using seed from 2011 harvest with a higher TGW of 60g and the other using smaller seed from 2012 with a TGW of 43g.
âWhat the effect is on plant populations and overall establishment will be up for discussion in June. The plots will clearly illustrate the importance of sowing by seed number rather than weight, so do come along and have a look,â says Michael Fletcher of Limagrain.
Biofumigation: Getting the best from non-chemical pest control through the use of biofumigants is also a focus on the stand. âInvolving the incorporation of fresh green cover crops into the soil that releases chemical substances known as isothiocyanates (ITC), bio fumigation offers a natural way of controlling soil borne diseases such as Fusarium, Pythium, Rhizoctonia and soil borne pests, and should be of real interest this season,â he adds. âWe have drilled a mix containing white mustard, oilseed radish and cappuccino- this blend is the most beneficial as it creates a wider ITC spectrum. Additional information on the benefits of this approach and agronomy tips will be available during Cereals.â
The variety plots
Leading wheat varieties: Up for recommendation this year, Limagrain has the highest yielding hard Group 4 wheat, Evolution, Panacea the highest yielding soft Group 4 and Zulu the highest yielding Group 3. Established Group one varieties such as Crusoe as well as other market leading varieties such as Edgar, Horatio, Solstice, Myriad and Revelation will also be on the stand.
Barley: With resurgence in spring barley and the demand for universal non-GN varieties, Concerto is now a firmly established market leader. This variety and its âsonsâ Odyssey, Overture and Chronicle are all in plots this year.
Is there a role for winter barley in the rotation? Most definitely yes, but with varieties that are high yielding and have robust disease resistance ratings. Up for recommendation this autumn from Limagrain, new feed varieties Cadillac, and Cavalier offer growers just this, and are particularly suited to the west. Harlequin is more suited to the north with its early maturity and high yields.
Oilseed rape: Anastasia tops the HGCA northern Recommended List with its excellent gross output potential combined with stiff stems and good lodging resistance making it a variety suitable to be grown north of the Humber Bridge not just Scotch corner!
Ventura is a new conventional, open pollinated variety to be considered for addition to the Recommended List this autumn from Limagrain. Ventura has a high gross output potential with good lodging resistance and top ratings to both light leaf spot and stem canker. Certainly one to watch.