12th September 2022

Breeding success for OSR and barley varieties offering valuable traits and marketing potential

Hybrid oilseed rape variety Architect offers a step-up in yields for varieties that also carry TuYV resistance, and has been added as a special variety.

Spring barley LG Diablo gains recommendation as the highest yielding spring barley variety that performs particularly well in the north and east, and is under test for brewing and malt distilling.

LG Tomahawk is a second spring barley from the Limagrain stable that gains recommendation. Under test for malt distilling, LG Tomahawk also offers very high yields in the north and east.

OSR

In the UK Architect produces a gross output 102% over control, which is comparable with other non-TuYV resistant varieties. Gross output in the east/west is also at 102%, whilst in the north gross output is slightly lower at 99%.

This high gross output and yield potential has been reproduced in Limagrain’s own trials across the UK and Europe, showing just how resilient the variety is across a wide geographic area.

“This is a significant step-up in yields since the launch of our first TuYV resistant variety, Amalie in 2015, and shows the success of our breeding approach which aims to maximise yield potential while ensuring yield stability, “says Dr Vasilis Gegas, senior oilseed rape breeder for Limagrain.

“We have worked on reducing yield instability and protecting yield potential, by building traits into our varieties that help to mitigate the impact of environmental and other stresses.”

In trials carried out in 2015 & 2016 by Limagrain across Europe we have been able to show that when compared with non-resistant control varieties, the yield of Architect increases as the TUYV infection levels rise, giving an 11% yield advantage at very high infection level sites.

Architect offers a range of agronomic characters that will make it a firm favourite on farm such as good resistance to light leaf spot (6), stiff straw (8) and early maturity (6).

 

Architect also offers the genetic trait of pod shatter resistance which provides growers with the ability to dramatically cut seed losses both before and during harvest, resulting in higher yields and reducing volunteer pressure.

Architect has shown itself to be a very vigorous and winter hardy variety. “In Limagrain trials conducted in Poland and Germany in 2016, Architect showed the lowest levels of frost damage of 26 OSR varieties.”

Spring Barleys

LG Diablo is a new non-GN variety which is the highest yielding spring barley on the AHDB Recommended List 2018/19. Currently the variety is under test for brewing and malt distilling which makes it an interesting prospect for both growers and end-users.

This high yield has been shown in national list trials to be consistent over seasons and regions, in both treated and untreated trials, says Les Daubney, Cereal product manager.

LG Diablo has very good mildew resistance rating (9) with a similar rating for Rhynchosporium as Propino. LG Diablo is a moderately short-strawed variety with good resistance to lodging and brackling. It is similar in maturity to Laureate.

LG Tomahawk is also a high yielding non-GN barley, that has been fully recommended. Currently under test for malt distilling, LG Tomahawk offers yields better or comparable to the current malt distilling market leader.

The variety benefits from a very good disease resistance package combined with short, stiff straw and excellent grain quality attributes. Of particular mention is the variety’s very good resistance to mildew (9) and a good resistance to Rhynchosporium.

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