Each variety offers UK growers a very different set of agronomic characteristics for on-farm positioning and performance, explains Limagrain UK’s arable technical manager, Ron Granger.
“LG Farrier (Evolution x Costello) sits at 105% of treated yield control, alongside competitors from DSV and KWS. This year will be the one that separates them and shows who is top dog for yield.”
“LG Farrier possesses a strong agronomic package with 7 for mildew, 9 for yellow rust, 8 for brown rust, and 5 for Septoria tritici. The grain quality is excellent too, with a specific weight of 78.9 kg/hl, along with a Hagberg of 279.”
Mr Granger points out that these characteristics are one of the main reasons that its parent ‘Costello’, was recommended and successful for so long.
“LG Farrier is of medium height and medium maturity. It moves very fast in the spring (similar to LG Skyscraper), so will need to be watched regarding PGR timings,” he adds.
“LG Typhoon (LG Garrus x LGW88), has a lower yield and specific weight than LG Farrier, but has agronomics that will offer growers more on-farm security, including 7 for mildew, 9 for yellow rust, 7 for brown rust, 8 for Septoria tritici and OWBM resistance,” says Mr Granger.
“LG Typhoon has produced high yields in the testing environments of the west and north. This will be of interest to growers in those areas looking for security, based around a safe agronomic and disease package, and agronomic attributes desirable for the earlier drilling situation.”
Tom Barker, Limagrain UK’s cereals & pulses product manager, notes that it has been a few years since Limagrain had Group 4 hard wheats on the AHDB Recommended List, with the last two varieties being Evolution (2014) and Stigg (2011). Group 4 hard wheats accounted for around 30% of the UK market in 2021.
“The addition of LG Farrier and LG Typhoon on the Candidate List, follows on from the success of having four Group 3 soft wheats added to the Recommended List in 2021/22.”
“This is a very exciting time for the Limagrain UK wheat breeding team, based at Woolpit in Suffolk. With a full-strength team, new personnel in place, and the development of exciting new varieties in the pipeline, the future looks extremely bright.”
