Recommended Lists launch delivering over 40 new varieties
2nd December 2024
AHDB has just announced the launch of the online edition of the Recommended Lists for cereals and oilseeds (RL) 2025/26.
The board said that the lists deliver “exciting mainstream” and niche varieties that will help the cereal and oilseeds sectors cope with uncertainty when deciding what to plant to cope with potential problems, such as pest and disease threats.
The latest edition of the variety guidance for farmers includes several eye-catching additions that will have wide appeal, as well as new varieties that target regional and niche situations.
For the second year running, a new UKFM Group 1 variety has been added to the winter wheat recommended list. The inclusion of two new high-yielding UKFM Group 3 winter wheat varieties may help reverse the fortunes of this market segment.
Most new additions to the winter oilseed rape list have regional recommendations, which reflect the greater regional variation in performance in this crop, compared with cereals.
Choice for growers’ needs
Following feedback from the latest RL review, the lists also continue to adapt. This includes several changes to the recommendation processes, such as the introduction of new target specifications for diseases across all crops and increased importance for untreated yield, AHDB confirmed.
The new lists also see a big influx of varieties with a specific recommendation for resistance or tolerance to Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV), featuring five new winter barley varieties and one new winter wheat variety with this characteristic.
The spring barley list includes disease resistance ratings for net blotch for the first time.
Paul Gosling, who manages the RL at AHDB, said: “Farmers want robust varieties that help de-risk their businesses. Breeders work hard to deliver new varieties to satisfy this demand.
“When coupled with the changes to the recommendation processes, the lists now feature varieties that deliver more diverse and stronger genetics. It is no longer about dirty, barn-filling varieties dominating the lists. It is about providing choice that meets the needs of the RL’s diverse users.”
The online RL 2025/26 tables and comments on all new varieties can be accessed here.
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