Two new high-yielding quality wheats from KWS, along with a two-row winter barley and a conventional oilseed rape have been added to the 2019-20 AHDB Recommended List.
Added to the Recommended List as a Group 2 quality wheat is KWS Extase. Rated positive for ukp exports, KWS Extase has a UK treated yield of 101% of controls in official trials.
It has shown consistent performance across all regions with yields of 101% of controls in the East region, 102% in the West and, also a 102% of controls in the North.
Will Compson, KWS sales and cereals manager, says its impressive yield score and quality grain characteristics are only part of the variety’s appeal.
“Aside from its solid yield performances, it is its untreated yield and all-round outstanding disease resistance that will support its appeal to growers.
Disease resistance
“At 8.1, KWS Extase heralds a new era in disease resistance being the first variety ever to have a Septoria tritici resistance score greater than 8 which also makes it the best score of any variety on the 2019-20 Recommended List,” he says.
“Its disease resistance is complemented by a score of 9 for yellow rust, average maturity that is equal to that of JB Diego, and one of the best lodging scores for either untreated or treated straw of any variety on the Recommended List.
“Grain quality is similar to that of other Group 2 varieties with scores of 12.6% for protein, a Hagberg falling Number of 307 seconds and a specific weight of 78.6 kg/hl.
“Given its combination of features seed merchants anticipate strong interest in KWS Extase next autumn and with consistent yield performances across the first and second cereal slot and light and heavy soils it is perhaps easy to see why,” adds Will.
KWS Firefly
New to the Group 3 category is the biscuit wheat KWS Firefly. Another high-yielding variety it’s best-suited to the East and West and has been rated positive for uks exports.
“KWS Firefly joins the list as the highest-yielding Group 3 with a UK yield of 102% of controls,” says Will.
“It has good grain quality characteristics supported by good agronomics with strong straw stiffness and maturity that is close to that of the official measure, JB Diego at +1 day.
“KWS Firefly has good all-round disease resistance, especially to Septoria tritici, which at a score of 7.0 is the best of the Group 3 varieties, and yellow rust, while its orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM) resistance will enhance its appeal to those heavily affected by midges in recent years.
“It has performed strongly across the rotation delivering good yields as both a first and second cereal and across light and heavy soils. With the stiffest straw of any variety on the Recommended List, it’s another variety we expect to be popular with growers in the coming years and will do much to continue the revival of the Group 3 sector,” he adds.
