@LGSeedsUK

By using precision breeding techniques to “bundle” risk management traits, Limagrain is bringing UK-specific varieties to market that can help growers mitigate seasonal yield variability.

The definition of that variability is the gap between a variety’s genetic yield potential and the yield observed on-farm at harvest, which can be influenced by a considerable number of factors.

Environmental influenceThe environment is the first major influence; namely, moisture and sunlight through the growing season. Secondly, the farm’s agronomic practices will also impact on how much of the theoretical yield potential is achieved.

When these two are in the grower’s favour, with good weather allowing all inputs to be carried out in a correct and timely manner, actual performance should be close to the variety’s genetic potential.

However, extremes in weather that hinder crop development, timely operations, or pressures from pests and disease, can widen that gap considerably, says Limagrain’s senior oilseed rape breeder; Dr Vasilis Gegas.

This in-field variability can be exacerbated by fluctuations in commodity prices and input costs, so when yields and prices are low and costs are high, profitability can be slashed.

“Farmers are really concerned about this variability, and there are two ways that we are helping to control it through our breeding programme,” he adds.

MAY2019

www.lgseeds.co.uk

FROM THE BREEDER

continued >

Mitigating oilseed rape variability

GatePost

UK madeThe first of these solutions is selecting varieties adapted to local environmental conditions at the earliest stage, so a variety spends many years – from the beginning of the breeding cycle all the way to National List trials, in the UK.

“It allows us to weed out varieties that go up and down like a yoyo and ensure we only place the most stable into National List trials and subsequently into the market,” explains Dr Gegas.

The second area where breeders can help growers tackle yield instability, is introducing genetics that make a variety more resilient to the environmental and agronomic pressures, across a variety of seasons.

How breeders are “bundling” traits to tackle OSR variability

DR VASILIS GEGASSenior Oilseed Rape

Breeder

• Yield variability caused by several environmental and agronomic factors

• Commodity and input price fluctuations can hit profitability

• Breeders are “stacking” traits to help growers protect yield, in different seasons

• Pod shatter and Turnip yellows virus resistance, is now standard in all Limagrain hybrids

• Clubroot and verticillium wilt resistance in 1-3 years

• All resistance traits will be in single varieties, without the ‘yield drag’ of past offerings

Limagrain has a network of trial sites around the UK for screening, making its varieties inherently more stable under UK conditions.

“

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Lincolnshire Innovation Site

Limagrain are using precision breeding techniques to achieve this, and one example is ‘pod shatter resistance’, which is now standard in all LG’s hybrids.

Although the risk of untimely pod shatter won’t be high every year, this trait will provide good insurance if inclement weather does strike before the crop is safely in the shed. Pod shatter also protects from losses during harvest (as the header hits the crop) and also reduces the number of volunteers.

Turnip yellows virusSimilarly, Turnip yellows virus (TuYV) spread by Myzus persicae, is not endemic every season, but when aphid pressure is high and prolonged during the season, infection is difficult to prevent with foliar insecticides alone, and this can significantly penalise yield.

From introducing the trait in the variety; Amalie, in 2014 – which was less than 100% of controls on the Recommended List at the time – it is now standard in all Limagrain hybrids, and is included in Candidates; Ambassador and Aurelia, which both have significantly higher, competitive yield.

@LGSeedsUKwww.lgseeds.co.uk 03

> continued

“When we started working with these traits, there was a trade-off – essentially, they were supressing yield.”

“Within five years, we moved from the bottom of the RL, with a TuYV resistant variety, to the top, by a country mile,” explains Dr Gegas.

Disease resistanceOther traits built into the breeding programme include the RLM7 phoma resistance gene, which provides stable resistance scores of 7 or 8, and Limagrain does not offer varieties with a Light Leaf Spot score of below 6.

Dr Gegas notes that phoma can be easily controlled with available chemistry, but Light Leaf Spot resistance is becoming increasingly important, as fungicide efficacy declines.

This, along with pod shatter and TuYV resistance all in one place, sees agronomic insurance built into Limagrain varieties, with inherently stable genetic yield potential for UK conditions.

What is BYDV and what are its effects on winter barley?

Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) is an infection transferred by aphids which causes yellowing of plants. The symptoms are seen in the spring, when the leaf tip starts to turn yellow, gradually spreading to the base of the plant. Infected plants may be severely stunted and do not come into ear, remaining dwarfed at around 3 inches, eventually killing it. This results in devastating yield loss.

How can breeders help growers reduce the risk of BYDV?

Insecticides are currently used but chemical restrictions, such as the ban of neonicotinoid seed treatments, are increasingly

limiting the options available to growers for chemical control. Fortunately, breeders have identified a gene called YD2 which provides effective varietal tolerance. Tolerant varieties still become infected by the virus, but the plant shows none of the detrimental symptoms and associated yield losses of non-tolerant varieties.

Breeders can select for varieties with BYDV tolerance by using marker selection and the introduction of new varieties with BYDV tolerance is the number one priority for winter barley breeders. Rafaela winter barley comes from the Limagrain Belgium breeding programme and offers high yields with BYDV tolerance.

How can BYDV be best controlled?

Using an integrated approach of choosing varieties with genetic BYDV tolerance, alongside correctly timed

insecticide sprays will provide the best level of protection. The real value of varietal tolerance is that it protects the plant throughout the year, so if you can’t get on the land in the autumn to spray, the genetic tolerance will protect the plant in the same way as neonicotinoid seed treatments previously did.

FROM THE

Q

Future traitsLooking ahead, Limagrain is focused on bringing clubroot and verticillium wilt resistance into its material.

A variety with high yield, which incorporates pod shatter, TuYV and clubroot

resistance, is expected within the next year.

“Already, some of our hybrids are good on verticillium wilt, but we are working to develop traits that we can really

call ‘resistance’, which are about 2-3 years away,” says

Dr Gegas.

Q

On-farm thoughts from some of our farmer partners around the country

Q&ABreeders Perspective

Mark Glew Senior Barley Breeder

Q

B&C Farming Ltd are contract farmers and producers of high quality seed potatoes, based in north east Norfolk, near Aylsham. Day-to-day operations are the responsibility of MD, Tony Bambridge. 

“I left off my last contribution, hoping that the water storage reservoirs would be replenished over the winter; alas, aquifers are still very low, although recent rainfall has meant we have just started to pump again.

But water levels remain perilously low and we will need to continue pumping for a while yet. For now, the Environment Agency is working with us and we are managing to continue to pump, but all of this is on a day-to-day basis - so we really are on a knife-edge.

Our sugar beet yields were better than anticipated - although still on the low side at 65t/ha - back in August, we thought we would be looking at 40-45t/ha. Considering we break-even at 75t/ha - it’s been quite a knock to margins.

The mild winter also brings the threat of aphids and an increased risk of Beet yellows virus, as we look to growing a crop without any neonicotinoid seed treatment this year. Recent BBRO trials have shown yield losses of up to 42% due to infection with BYV.

It’s been bitterly disappointing that the UK has not managed to obtain a derogation, as 13 other countries have managed to - despite the UK being at high risk due to our maritime climate.

We plan to drill early to avoid the aphids, but we are already seeing reports of aphid flights - so we may have to rethink this.

It’s not all doom and gloom however - the mild and dry winter provided us with a good start to fertiliser applications and early season fungicide sprays, and the spring barley has been drilled into excellent conditions.

All we need now is 40 days of rain!”

Tony Bambridge, Norfolk

Phillip Gorringe farms 370 hectares on a Duchy of Cornwall tenancy. He runs a herd of suckler cows and a racing kart business, and his cropping is all grown for seed.

“Spring like conditions in late February continued the trend of a mild winter, and despite some more recent ‘normal’ wet and windy conditions, soils are still in great condition after the dry summer. Drilling some late winter wheat in January conditions was excellent, and there were hints of dust behind the drill – that really is a first!

The conditions have really suited the forage rape; good seedbeds meant that most, if not all the seeds ‘took’, and the crop got up and away easily. As a result, we have seen very little Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle (CSFB) damage - it could be third time lucky for us with this crop.

We are generally pleased with how our crops are doing, although it’s about now that we wish we had grown more fodder turnip, as fodder crop prices go through the roof.

Our local farmer group has been active, as we share thoughts and ideas on how we are going to continue without the use of Redigo Deter seed dressing, and face the loss of many of our commonly used triazole fungicides over the next few years, which will make disease control in grass particularly challenging.

We are working with ADAS to look at possible options based on a scientific process. We hope that this will provide us with some good reasons behind alternatives - rather than just taking a scattergun approach, based on hearsay and whims.

Another area we hope to gain a better understanding of, is how to build yield in a grass crop – one of the challenges in growing grass is how to even out tillering, for easier management. One of the farmer group members is also looking at improving yield mapping of grass. Anything that will help us manage and grow grass as we do for cereals, is a step in the right direction.”

Phillip Gorringe, Hereford

March 2019 March 2019

Examples include Ambassador and Aurelia, which are the first hybrids that really show the benefits of such a breeding strategy – inherently very high yield potential coupled with a bundle of traits that ensures growers shouldn’t lose yield in unfavourable conditions, ” he adds.

“

”

We plan to drill early to avoid the

aphids, but we are already seeing reports of aphid

flights - so we may need to rethink

this.

“

”

Overall, the new feed wheat varieties

from Limagrain offer high yield, good agronomic

characteristics and excellent grain quality attributes, so perhaps it’s

time to re-evaluate the place of feed wheats on

your farm.

“

”

www.lgseeds.co.uk @LGSeedsUK 05

New feed wheat varieties are triggering a re-think about variety line-ups on farm, as very high yield, good grain quality and sound agronomics are now all available in one package.

Change of directionFive years ago, barn-filling hard Group 4 wheats dominated cropping plans, but weak disease resistance, late maturity and unflattering grain quality saw disillusioned growers move away from the likes of KWS Santiago, KWS Kielder and Evolution.

There was a swing to quality wheats such as Crusoe and Skyfall, which at the time offered better disease resistance, good physical grain quality and a potential milling premium, with comparable on-farm yields.

This trend has been reinforced by recent Group 2 additions, such as KWS Siskin, which has similar attributes, and has helped keep many traditional feed wheat growers away from Group 4 wheats on offer.

Limagrain UK’s arable technical manager, Ron Granger, says breeders have listened to the concerns surrounding Group 4’s, and evidence on the latest AHDB Recommended List suggests they have been addressed.

Yield and quality

New feed wheats prompt re-evaluation of variety selection

RON GRANGER Arable Technical Manager

Adding valueFor feed growers, the attraction of the

quality wheats currently dominating the UK wheat area, was the potential to fetch a

premium if milling quality was achieved.

However, only a small percentage of growers achieve full specification for Group 1 milling wheats in most years, and obtain the maximum premiums.

While Group 2 wheats offer a higher yield potential, contracts often demand that a specific protein content is achieved, and this is often unrealistic as present Group 2’s have a lower inherent protein content.

“With feed wheats now outclassing nabim Groups 1 and 2 for yield, the risks and costs associated with growing premium crops should be evaluated where a farm has traditionally grown feed wheat,” explains Mr Granger.

He adds that there are now potential premiums on offer from high yielding soft feed wheats, such as LG Skyscraper and LG Spotlight.

Both are suitable for distilling and after further testing by independent millers, may be suitable for inclusion in biscuit grists and small premiums may be offered if desirable characteristics are identified.

LG Spotlight also offers exceptional grain quality, having a specific weight similar to JB Diego, combined with a very “stable” Hagberg of 290 – equivalent or better than most wheats on the Recommended List.

“This is a unique characteristic in a soft wheat, and combined with good sprouting

resistance, offers growers a very secure variety when erratic weather patterns

cause delays at harvest,” says Mr Granger.

“Overall, the new feed wheat varieties from Limagrain offer high yield, good agronomic characteristics and excellent grain quality attributes, so perhaps it’s time to re-evaluate the place of feed wheats on your farm.”

• Historic shift away from feed to quality wheats, due to Group 4 “weaknesses”

• Breeders have addressed concerns in the latest Group 4 varieties

• Highest yielding feed wheat; LG Skyscraper is 6-7% above most widely grown Group 1’s

• Specific weights in Group 4’s have improved significantly over the past five years

• Group 4 maturity scores are now much earlier

• Potential premiums on offer with Group 4 soft varieties;

LG Skyscraper and LG Spotlight

Group 4 feed wheats - key points

Also telling is the shift in maturity, with top yielding feed wheats on the 2013-14 Recommended List

having later maturity ratings, between +2 and +4. Growers’ were expressing concerns that varieties were getting too late and this may have implications at harvest, in some regions.

“Breeders have now dragged back maturity to 0’s and +1’s, so any concerns - particularly for growers in the north - are

no longer there,” explains Mr Granger.

It is also significantly higher than other key varieties across nabim Groups, including KWS Siskin in Group 2, and KWS Barrel in Group 3 (see graph 1).

Mr Granger says there has also been very noticeable improvements in average specific weight across soft and hard Group 4 wheats, in recent seasons.

Soft Group 4’s, LG Skyscraper and LG Spotlight, have helped continue that trend further this year, with LG Spotlight having a high specific weight of 78.3kg/hl and LG Skyscraper - a solid 77.2kg/hl (see graph 2).

New addition, LG Skyscraper’s fungicide treated yield is now 7% ahead of Skyfall, at 106%

of controls, making it the highest yielding wheat on the

Recommended List overall.

“

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9998979695

Yie

ld (%

of c

ontr

ols)

LG SKYSCRAPER RGT GRAVITY GLEAM

Graph 1: LG Skyscraper treated yield % increase over other key nabim Group varieties (Source: AHDB)

KWS KERRIN SHABRAS KWS JACKAL KWS BARREL KWS SISKIN KWS ZYATT SKYFALL

1.9% 3.7% 4.8% 4.2% 7.1%

Graph 2: Group 4 feed wheat treated yields vs specific weight (Source: AHDB)

107

106

105

104

103

102

101

100

Yie

ld (%

of c

ontr

ols)

LG SKYSCRAPER

GLEAM LG SPOTLIGHT

KWS JACKAL

ELATION

78.5

78

77.5

77

76.5

76

75.5

Spec

ific

Wei

ght (

kg/h

l)

GRAHAMSHABRASKWS KERRIN

RGTGRAVITY

UK Treated Yield Specific Weight

www.lgseeds.co.uk @LGSeedsUK 07

WINTER BARLEY AGRONOMY

NEWS

These crops can be gown within the Countryside Stewardship scheme, or if this doesn’t suit, you can still establish a network of small areas that will contribute to your farm’s diversity.

We have been undertaking some trials at our LG Innovation Site, to evaluate how different crop species grow compatibly together (or not!) and this work will help us formulate improved seed mixtures for the future. Initial results show that some species can dominate a seed mixture, and therefore a good knowledge of seed numbers and proportions will help maximise crop output and ultimately wildlife benefits.

Perfect time to sow Conservation seed mixtures

Introducing conservation seed mixtures onto your farm brings many benefits to the farm, as well as providing an excellent source of nectar for bees and butterflies, or winter food for farmland birds.

MARTIN TITLEY Director of Forage Crops

We have also produced a wall chart,

which gives you a view of which seed mixtures are suitable for each Countryside Stewardship

option. Email us at: enquiries@limagrain.co.uk,

to receive your free copy.

Bee Mixture Prolific flowering, for the AB1 option

Our range of seed mixtures and Countryside Stewardship options include:

Flower Rich Margin Grass and wildflowers, for the AB8 option

Pollen & Nectar 4 nectar rich plants, for the AB1 option

Find out more about Conservation Crops by downloading your free brochure, at: lgseeds.co.uk/hibird

Jack Russell 1-year herbicide tolerant wild bird seed mixture, for AB9

Bumblebird Autumn sown for birds and insects, suitable for AB16

LG Flynn and LG Mountain offer growers two high yielding 2-row feed winter barley varieties, with differing desirable agronomic characteristics – it’s important that growers choose the right variety for their situation on-farm.

LG Flynn offers growers agronomic attributes of good straw strength and disease resistance, combined with a very high specific weight – all key qualities of a ‘classic’ feed barley. The variety also carries the valuable attribute of resistance to Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus (BaYMV).

In AHDB Recommended List 2019/20 trials across all regions, LG Flynn has performed consistently, producing high yields for both treated and untreated trials. Its UK fungicide treated performance is 104%, against 103% for KWS Orwell, and 6% over KWS Cassia, at 98%.

The variety also offers a strong disease resistance package, with a 6 against Rhynchosporium and a 6 for Net Blotch.

“The stand out attribute of LG Flynn is its high specific weight; at 69.8kg/hl, it has one of the highest specific weights available, and is similar to KWS Cassia with low screening scores,” explains Limagrain UK’s senior barley breeder, Mark Glew.

For growers looking to make the most of the opportunities offered by winter barleys, there are two new varieties available this autumn, from the very successful Limagrain UK barley breeding programme, that launched ‘California’ over five years ago.

LG Mountain is one of the highest yielding 2-row feed barley varieties available, with a good all-round disease resistance profile, combined with early maturity and BaYMV resistance.

“This is a barley that represents a significant

step forward in yield for 2-row barley varieties, over other commercial varieties”, says Mark Glew. “We are really pleased with the consistency of yield over seasons and regions, and in treated and untreated trials - particularly in the east and north.”

LG Mountain has good grain quality attributes, with a very good specific weight of 68.9kg/hl - similar to KWS Glacier.

LG Mountain has an earlier maturity (-1) than LG Flynn (+1), which is valuable for growers looking at getting an earlier harvest for WOSR establishment.

“This earlier maturity, combined with a good specific weight, should also give growers confidence for securing yield potential in stressful seasons of drought, as seen in summer 2018,” says Mr Glew.

• Very high yield potential

• Earlier maturity (-1)

• Good disease resistance

• Very good specific weight (68.9kg/hl)

Pantone: 7413CMYK: 10C 55M 95Y 0K

Pantone: 7420CMYK: 25C 100M 65Y 15K

Pantone: 7421CMYK: 35C 95M 60Y 45K

• High yield potential and good agronomic characteristics

• Very good lodging resistance (rating - 7.3)

• One of the highest specific weights available (69.8)

• BaYMV resistant

We know that farmers like to grow big, bold samples, and like with wheat varieties, a good specific weight in barley would appear to be more robust, especially in times of stress or erratic weather patterns,” says Ron

Granger, arable technical manager for Limagrain UK.

“Specific weights for barleys were starting to drop in newer varieties, compared to older varieties. This came about as breeders’ drove to produce ever higher yielding varieties, just unfortunately at the cost of grain quality.”

LG Flynn and LG Mountain buck this trend, offering a combination of both high yields and high specific weight’.

“

”

Yield Chart

Winter barleys make their debut

MARK GLEW Senior Barley Breeder

LG FLYNN LG MOUNTAIN KWS GIMLET KWS ORWELL CALIFORNIA

UK 104 104 104 103 99

East 104 105 106 102 99

West (104) (101) (102) 103 101

North (101) 105 100 102 97

Untreated 82 83 84 81 80

( ) - Limited Data

@LGSeedsUK

www.lgseeds.co.ukWe’d love to hear from you, get in touch:

E: enquiries@limagrain.co.uk

01472 371471 Limagrain UK, Rothwell, Market Rasen, Lincolnshire, LN7 6DT

Ever seen environmental mixtures, agricultural grasses, amenity wildflowers, gamecover, cereals, oilseeds and pulses, all grown alongside each other, at one site?

We’ve created a super site in Lincolnshire, demonstrating all of these and we’d love to show you! We welcome groups of

farmers and agronomists to visit the site, accompanied by our crop specialists, who can provide advice on how to get the best from this diverse range of crops and answer any questions you may have.

Lincolnshire Innovation Site

Contact Jessica Chapman: E: Jessica.chapman@limagrain.co.uk

You’ll have the chance to win 20ha of seed, of one of our top yielding new varieties; LG Spotlight winter wheat or Aspire winter oilseed rape. Be one of the first to grow exciting new varieties!

You can explore plots of our exciting varieties of cereals, pulses and oilseeds as well as a wide array of environmental mixture plots. LG experts will be on hand to provide advice on how to get the best from a diverse range of crops, and to answer any questions you may have.

New varieties from the LG portfolio include; LG Skyscraper and LG Spotlight winter wheats. New winter barley varieties; LG Flynn, LG Mountain and Rafaela. In winter oilseed rape, top yielding conventional Aspire, will be on show, alongside our

brilliant top yielding Candidates; Acacia, Aurelia and Aardvark.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Cereals Event 2019

Come and visit LG at the Cereals Event 2019 for your opportunity to see some of the top varieties on the AHDB Recommended List.

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