New Group 3s offer high yields and more market options

“UK soft wheat is quite unique and has always attracted a reasonably good premium as there’s such a diverse range of markets it can go into”
“UK soft wheat is quite unique and has always attracted a reasonably good premium as there’s such a diverse range of markets it can go into”

Strong demand for Group 3 soft wheats combined with new varieties offering premium potential and yields to challenge feed types presents exciting opportunities for cereal growers.

There are currently 11 Group 3 varieties on the 2015/16 AHDB Recommended List, four of which have joined in the past two years, providing plenty of new options in a category that once accounted for half of the market, yet today represents just 10-15%.

“UK soft wheat is quite unique and has always attracted a reasonably good premium as there’s such a diverse range of markets it can go into,” says Mark Isaacson of Hitchin-based flour miller Bowman’s.

“After so much focus on Group 4 varieties in previous years, it is great to see Group 3 varieties coming through, such as Britannia and Zulu, that can deliver higher yields and grain quality capable of attracting a premium, yet aren’t expensive to grow.”

Alongside domestic biscuit, cake-making and distilling markets, there is a strong export market for uks specification soft wheat to Spain, Portugal and North Africa, says Dorit Cohen of AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds.

“Buyers in these countries struggle to match the quality characteristics of uks wheat from anywhere else. As the consumption of European-style biscuits is increasing in Morocco and Algeria, we’re seeing demand for biscuit-quality wheat slowly increasing.”

Yield and quality

The array of Group 3 varieties can be daunting, but Limagrain UK wheat breeder Ron Granger says growers should focus on those capable of delivering high yields and grain with premium potential, especially as lower prices have squeezed margins.

At 104% of control UK-wide, the highest yielding Group 3 on the RL is newcomer Britannia, which sits just ahead of next joint-highest yielder Zulu (102%).

“Britannia raised the bar for Group 3 yields and is competitive with leading feed types, yet its biscuit/cake-making and uks approval gives you the chance of a useful premium, typically £3-5/t,” he says.

Although slightly behind Britannia for yield, Zulu, which traces its pedigree back to Group 3 stalwart Claire, offers distilling approval to give an extra market option, especially for growers in northern areas, he says.

“There have been a lot of one hit wonders in the Group 3 sector, but I think Zulu is different,” Openfield’s Lee Bennett adds. “Crucially, the millers say they like it. Millers want consistency and quality and aren’t going to change from proven varieties like Claire and Scout for the sake of it.”

Tailored variety choice

While the proximity of local markets influences variety choice, the traits of Zulu and Britannia are also key.

“The two varieties are quite complementary and could be grown on the same farm to spread risk,” says Paul Taylor of Pearce Seeds.

“Being a Robigus cross, Britannia is quite a strong tillering variety that seems to do better when sown later on heavy land as second wheat. Zulu is a bit slower developing and has stiffer straw, so can be drilled slightly earlier and on lighter land.”

Britannia, as a first wheat, performs particularly well in the east and growers considering it as a second or continuous wheat should not be deterred by the 4 rating for eyespot, as many commercial varieties grown in this situation appear to have similar scores, Mr Granger says. It offers strong disease resistance, especially to septoria and yellow rust and produces good specific weight.

“Britannia is rated 6 for septoria, but I’d say it’s better than that,” says Mr Taylor. “In 2014 Alliance screening trials under high disease pressure in the southwest Britannia was the highest yielding quality wheat, 5% above controls Diego and Santiago.”

Mr Granger acknowledges questions over the lodging rating of 6, but insists standing power is better than this suggests and can be enhanced with a split PGR programme and tailored agronomy.

The first PGR should be applied as soon as stem elongation begins (growth stage 30) to keep the first node tight against the basal node, with the second application targeted at when the second node moves away from the first node (GS 31/32), he advises.

“Apply the PGR before the first nitrogen and then use a ‘little and often’ approach to fertiliser to ensure healthy plant development right through the growing season.”

Zulu’s earlier maturity than Britannia could make it a better option further north, Mr Granger continues, with the additional option of the distilling market a key driver for the northern soft wheat sector.

Mr Granger says neither variety is suitable for early drilling and suggests Limagrain offer better varieties for this option, including Claire and Revelation.

Britannia and Zulu have good tillering potential, with Britannia suggesting a higher count, which is a valuable trait that could allow possible reductions in seed rate to maximise yield and reduce lodging risk, he says.

Britannia is best suited to drilling from late September onwards, while Zulu’s slightly stiffer straw means it can go in slightly earlier (mid to late September), although drilling date for any variety is very dependent on where you are in the country (north v south) and local site conditions, he notes.

Zulu suits a range of soils, rotational positions and offers a good disease profile, with the added advantage of resistance to orange wheat blossom midge and soil-borne cereal mosaic virus, says Mr Bennett.

Growers in areas prone to brown rust should be aware of Zulu’s 4 rating, although this is easily controllable with a robust fungicide programme, he says.

Britannia defies tricky start

The first season growing Britannia at SW Hull Farms Ltd near Fareham in Hampshire has gone well so far, despite the crop being sown into challenging conditions.

Wet weather last autumn delayed drilling of the 18.6ha block after naked oats until the end of October and although establishment was patchy at first the crop now looks “strong and highly vigoured”, says Andrew Hull.

“It wasn’t the best start, but Britannia has shone through and is doing well considering it was drilled in such marginal conditions.”

Preceding oat stubbles were sprayed with glyphosate before the Grade 3 land, which is a mixture of heavy clay and lighter loam, was ploughed, power harrowed, drilled and rolled. The fertiliser and fungicide programme is shown below.

“We don’t necessarily make any allowance for [varietal] disease ratings when applying fungicides, although it does buy some leeway around the main timings,” says Mr Hull, who hopes the crop will achieve the average wheat yield of 8.6-10t/ha (3.5-4t/acre). “It’s not 5t/acre ground,” he notes.

Cropped area at SW Hull Farms is around 250ha, comprising first and second wheats, barley and oilseed rape, although some naked oats are also grown, along with peas and beans as an alternative break crop.

The focus is on growing seed crops for Pearce Seeds in the first wheat slot, with the main varieties this season being Skyfall, Panorama and Britannia.

Looking ahead to next season Mr Hull says: “We’ll repeat the Britannia as a second wheat for seed, but I do like it, so am tempted to try some commercially as well.”