Seek more than one opinion before making variety choice

A leading UK seed merchant is urging malting barley growers to check commercial, as well as independent advice, on which varieties to grow next season.

Dr Mike Dougan, retail manager for Gleadell Agriculture, was surprised that the views expressed by some trialling organisations at recent open days did not reflect the commercial potential of particular varieties, including the spring malting barley Troon.

As one of the top three malting barley traders in the UK, trading up to 170,000 tonnes per annum, Gleadell has been involved in Troon's early IoB trial evaluation crops and believes that full IoB recommendation is likely. Following comments that Troon, currently provisionally recommended, may be limited to the grain malt distilling market Dr Dougan is keen to correct growers.

Troon has mainstream potential throughout the UK for all brewing and

most importantly, single malt distilling. Gleadell also believes it

has the potential to replace Optic in the malting barley market.

"Seed and grain merchants are in contact with the maltsters and distillers every day and know their wants and needs," says Dr Dougan. "I would advise growers to seek more than one opinion on new varieties before making decisions on cropping for next season.

"Troon is an exciting new variety for the future. It is a low GN (glycosidic nitrile) variety and with ongoing maltster and distiller concerns over GN in spirit distillates, Nickerson's low GN breeding programme is responding to the end-user market," says Dr Dougan.