Due to its excellent agronomic characteristics and high disease resistance to both Light Leaf Spot and Phoma stem canker, the new conventional low biomass winter oilseed rape variety Es Alienor is predicted to be a popular choice by farmers across all parts of the UK.
"Farmers are looking for varieties that perform consistently well in terms of yield and oil content, but they also want a variety that has a strong agronomic package that makes management of the crop that more cost-effective. Es Alienor is a variety that will satisfy all these requirements - and more," claims John Hardy of Grainseeds.
Alienor has unrivalled combined disease resistance ratings for both Phoma and Light Leaf Spot, with an 8 rating for both diseases in the HGCA summary of candidate rape varieties. "No other variety listed or up for consideration has this high level of innate resistance and this will make this variety highly suitable for all parts of the UK," reports John.
"Phoma is the major disease in all oilseed rape growing areas and can easily cause yield losses of between 0.5 and 1 t/ha, which at today's rape price could make significant inroads to crop profitability. Alienor has a top 7.8 resistance rating against this disease. The published stem canker ratings for HGCA Recommended conventional varieties are: Castille 5.9, Expert 5.8, Canti with 5.3, Temple 5.3, Lioness with 5.2, NK Grace with 4.8 and Winner with 4.3. The basis of Alienor's resistance is multigenic and shows this characteristic to known races of Phoma."
"In addition, Alienor has very good resistance to Light Leaf Spot, higher than any other current Recommended List variety. Its rating against Light Leaf Spot is 7.5 compared to the published Recommended List ratings of 5.0 for Castille, 5.8 for Expert, 5.9 for Canti, 6.0 for Lioness, 5.9 for NK Bravour and Winner with 5.8."
"HGCA forecasting for Light Leaf Spot for 2008 shows the East of the country at 38%-53% infection and 25% in the South. The well documented and rapid rise in the threat of this damaging disease right across the UK means that high levels of innate resistance have become much more important to growers. Plant pathologist Dr. Peter Gladders of ADAS has commented that every one point in disease resistance ratings is worth at least an additional £20/ha plus, of course, the benefit of disease prevention. Bearing in mind that Light Leaf Spot can cause yield loss of up to 1.5 t/ha, disease prevention by varietal resistance and/or fungicide usage is key to the production of a high yielding crop. The unique and high combined disease resistance demonstrated by the candidate variety Alienor is definitely well worth having and should be part of the cost calculation when considering which variety to grow," says Mr. Hardy.
John reports that Alienor is one of only four conventional candidate rape varieties being considered by HGCA for addition to the Recommended List 2009/2010 and that it has been one of the top performers in National List trials. "Es Alienor has a gross output of 102% and oil content of 44.4%, which compares favourably with 103% output and 43.7% oil of the leading conventional variety Castille. In TAG performance trials last year it produced a yield of 102% compared to Catana at 100%, Catalina 100%, CS Canti 99% and Komando at just 90%, taking one of the top slots of all low biomass varieties. It also produced consistent yields across the UK."
"Another area for cost savings in rape growing is associated with the fact that Alienor is a low biomass variety with an average height of just 147 cms, close to that of Castille at 144 cms. This means that it is less likely to lodge, has less bulk to go through the combine and is quicker and easier to harvest."
"Alienor is also very early maturing and has shown rapid and early crop vigour that continues into the spring. Stem extension and flowering appears better than most of the hybrids currently grown. Its early maturity means that it fits well into normal crop rotations and helps spread the workload at harvest across the farm, a real advantage to busy farmers with a lot of acres to harvest and to drill. Later maturing varieties are harvested later, interfere with standard crop rotations and are unsuitable for early drilling," he says.
John Hardy concludes that Alienor has a unique combination of yield and agronomic characteristics that make it well worth considering for planting this year anywhere in the UK. "Its overall package allows much easier and less costly inputs without compromising on yield and ease of management."
For further comment and information on the oilseed rape varieties Es Alienor or other Grainseed varieties such as Es Astrid, please contact John Hardy, Director of Grainseed Ltd on 01379 871073 or 07836 582436.
