A groundbreaking project is putting wheat variety blends to the test in the UK to see if mixing crops can boost yields, meet milling standards and cut disease.
The four-year project, which combines UK trials with the experience of farmers and millers, will explore the potential of variety blends – where multiple varieties are grown together as a single crop.
The idea emerged during the most recent review of the AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) for cereals and oilseeds, which highlighted the need for more robust evidence on blends.
Supporters of the approach believe that cereal blends could offer several advantages over single-variety crops.
In addition to potentially improving yield and grain quality, blends may deliver greater yield stability and lower disease severity.
This in turn could reduce fungicide use, help manage resistance risk and extend the durability of disease resistance genes, supporters say.
The AHDB variety blend tool for winter wheat will be used to select suitable hard milling varieties (UKFM Groups 1 and 2). These will then be tested in blend trials alongside single-variety stands for comparison.
Georgia Hassell, who leads the variety blends initiative at AHDB, explained: “Based on pedigree information and RL agronomic data, the AHDB variety blend tool for winter wheat can identify potential blends.
"However, as the tool data is based on varieties grown as straights, it does not account for complementarity of traits.
"In other words, it does not indicate whether a mix will be greater or less than the sum of its parts. These trials will specifically assess how varieties complement each other in mixes, including how they exploit resources in a relatively wide range of timings and spaces.”
Trials will be drilled each autumn from 2025 to 2027 at two experimental sites: Harper Adams University in Shropshire, which typically faces high septoria tritici pressure, and Agrii Throws Farm in Essex, known for high yellow rust pressure.
The study will apply two fungicide treatments: one with no or low fungicide use to test disease resistance in blends, and another using the RL standard fungicide programme to suppress all diseases and examine any further benefits.
Researchers will measure disease levels, canopy development, growth stages, crop height and yield.
Grain quality will also be assessed through milling and baking tests, with further analysis on mycotoxin concentrations and the presence of ergot.
Led by specialists at Harper Adams University and Cope Seeds (UK) Ltd, the project aims to provide clear, evidence-based insights into the performance of wheat variety blends.
The findings are expected to inform discussions between farmers and millers and could ultimately pave the way for wider adoption of blends in the UK.
