Record assures growers looking reliability
An oilseed rape variety with proven success in Europe could be the answer for growers looking for high yields combined with consistency and reliability in difficult growing conditions.
NK Grandia is one of the most vigorous conventional varieties commercially available in the UK. In National List Year 1 Trials, harvest 2009, NK Grandia delivered a gross output 8% higher than Castille, which equates to an additional 0.42 t/ha.
With at least 2% more oil content than Castille in the same trials it provides an opportunity for growers to capitalise on oil bonuses and enhance the gross margin performance of their rape crop, says Nigel Padbury, OSR sales, technical and marketing manager at Syngenta Seeds.
In addition to the variety’s excellent gross output, NK Grandia is a reliable variety with a low-biomass plant type similar to Castille but with much better establishment and vigour scores with short and very stiff straw and good resistance to Phoma.
"NK Grandia meets the demand from UK rape growers for varieties that combine gross output with good establishment and early vigour.
"Gross output will always be a priority for the majority of growers when choosing an OSR variety, but with the variable weather conditions experienced over the past few years varieties, whether hybrid or conventional, that exhibit good establishment, consistency and reliability have begun to influence variety choice more than ever before," says Mr Padbury.
Available exclusively from Openfield as an ’Openfield Select’ variety offering high performance and good value, NK Grandia has been launched early in the UK following strong performances on-farm across continental Europe and in National List trials.
Syngenta Seeds is launching two other conventional OSR varieties at the Cereals 2010 event, near Royston on 9th and 10th June, continuing the breeder’s long tradition of providing growers with high-yielding, reliable and easy to manage conventional rape varieties.
Gloria is an HGCA Candidate for North Region. With extremely high yields of 117% and good oil content of 44.4%, the conventional variety has stiff and short straw and a phoma stem canker score of 7 with medium resistance to light leaf spot.
Tactic is a high-yielding conventional line, currently in National List Year 2 trials. A medium/short plant height with a stiff stem, similar to NKBravour, the variety yielded 10% higher than Castille in 2009 National List Year 1 trials and has a high oil content of 46.9%.
