Wheat growers who are unable to secure the barnfilling Group 4 varieties they hoped for this autumn should consider growing a good Group 3 variety instead.

Seed supplies are tight following the drought and some of the highest yielding wheats on the Recommended List are selling out fast, says Lee Bennett, National Seeds Manager for Openfield.
But, thanks to big agronomic advances, Group 3s can all but match them for yield and offer the chance of easily obtainable premiums as well, he adds.

“Many merchants have sold out of JB Diego. Oakley and KWS-Santiago won’t be far behind,” he says. “However, recently introduced Group 3 varieties like Tuxedo are not far off in terms of yield.

“Tuxedo comes in at 102 on the Recommended List – in my book that’s the equivalent of JB Diego in the field and not far off Oakley and KWS-Santiago. It’s on a par with the most popular Group 4s and certainly won’t disgrace itself if you are looking for a barnful of wheat.

However, unlike out-and-out feed wheats, Group 3 varieties can attract decent premiums. Tuxedo suits several markets, including biscuit, distilling and soft-milling export homes. As a result, Openfield has included the variety in its Group 3 contract, currently worth £5/t over feed.

“However, if we have yield and or quality problems this harvest, that premium will undoubtedly climb on the spot market,” says Mr Bennett.

Tuxedo’s high Hagberg score of 267 – over 30 points ahead of its nearest rival - is very attractive, he notes. “Soft wheats can be prone to sprouting, so this has to be a key selection criteria.

“Its protein content of 11.1% is fine. Its specific weight of 74.7kg/hl is not the highest, so it might not suit the thinnest land that doesn’t always finish a crop. But on land with anybody it shouldn’t have any trouble reaching the market specifications.”

Its disease profile also delivers, says Mr Bennett. “It’s 7 for Septoria tritici can’t be ignored, and it is very strong on rusts, scoring 9 and 7 respectively for yellow and brown rust.
“It’s 9 for glume blotch is a big score too – in the West Country that could certainly catch many growers’ eyes, though the variety will suit all regions.

“It’s very rare to see a disease profile as good as this – it makes risk management so much easier, giving you more flexibility with product choice and timings.”

The variety also appears to be robust. He describes Tuxedo as a leafy type that looked very well during the dry conditions this spring.

“And as a second wheat it is coming to the fore – its yield holds firm and it looks very useful. It is the best of the Group 3s in this slot, and if you’ve been growing JB Diego as a second wheat it has to be said Tuxedo is not a bad way to go.”

Mr Bennett advises farmers to book seed early.  “There’s not a vast amount of seed out there – it’s capturing the interest of growers, and rightly so, and there’s no doubt it will sell out.”