The HGCA wheat harvest results have been published today. The results, taken from sites from Kent up to Fife, show average wheat yields from treated Recommended List trials remain down, 1.4 tonnes/ha on the 5 year average. Yields of recommended varieties are down around 13.5 percent on the five year average of 10.3 t/ha

HGCA did say established varieties which have performed well in previous years continued to do so in 2012 compared with the 5 year average.

Of these, KWS Santiago and Viscount have perhaps fared best, with 110 percent of the average of the control varieties. Viscount did particularly well on Scottish sites. However the variety has shown itself to be susceptible to sprouting in a wet harvest like that seen this year.

In addition to the below average yields, quality samples from trials have been relatively poor, which HGCA said is in line with commercial crops, with low specific weights and low Hagbergs being the rule rather than the exception across a range of varieties.

Early maturing wheats have performed well on yield. Gallant (104 percent), Cordiale (104 percent) and Grafton (103 percent) are amongst the earlier varieties and all three have performed better on yield this year. In contrast, later maturing varieties Cocoon (100 percent) Invicta (95 percent) and Alchemy (97 percent) are lower yielding compared with the five year average of the control varieties.

HGCA suggested, upon the release of its harvest results, which features a few upsets, “When looking at varieties to sow, the 5 year average yields are the ones to look at as these will reflect their performance under a range of different seasons. No one can forecast how 2013 will turn out, but we all hope it won’t be the same as 2012.”

Further shake-ups have been seen in candidate varieties, some of which yielded well last year, but which were also relatively late have not performed as well in 2012. Concerns with fusarium head blight meant head fungicide doses applied to control fusarium head blight were high, and in some cases two head fungicides were applied. These late treatments are likely to have prolonged green leaf and green stems.

England has this year experienced a Scottish season, according to HGCA, where late maturing is not always a positive characteristic in a late season. Trialling varieties in different regions and over several seasons enable new varieties to be tested in normal and challenging conditions.

Candidate varieties which have had a good season include Leeds (110 percent) and KWS Rowan (108 percent). Later maturing candidates have performed less well in 2012 in line with later maturing varieties on the Recommended List.

Varieties susceptible to new yellow and brown rust races have required regular fungicides to keep them clean. Although the yield potential remains high where disease is controlled; some varieties have now become wholly reliant on 3 to 4 fungicide treatments to maintain a good yield.

Winter wheat results are available from HGCA here.

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