It's the top 6 positions for breeder Limagrain UK's oilseed rape varieties on the 2020-2021 AHDB Recommended List. In pole position sits conventional variety Acacia at 109.4% of controls, this is closely followed in by hybrids; LG Ambassador (108%), LG Aurelia (107.5%) and LG Artemis (106.6%) with conventionals Aspire (105.8%) and Aardvark (105.3%) completing the top line up.

"It's certainly an exciting time for the Limagrain OSR breeding programme as this is the first time that any breeder has achieved this leading position with this many varieties, and is a reflection of our focus on breeding high yielding, trait-loaded varieties aimed specifically for the UK farmer," points out Vasilis Gegas, Limagrain's OSR European Portfolio Manager.

Acacia is the highest gross output conventional variety for the east/west and north regions, with a gross output of 109.5% and 107.6%, respectively. 

"The variety is very vigorous in both the autumn and spring, combined with good disease resistance and short and stiff straw," says Dr Gegas.

"Acacia is suited to the main OSR drilling window but is also useful in a late sown slot."

"LG Ambassador is the first of Limagrain's fully loaded hybrids on the AHDB Recommended List to really show the benefits of our breeding strategy," he continues.

"This highest yielding hybrid for the east/west (Gross Output 108.4% of control) has shown itself to perform across the UK and Europe, showing the variety is resilient across a wide geographical area."

LG Ambassador offers an outstanding package of traits associated with Limagrain's hybrids including; TuYV resistance, pod shatter resistance and RLM7 giving the variety strong protection against stem canker resulting in a resistance rating of 8, which along with a Light Leaf Spot resistance rating of 7, ensures growers shouldn't lose yield in unfavourable conditions.

"LG Aurelia is another of Limagrain's fully loaded hybrids, setting a new benchmark for hybrid performance in the UK."

Not only does LG Aurelia offer an extremely high gross output, and the Limagrain full compliment of traits such as TuYV resistance, pod shatter resistance and RLM7 against stem canker, it also offers the most robust disease resistance ratings of any variety on the AHDB Recommended List with a rating of 8 for both stem canker and light leaf spot resistance.

LG Artemis is another high yielding hybrid for the east/west (106.6%) and north (106%) that once again comes with Limagrain'standard combination of TuYV resistance, pod shatter resistance. Combined with outstanding early vigour, stiff straw, early maturity and a high oil content Artemis is certainly an interesting prospect for growers for next season.

Aspire is a conventional variety, recommended last year and offers very high gross output for the east/west and north regions - as was proven in harvest 2019 with a gross output of 105.8%.

Add to this, its TuYV resistance, a strong disease profile, the opportunity to early drill, as well as short and stiff straw, and it's clear to see that Aspire is truly a farmer friendly variety that makes for an easier harvest, with the potential to increase gross margins.

Finally, of Limagrain's top 6 varieties on the 2020-2021 AHDB Recommended List, Aardvark is a conventional variety that thinks it is a hybrid, offering high gross output potential across all regions of the UK, with a UK gross output of 105.3% over control.

It is very vigorous in both the autumn and spring, competing with hybrids. It has short and stiff straw, as well as good disease resistance.

"This excellent agronomic package makes the variety suitable for the early and main drilling window."

2019 Harvest results confirm value of TuYV resistance

2019 Harvest results from trials conducted by the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) in West Wittering, showed that there was a 0.4-0.5t/ha yield advantage from varieties with TuYV resistance against those without.

Limagrain's conventional variety Aspire, performed very well - as did the newly recommended LG Aurelia and LG Ambassador.

"In this particular trial, Aspire yielded 6.7t/ha; that's a massive yield bonus over the 6t/ha from the non-TuYV resistant variety, Campus. LG Aurelia was just behind, yielding 6.4t/ha," explains Peter Cowlrick, director in CCC Agronomy Ltd, who managed the trials.

In a second trial in Suffolk, the trend was the same, with TuYV resistant varieties leading the pack. LG Aurelia managed a top yield of 6.1t/ha, well above that of Campus at just above 5.6t/ha. LG Ambassador yielded just below 5.9t/ha and Aspire 5.86t/ha.

"What these results show is that with varieties such as Aspire, LG Aurelia and LG Ambassador, there is no longer the yield drag once associated with TuYV resistance – in fact, it's quite the opposite."

"In the south-east, where the risk of TuYV infection is very high, on some farms almost 80% of the crop going into the ground this autumn will be TuYV resistant varieties. These varieties also play an important role in IPM, as there is less reliance on insecticides, "says Mr Cowlrick.