With the unprecedented addition of all of the cereal and oilseed rape varieties put forward for recommendation this year, breeders Limagrain believe that this shows the appetite for varieties not only with higher yields but also improved disease resistance ratings.

Wheat

"Revelation is a variety with an outstanding disease resistance profile, offering 9's for yellow and brown rust resistance, and this was demonstrated in the testing season just gone. The variety also carries the Pch 1 gene determining high eyespot resistance, therefore suiting both the early drilled first wheat situation and the second wheat slot," says Lee Robinson, arable marketing director for Limagrain.

"Interestingly this variety has also shown its suitability for an early drilling slot as a result of its later primordial development and a prostate growth habit. Its good grain quality means it is an excellent variety to suit a range of markets from distilling, biofuel, and export to animal feed markets, – all of which make it one of the most flexible options for UK growers."

"Myriad is a soft Group 4, with a similar yield to Oakley, yielding about 1% more than Revelation. Myriad has very good all round disease resistance, particularly to yellow rust and is resistant to Orange Blossom midge. This package of good disease resistance and high yield potential reduces the risk early on in the season when spraying conditions can be difficult."

"Myriad has done particularly well in the north as it is early maturing. Myriad’s soft endosperm, together with positive distilling and export test results, would suggest that it is a variety with several market opportunities, as its grain quality is similar to that of the market favourite, Alchemy."

Winter barley

"We are delighted that we were able to provide the necessary data from trials sown this year on the winter barley varieties Matros and California to the Recommended List Board and that the outcome has been positive. The work that we have carried out reflects the value that both of these winter barley varieties have to the market place, and this is a very exciting development," says Mr Robinson.

"California has maintained very consistent high yields in its four years of trials across both western and eastern regions, with an average across the two areas of 104 – very close to market leader KWS Cassia.  Its specific weight offering is a very respectable 69.3, well above that of Retriever. "

"California's robust disease resistance ratings offer a 6 for mildew,  brown rust, yellow rust and Rhyncosporium  and a (7) for net blotch, and resistance to BaYMV make it a fairly straight forward variety to manage in what can be wetter western conditions."

"However, where California stands out as a variety particularly suited for the west is its straw length of 88 and a rating of 8 for resistance to lodging as it is these valuable straw characteristics that are beneficial for livestock farmers," he adds.

Matros is an ideal feed variety, and a proven high yielder with a UK treated yield figure of 104, nearly matching Retriever and doing particularly well in the east where it has out yielded KWS Cassia by 3% in official trials. It also offers a range of characteristics that will make it a valuable alternative to hybrid barley in the north.

"Matros provides excellent all -round disease resistance as you would expect from a Limagrain variety, crucially offering a 7 for mildew, brown rust and Rhynchosporium, as well as a 5 for yellow rust. The (4) for net blotch is based on limited data and this will be further evaluated this season."

"In terms of quality, a comparison with Retriever is difficult as we do not have any sieving data on the RL, however based on figures from 2010-2011, Matros is much better for screenings than Retriever. It has a very good grain size and may be of interest for pearling."

"Like California, where Matros stands out is its potential extra straw yield standing tall at 91cm. It is also stiff strawed and with a rating of 8 for lodging –a figure that not many other varieties on the list hold."

Tesla, a spring feed barley also recommended this year, pushes yields 3% higher than market standard Garner. It has long straw (74cm), with excellent resistance to mildew and Rhyncosporium, and also offers good specific weight

Winter oilseed rape

Anastasia has the highest gross output of any variety on the 2013 northern recommended list, and has consistently outperformed the hybrids. "Anastasia's disease resistance package makes it attractive for the whole of the northern region – that is north of the Humber Bridge not Scotch Corner!" says Les Daubney, oilseeds product manager for Limagrain. "It also has short stiff straw and has good resistance to lodging."

"Pendulum is the second of our winter oilseed varieties that has been recommended for the north, but has a different genetic make-up from Anastasia.  Pendulum has shown a consistent and reliable performance based on its sound agronomic make up, and had an excellent year in the 2012 recommended list trials, as well as in Scottish Agronomy trials."