With May rapidly approaching, new Linseed variety Batsman could provide growers with an ideal combinable crop to drill late.

“Comparisons of Linseed with other spring crops are typically made using performance figures based on optimum sowing times. In reality, when comparing late sown combinable crops, Linseed, with its natural late sown character, performs much more favourably against other alternatives that typically should have been drilled in February and March,” commented Adrian.

“Batsman combines a very high yield of 105% with an earliness score of 7 on the HGCA Descriptive list, provides farmers with  a high yielding and early maturing variety” said Elsoms Oilseed Breeder, Mark Nightingale.

“Including Linseed in an arable rotation can provide a lot of benefits,” says Elsoms Agricultural Director, Bob Miles. “Linseed has a long and late drilling window which, even in April, can still give  growers time  to control weeds rather than rushing in a very late cereal crop,” continued Bob. “As well as providing a break from OSR, there is strong anecdotal evidence of a significant yield benefit in wheat crops following Linseed,” said Bob.