That is the advice from United Oilseeds who urge growers to look beyond their usual seed selection and to choose a variety that offers reliability as well as yield.

“We have been hearing reports that some of the supposedly higher yielding varieties have been suffering from the lack of rainfall during one of the warmest and driest springs on record,” explains Beckii Gibbs, seed manager for United Oilseeds.

“Specific problems include foreshortened flowering periods which in the worst cases have resulted in significant rates of pod abortion.  Some of the affected varieties, such as DK Cabernet, have recovered well following recent rainfall and will hopefully go on to generate significant seed growth from later developing lower pods.  Other varieties look less likely to recuperate leaving many growers facing disappointing harvest yields,” Ms Gibbs warns.

Meanwhile, the UK’s only crop of HGCA candidate variety DK Camelot is developing well and showing signs of producing excellent yields from a tricky growing season.

DK Camelot is the top gross output RL candidate variety and is from the same Monsanto stable as its predecessor, and farm favourite, Castille.  Available to growers for planting in autumn 2011, the UK’s seed crop is being grown by Dalton Seeds.

“We have been extremely impressed with the way DK Camelot has coped with this year’s drought conditions,” stated Philip Allan who is growing the seed crop on behalf of Dalton Seeds.  “We are growing 21.8 hectares as a seed crop and judging by its performance to date should see excellent yields.  The crop looks even throughout with all plants displaying excellent pod fill and disease resistance.”

DK Camelot is a low biomass and early maturing conventional variety and is suitable for growing in all regions of the UK.  “With similar disease resistance and agronomic scores as Castille and an ability to deliver consistent yields, we are confident that it will become the true successor to Castille and a firm favourite amongst growers up and down the country,” Ms Gibbs adds.

With rapeseed prices as buoyant as they have been in recent months, farmers shouldn’t leave their final yields to chance Ms Gibbs advises.  “It makes no sense to choose a variety with the potential to produce record-breaking yields if it subsequently falls short due to adverse weather conditions.

“It makes more sense to choose a variety with proven consistency and which has better odds of performing in all weather conditions,” she adds.  “With Cereals rapidly approaching, growers should be thinking about which varieties are best suited to their conditions and quizzing seed breeders at the event in June to ensure that their selection is appropriate.”