While the HGCA’s late autumn and spring sown wheat results are yet to be published, KWS trials show that spring wheats have once again proven adept at holding on to their physical grain quality from late autumn sowings.

Indeed after a year when specific weights from traditional sowings are all over the place – thanks to excessive growth, low levels of summer sun and fusarium – the results for spring wheats stand out.

Data from the company’s Product Development Field at Fowlmere near Cambridge has shown that yields from all late sown wheats are above the three year mean. 

“In a year when earlier sown wheats simply couldn’t fulfil potential and had poor grain fill, spring types with fewer, stronger tillers were still able to maximise physical grain weight and quality,” says product development manager, John Miles.

In the trials, KWS Willow and KWS Alderon not only provided 10.5t/ha yields from a November 19 sowing, they also had specific weights some 6-8kg/hl above those for Conqueror and KWS Santiago drilled at the same time.

According to Mr Miles, all the evidence suggests that today’s spring wheats are increasingly robust, flexible and profitable, and have the yield and physical grain quality to match many of their late sown winter wheat cousins.

“Many winter wheats when drilled late are pushed to their limits and simply don’t have the ability or time to fill grain as effectively.  In contrast, it is increasingly apparent that that by selecting winter sown spring wheats neither yield or physical grain performance need be compromised,” he says.

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