New KWS wheat additions add diversity and high value market opportunities to RL

A top performing soft Group 4 winter wheat, a super clean Group 2 all-rounder and three spring-sown milling varieties are great examples of KWS’ drive to add diversity and opportunity to UK crop production, says KWS UK country manager Will Compson.

“The total number of wheat varieties we have on the 2023/24 AHDB Recommended List stands at 13 and it is likely around 40% of the wheat harvested in 2023 will be a KWS variety of one type or another."

“Our varieties span all four production groups be it premium specification Group 1 milling wheats like KWS Zyatt, varieties with high untreated yields like Group 2 KWS Extase, Group 3 biscuit making options or outright barn fillers like Group 4 KWS Dawsum."

“Initiatives like Sowing for Peak Performance (SPP) continue to deliver new high performing varieties to help growers meet the increasing challenges of the future with a focus very much on developing genetics that align with improved sustainability and low carbon objectives."

“Our additions to the 2023/24 RL are very much part of this trajectory, combining high in-field performance with simplified crop management allowing growers to deliver the highest yields to a range of end-markets.”

New cropping options

KWS UK wheat breeder Mark Dodds says all five KWS RL wheat additions add something new to the current range of UK cropping options.

“Group 4 soft variety KWS Zealum, for example, is a great example of a resilient wheat that delivers strong field performance with excellent yield potential for growers.

“Recommended for the North of the country, KWS Zealum has an average yield of 102% in this region which rises to over 106% when it is drilled before September 25^th.

KWS Ultimatum brings the high untreated yield performance growers have come to expect from the KWS Group 2 stable along with excellent grain and field performance, he says.

“KWS Ultimatum achieves a commendable yield of 101% of controls for the whole of the UK, fractionally behind KWS Extase, but this rises to 103% for the North.

“It delivers great performance in the second wheat spot, where 60% of milling wheats and 40% of wheat overall is grown, achieving 102% of controls and it performs equally well on heavy and light soils."

KWS' three spring sown wheat varieties added to the 2023/24 RL are KWS Harsum, a Group 1 variety in the same mould as existing RL variety KWS Ladum, and the Group 2 options KWS Alicium and KWS Lightum.