By Katrina Macarthur

k.macarthur@thesf.co.uk

WHEAT producers in the south of Scotland have sparked an interest in hard wheats for the feed market, despite soft wheats having been traditionally used across the country.

That was the message which Simon Howell, managing director of one of Europe’s largest seed breeding businesses, RAGT Seeds, gave at a briefing in Edinburgh, last week.

“This year, we have started to see a few hard feed varieties grown up here in Scotland and interest has been creeping up from Northumberland and the Borders and into the Edinburgh area,” he said.

However, Mr Howell added that it was unlikely to be the case any further north due to the distilling industry being the main end user there.

“The further north you head into Scotland, distilling becomes more important, so hard wheats aren't likely to progress any further north. However, in the Borders, huge amounts of wheat go for feed.”

With that in mind, RAGT Seeds’ cereal and oilseed rape product manager, Tom Dummett, revealed two new wheat varieties available for Scotland, including the high-yielding hard wheat, RGT Gravity, which was given automatic promotion in the latest AHDB Recommended List.

Having topped in all trials, apart from early sowing, in a pre-release before recommendation, Gravity took 2% of market share and is now the second biggest variety in production for 2018 autumn sowing. Widespread uptake by seed producers this autumn has meant that there should be enough seed to satisfy a potentially high demand for next year’s planting.

Mr Dummett commented that Gravity proved a very consistent growers, with an 83% untreated yield, and a score of 4 for mildew resistance score, with a strong 76.8 spec' weight figure. He added that its +1 ripening and good standing characteristics made it an excellent consideration for Scotland.

“Consistency in a variety is what farmers want and this is something which Gravity can give,” said Mr Dummett, adding that it was the first hard feed variety to be given immediate entry into the national list in more than a decade.

The other RAGT rising star, a soft wheat variety named Universe, offered similar characteristics, although is slightly lower yielding. According to Mr Dummett, its works best when sown earlier and has a lot of focus on distilling, due to its suitability for spirit production.

But, though RAGT Seeds considered itself as a ‘one stop shop for farmers’, Mr Howell pointed out that seed varieties have a much shorter lifespan than they used to. “Some varieties have really slid away, with many lasting for no longer than three years. That’s not long when you consider that it takes seven years to breed a variety before it gets onto the market."

Mr Howell added that it costs roughly £4m to breed and register a new variety, however the total income on seed royalties of wheat in the UK stood at £16m, while barley is at £8m a year.

“The Scottish market is a key market as farmers tend to stay with varieties for longer so if they can get established, these varieties coming onto the market will certainly be around for much longer,” said Mr Howell.

One which we all know has certainly proved its worth is the spring barley variety, Concerto. Since it’s introduction in 2009, it has a proven track record with growers, maltsters, brewers and distillers alike and still accounts for 13% of the UK market. But, it is becoming agronomically outclassed and newcomers, like Planet with 23% of the market are edging Concerto out.

But it’s the impressive new variety, Laureate, which has 70% of its seed expected to go into the Scottish market. “Farmers look at Concerto and know how to grow it, so it certainly still has a long tail in the market. Laureate is catching up, however and it’s likely that it’ll be 50/50 Laureate and Concerto in Scotland soon,” commented Mr Howell.

RAGT Seeds’ technical sales manager, Cathy Hooper, has high hopes for the new spring barley variety, RGT Asteroid, which has been added to the national list as a malt and grain distilling variety under test. The variety, which will be launched commercially for spring 2020, looks to be particularly well suited to the Scottish distilling market.

“Asteroid has a high hot water extract and high diastatic power and has the potential for malting and distilling,” said Hooper, commenting that it has a yield performance of 103%, though Planet remains in the lead at 105% yield performance of controls.

Although Planet is gaining a strong following among livestock farmers in the UK, thanks to its excellent yield and stiff, plentiful straw, Ms Hooper said, RGT Asteroid is a variety which could tick many boxes for growers in Scotland.