For the first time, untreated gross output figures for winter OSR varieties, which have been recommended for at least one year, have been included in the new Recommended Lists.

With recommendation for the UK, Aspire, Ballad and DX Expansion combine high gross outputs with stiff stems and good resistance to lodging. Aspire also has resistance to turnip yellows virus (TuYV).

Two new OSR varieties have been added to the East/West region list – PT275 and George. Although based on limited data, George has the strongest resistance to phoma stem canker (rating of 8) on the RL. DK Exsteel has been added to the North region list.

Three varieties have been recommended for specific purposes. Temptation has resistance to TuYV (in addition to Architect and Aspire) and with resistance to common strains of clubroot, Crome has recorded gross output yields in excess of the treated control, marking a step-change in the performance of clubroot-tolerant varieties.

In the clubroot resistant spot for both East/West and North regions, Mentor is still the only fully recommended variety. It is a restored hybrid with a specific recommendation for its resistance to the common strains of clubroot. It has high resistance to lodging (8) and is stiff-stemmed at maturity (9). Its only agronomic weakness is lower resistance to stem canker.

Herbicide tolerance has also been recognised as a specific category and PT297CL, which has tolerance to specific imidazolinone herbicides (a Clearfield variety), is added to the list.