Five new varieties made the spring barley Recommended List, with four under evaluation for brewing and malt distilling by the Malting Barley Committee (MBC). The one feed variety, NOS Gambit, was originally recommended last year for malting, but dropped out of the MBC testing process. After being reassessed, it has returned as a feed variety.

These new additions offer improvements in yield and/or disease resistance compared with the current market leaders RGT Planet and Laureate.

SY Arrow (Syngenta) offers high treated yields across all regions. Firecracker (Agrii) brings high treated yields, especially in the West region, as well as high untreated yields. Also from Agrii is Ptarmigan, which together with KWS Enduris have slightly lower treated yields, but high untreated yields. Ptarmigan is earlier than most varieties on the list, which will attract growers in the North.

However, senior Recommended List manager Paul Gosling reminds growers that gaining MBC approval is a demanding process. Growers shouldn’t take anything for granted and ensure they have a market before committing to such varieties, he advises.

Frontier seed business development manager Jim Knightbraid agrees, saying he views gaining MBC approval as being more important than a Recommended List recommendation.

One variety he does have high expectations of is SY Arrow. He believes it could be the next Laureate, as the early responses from the trade are positive. “It’s a step up in yield and has a strong agronomic package. If it gets approval, it is bound to be attractive.”

According to KWS, Enduris has delivered excellent performance in European brewing trials. It is one variety KWS technical manager Olivia Bacon has high hopes for. “KWS Enduris is a short and stiff plant type with potential for autumn sowing. Yield is a definite notch up from the current most popular malting varieties, at 102%, and agronomics look good, as do grain characteristics."

Net blotch ratings have been added to the new list. SY Arrow scores an 8, while Firecracker, Ptarmigan and NOS Gambit are rated 7.

Spring wheats

Four new spring wheats made the list. A new Group 1 from Agrovista, expected to be branded STR Pace, offers good grain quality, with a good specific weight, high hagbergs and a respectable yield score. Another quality option is Group 2 KWS.