Descriptive lists (rather than recommended lists) are used when recommendation is not appropriate, but there is demand for data for varieties for which seed is likely to be available in the coming year.

Descriptive list trials for spring linseed and spring oilseed rape are conducted with the same rigour as other RL trials but are fewer in number. As a result, differences between variety yields may not always be statistically significant and caution should be used when looking at differences between varieties. Particular attention should be paid to LSDs (least significant differences). Varieties that differ by less than the LSD are not statistically different.

Spring linseed

Of the five spring linseed trials only three have been successfully brough to harvest. One was rejected due to high variability across the trial and low yields, while the fifth has been abandoned as the trial is waterlogged and plots have begun to lodge. Yields of the three remaining trials were reasonable, with average yield of the control varieties being 1.94 t/ha, just below the five-year average of 2.09 t/ha, but above last year’s value of 1.67 t/ha.

Yield averages

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties (Bingo, Batsman and Abacus). With such a small number of trials the five-year average yields are a better guide to variety performance than the 2024 yields. Having said that, the three highest yielding DL varieties in 2024 were Buffalo (117%) Bingo (113%) and Juliet (110%). Though Juliet is highest yielding on the five-year average (110%), with Bingo on 109% and Skylark on 108%. Buffalo and Bliss (103%) are next highest yielding on the five-year averages. Riches and Gilbert, two high ALA varieties are on 97% and 94% respectively on the five-year mean.

Only two of the candidate varieties have been added to the GB and NI Variety Lists so far. Nimbus’s five-year average yield is 98% and Baroness’s 101%. Baroness looks to be early maturing, which will make it more attractive to some growers, while Nimbus is later. Both varieties will be added to the DL in December, unless withdrawn by the breeder.

Spring oilseed rape

Spring oilseed rape is a challenging crop to trial and this proved to be the case once again in 2024. Although the wet spring allowed all three trials to establish well, the wet autumn has led to one trial being abandoned after swathing due to ongoing rain preventing harvest.

Gross output yield of the control varieties (Lumen and Lakritz) in the two remaining trials (yield with an adjustment for oil content) is 2.39 t/ha well below the five-year average of 2.81 t/ha.

Yield averages

As with linseed, with such a small number of trials the five-year average yields are a better guide to variety performance than the 2024 yields. Performer is highest yielding in 2024 (103%) very similar to its five-year average (100%), while Lakritz remains highest yielding on the five-year average (103%) and is on 102% in the 2024 data. Builder is next highest yielding on the five-year average, equal with Lavina on 98%, though Builder has had a much better 2024 (102%). Fergus is the sole conventional variety on the list with a five-year average yield of 93%, though it has done much better in 2024 (97%). Contra CL, the only herbicide-tolerantvariety on the list has also done well in the 2024 trials, yielding 96%, well ahead of its five-year average (92%).

Further information

Access full trial results via the AHDB website: ahdb.org.uk/harvestresults

AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) trials test variety performance under optimum conditions. Care should be taken when making comparisons with commercial yields. Results from individual trial sites should not be used to make conclusions on variety performance. The RL publications are based on information from trials across the UK over several seasons. As more information becomes available from the current harvest, this will contribute to the over-trials averages – which comprise four years for oilseeds and five years for cereals. These averages provide better information for comparison between varieties. Performance variation is not the responsibility of AHDB. Since the focus is to test new varieties, not all RL varieties are presented. Yields for well-established varieties are published at ahdb.org.uk/rl

Winter triticale

Winter triticale descriptive list 2024/25* (pdf)

Winter triticale descriptive list 2024/25* (xls)

Winter triticale harvest results

Winter triticale sowing list for harvest 2024 (pdf)

Winter triticale sowing list for harvest 2025 (pdf)

Winter triticale trial sites for harvest 2024 (pdf)

Winter triticale yield results (pdf)

Winter triticale yield results (xls)

Winter triticale harvest results (xls)

Winter rye

Winter rye descriptive list 2024/25 (pdf)

Winter rye descriptive list 2024/25 (xls)

Winter rye harvest results

Winter rye sowing list for harvest 2024 (pdf)

Winter rye sowing list for harvest 2025 (pdf)

Winter rye trial sites for harvest 2024 (pdf)

Winter rye yield results (pdf)

Winter rye yield results (xls)

Winter rye harvest results (xls)

Winter Rye and winter triticale commentary

Winter rye and winter triticale

Winter rye and winter triticale harvest results - yields down

AHDB Descriptive Lists (DL) rather than Recommend Lists (RL) are published for winter rye and winter triticale. DLs are used where recommendation is not appropriate, but for which there is a wish to provide some descriptive data within the RL system. The varieties on the DL are those for which seed should be available. Far fewer trials are run than for the RLs and differences between varieties should be treated with more caution.

All trials for the AHDB winter rye and winter triticale lists have now reported in and it’s not good for either crop, with average yield of the control varieties down compared with the five-year average.

Yields

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties. The average of the yields from these varieties is represented as 100%. All trials receive a fungicide and PGR program, there are no fungicide-untreated trials.

Winter triticale

Average yield of the control varieties in 2024 is 9.61 t/ha, well below the five-year average of 10.16 t/ha and very variable, ranging from 7.13 t/ha in Fife to 12.30 t/ha in Dorset. Grain quality data is not available yet, but disease data from small unyielded disease observation plots is in and shows the high disease pressure that trials were under this year. Disease was present even in the main fungicide-treated plots in some trials.

With so few trials care must be taken not to overinterpret the results. Nevertheless, the highest yielding DL variety in 2024 is Lumaco at 116% of controls, well ahead of its five-year average. Second highest yielding in 2024 is Brehat, but seed is not available for this variety. Next highest yielding is Kasyno, again ahead of its five-year average at 104%. All the other varieties are below their five-year average in 2024, but with this year being so extreme it is perhaps better to focus on the five-year averages. Lumaco is highest yielding (107%) ahead of RGT Eleac (101%) and KWS Fido, Kasyno and SU Askadus all on 100%. The single candidate for 2024 RT15108 has not yet been added to the national Variety List, so data cannot be shown.

Winter rye

Winter rye trials measure grain yield, not whole-crop yield, although the two are closely related. One of the four trials was lost due to waterlogging, so there are just three trials for 2024. The average yield of the control varieties (8.57 t/ha) is well below the five-year average (9.71 t/ha), with all three trials yielding below the average. Grain quality data is not available yet, but data from disease observation plots like for triticale shows the high disease pressure this year.

Differences between varieties should again be treated with caution due to the small number of trials and it should be noted how variable performance is from trial to trial, but SU Karlsson has done well in 2024 (111%) and is equal second highest yielding in the five-year dataset (104%). SU Bendix has done very well in 2024 (108%) well ahead of its five-year yield (99%). KWS Baridor and SU Thor are candidates also on 108% in 2024, but SU Thor has the better five-year average yield, 108% versus 103% for KWS Baridor. Astranos, SU Baresi and candidate KWS Emphor are all on 106% and are all on 104% in the five-year averages.

Candidates

All the candidate varieties will be added to the DL for both rye and triticale, unless the breeder withdraws them from the system. Seed may no longer be available for some varieties on the DL or only available in small quantities and these will be removed from the DL in December.

Further information

Access full trial results via the AHDB website: ahdb.org.uk/harvestresults

Topics:

Product Quality and Safety Varieties

Sectors:

Cereals & Oilseeds

Tags:

RL varieties recommended lists