Winter wheat recommended and candidate lists

RL winter wheat harvest results continue to show low yields

• Fungicide-treated yields from fourteen trials show an average yield of controls of 10.01 t/ha, which is 1.08 t/ha below the 5-year average
• No new fungicide-untreated trial results

Further fungicide-treated harvest results for AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) winter wheat trials are reported today (10 August 2026).

Results are reported from fourteen fungicide-treated sites with two trials from Norfolk, two from Suffolk and one each from Lincolnshire, Essex, Kent, Hampshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall, with new results in from Leicestershire and two sites in Yorkshire. The average yield of control varieties is now 10.01 t/ha, slightly higher than the last report, but still 1.08 t/ha below the five-year average of 11.09 t/ha. The newly reporting Leicestershire site is now the highest yielding trial, with the controls averaging 12.16 t/ha. Sixteen trials are still to report including more northerly trials so average yields still are likely to change.

No additional fungicide-untreated trials have reported since the last update.

Calculating yield results

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties. In 2026 they are Skyfall, KWS Extase, LG Skyscraper, Bamford and Champion. The yield average from these varieties is represented as 100%.

2026 results

Though half of the 30 fungicide-treated trials have reported, trials in Scotland and Northern Ireland have not yet reported so these results should still be treated with some caution. Trials further north where rainfall totals have been higher and temperatures lower may give a different results.

Fungicide-treated trials

The highest-yielding variety remains the newly recommended hard group 4 variety KWS Aintree on 110%, followed by the hard group 4 varieties KWS Scope on 106% and newly recommended RGT Guardsman, which has a specific recommendation for resistance to BYDV, on 105%. Newly recommended hard group 4s LG Defiance and LG Challenger are on 104%, slightly below their five-year averages.

Newly recommended Sparkler is now the highest yielding of the soft group 4s on 103% with LG Redwald also on 103%. Blackstone 101%, KWS Zealum 100% and RGT Hexton 96%, the other soft group 4s are some way behind, with RGT Hexton well below its five-year average at this stage. KWS Zealum is recommended only for the north region.

The other group 4 varieties are performing close to their five-year averages. With the notably early newly recommended variety KWS Fowlmere on 103%.

The soft UKFM soft Group 3 varieties are performing as expected, with KWS Flute and Bamford on 103% and KWS Solitaire on 102%.

In the bread-making groups performance continues to be as expected. KWS Arnie is the highest yielding UKFM Group 2 on 102%, with newly recommended KWS Grebe on 100%. KWS Extase is also in on 100%. East/West variety KWS Equipe is on 99% and KWS Palladium is on 98%. RGT Goldfinch which has a specific recommendation for resistance to BYDV on 88%. 

KWS Vibe is the highest yielding UKFM Group 1 variety at this stage on 97%, with newly recommended UKFM Group 1 variety Arlington on 96%, SY Cheer is on 95%, alongside Skyfall, with Crusoe on 94%.  

Five-year average

The 2026 results show yields based on one season. The five-year average is a better measure of variety performance over seasons. Despite the dry conditions in 2026, fungicide-treated over-year results largely reflect the current RL.

Newly recommended hard group 4 varieties KWS Aintree on 108%, followed by LG Defiance on 106% and LG Challenger on 105% remain highest yielding. They are closely followed by another hard group 4 variety KWS Scope, the newly recommended soft group 4 variety Sparkler and the newly recommended hard group 4 variety KWS Fowlmere and LG Redwald, all on 104%. The UKFM Group 3 variety, KWS Solitaire, is also on 104% with Bamford and KWS Flute on 103%.

KWS Arnie tops the UKFM Group 2 varieties on 102%, followed closely by the newly recommended KWS Grebe on 101%. The newly recommended Arlington is top in the UKFM Group 1 varieties on 97%, followed by KWS Vibe on 96% and SY Cheer on 95%.

Newly recommended hard group 4 variety RGT Guardsman, which has a specific recommendation for resistance to BYDV is on 102%.

2026 candidates

The five-year averages are the best measure for assessing the potential of candidates and suggest likely additions to this year’s RL, though when they are considered for recommendation their overall balance of features including grain quality, agronomic characteristics and disease resistance will be considered in addition to yield.

Data can only be shown for varieties that have been added to the GB and NI Variety List (VL). Four candidates have not yet been listed.

Potential bread making varieties

KWS Voyage has the highest yield potential for a bread making candidate in fungicide-treated trials on 108% of controls at this stage, reaching 109% in 2026. Though its fungicide-untreated yield of only 104% and 95% in 2026 reflects its moderate yellow rust resistance rating. LG Windmill is on 101% with KWS Melesie and Gibson from Senova on 100% in fungicide-treated trials. Gibson is the highest yielding candidate with bread making potential in fungicide-untreated trials on 116%, with KWS Melesie also performing well on 112%.  

The decision on whether these varieties meet the specifications for bread making will be made by UKFM in time for them to be considered for adding to the recommended list in November.

Potential biscuit making varieties

Sunspire from Elsoms has the highest yield potential for a biscuit-making candidate in fungicide-treated trials on 104%, with a fungicide-untreated figure of 115%. LG Spear, and Lucifer from Elsoms are both on 102% in fungicide-treated trials, but LG Spear is higher yielding in fungicide-untreated trials at 115%, with Lucifer on 106%. Again the decision on whether these varieties meet the specifications for biscuit making will be made by UKFM when quality testing of the 2026 crop is completed.

Feed varieties

The highest yielding group 4 feed candidate in fungicide-treated trials is the hard feed candidate KWS Checkmate on 105%. It also has the highest yield of any variety in fungicide-untreated trials at 125%. The soft feed candidate NOS Beast is also on 105% and is also high yielding in fungicide-untreated trials on 119%.

Several candidates are on 104% in fungicide-treated trials. The hard feed candidates Percy from KWS, Bastion from Agrovista and the soft feed candidates SY Mirage and RGT Hydra.  Bastion is the highest yielding of these in fungicide-untreated trials on 115%, with SY Mirage on 112%, RGT Hydra on 111% and Percy on 107%. 

Other hard feed candidates are RGT Kraken and Girton from Senova both on 103% in the fungicide-treated trials, followed by three candidates on 102%, Bluebird from Elsoms, RGT Griffin and Dreadnought from Elsoms. With RGT Griffin highest yielding of these in the fungicide untreated trials on 117% followed by Dreadnought on 113% and Girton on 111%.

Further information

Access the full trial results 

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