Arable
Changing growing conditions means different variety focus
• Focus on reliability not just yield • Robust disease resistance is key • Technology accelerates genetics
M
ore cereal growers are focusing their attention on consistent and relia- ble varieties – rather than going all-out for yield. Traits which deliver reliable performance in variable growing conditions are increasingly im- portant, says Kirsty Richards of breeders KWS. Simply chasing yields is no longer the answer, she adds. “We’re having to recalibrate what we think are the most de- sirable features in wheats mov- ing forward. The last 3-5 years in particular have been a real wake- up call for many in the industry – including both growers and seed breeders.
While ultimate production po- tential will always be in demand, we’ve learned you have to build in a lot more features to help grow- ers achieve this more of the time in more variable growing condi- tions.”
Researchers and scientists generally agree that climate change will mean the UK experi- ences warmer, wetter winters and hotter summers with less rainfall, explains John Redhead, of the UK Centre for Ecology and Hydrolo- gy (UKCEH).
“The UK is unlikely to see a smooth transition to a warmer cli- mate in the years ahead with the increasing likelihood that it will be typifi ed by periods of extreme weather,” says Dr Redhead. The 2020 growing season illustrated this all too well, he adds.
The last 3-5 years have been a real wake-up call
“
“This was evidenced by torren- tial rain at crucial times which hampered sowing most types of crops, an exceptionally dry spring affecting plant growth and fi nal- ly heavy downpours in August which created very challenging harvesting conditions.
“Detailed data on 2020 yields from more than 500 fi elds across 100 farms showed an average drop in crop yields of around 15% compared to the fi ve-year mean, with the tonnage per hectare in some places down by as much as two-thirds.”
Resilient and robust In light of the changing condi- tions, the three key watchwords
Above: Recent years have been a wake-up call for breeders and growers, says Kirsty Richards. Right: A crop of KWS Firefl y growing on land farmed by CH Ellis.
for varieties in the future are re- ally resilience, robustness and re- sistance, says Dr Richards. The KWS Sowing for Peak Per- formance initiative – or SPP for short – has already delivered a number of stand out varieties, she adds. In future there will be an even greater emphasis on func- tional traits as a priority.
“In a world where more vola- tile weather conditions are the norm, stem stiffness and stand- ing power become increasingly relevant and in more challeng- ing autumn weather, later drill- ing capability becomes increas- ingly important.
“Strong disease resistance and high untreated yield also in-
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14 ANGLIA FARMER • AUGUST 2021
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