Cambridge, United Kingdom
September 2009
First year performance from Group 3 winter wheat Scout - which joined the HGCA Recommended List last winter - has exceeded most expectations, reports breeder Senova.The all-important grain quality results have been outstanding, confirming the new variety's position in the premium biscuit and export markets, says commercial director Jeremy Taylor.
"Scout has lived up to its promise," he reports. "It came in with a very respectable yield and produced the best quality grain of all the soft wheat choices. "It also stayed very clean in the field - unlike some of the other winter wheats - and it stood well. So it's agronomic characteristics proved themselves too." Latest yellow rust ratings just released by HGCA show Scout's resistance remaining high at a 9, he adds.
Kent grower Chris Reynolds reports that Scout performed better than he thought it would. "We achieved a yield of 9.9t/ha, which is very good for our situation where we grow a multiple wheats sequence." Furthermore, the grain sample made the grade for biscuit making, with a Hagberg of 227 and a grain protein of 12.3%, he adds.
"The variety was easy to grow from an agronomic point of view, without any disease or lodging concerns, so it will feature on this farm again next year."
In Norfolk, grower Graham Tibbenham recorded outstanding bushel weights of 81.1kg/hl with Scout. "Yields were just over 10t/ha, which was in line with our expectations," he says. "But what really took our attention was the size and shape of the ears."
His Scout sample had a Hagberg of 274, a protein level of 12% and a specific weight of 81.1kg/hl.
"The export trade is important to us, as we are near the east coast ports. So finding an alternative Group 3 variety to rival Claire and Robigus is good news."
In Hampshire, the experience that Rob Shepherd of Allenford Farms had growing Scout for seed has persuaded him to produce the variety commercially this coming year."It's cheap to grow, yields well and produces the quality required by the biscuit and export trade," he says.
As the farm isn't suitable for producing top quality Group 1 wheats, he concentrates on Group 3 and 4 choices, as well as producing seed crops. "This was our second year of growing Scout and it performed well in both seasons. It's a very sound variety, with no disease weaknesses."
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