DSV Champion is the highest yielding winter wheat on the new 2022/23 AHDB RL combining a comprehensive disease package, outstanding untreated yield and real world versatility, says the company’s Sarah Hawthorne.
“Whatever the soil type, whenever the drilling date and whether it’s grown with full agronomic support or with minimal inputs, DSV Champion has delivered consistently over its five years of trials,” she explains.
“DSV Champion is a fully-featured hard Group 4 wheat bred at our breeding station in Oxfordshire and is a great example of our determination to develop high output varieties capable of meeting the challenges of modern UK production.
“Its 105.9% of control in the latest RL represents a yield of over 11.4t/ha with data showing it achieves this consistently whether in the early (before 25th Sept.), medium (between 26th Sept. and 31st Oct.) or late (after 1st Nov.) drilling slots.
“Exceptional establishment characteristics mean DSV Champion is an ideal late-drilling choice with a latest sowing date recommendation of the end of February.
“It performs consistently on all soil types too, delivering 105% of control yield on light soils and 106% on heavy land plus it performs to its full potential in both first and second wheat slots at 105% and 107% of controls respectively.
Furthermore, DSV Champion’s untreated yield is impressive at 90% of treated control, equivalent to a yield of over 9.7t/ha, she says.
“This is largely down to 8s for both septoria tritici and yellow rust resistance, a 5 for brown rust and orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM) resistance. We’ve seen very little lodging over 5 years of trials, too.
“It’s going to be hugely popular with growers wanting a reliable, resilient and versatile barn-filler as well as those wanting to pursue a more regenerative approach. It’s got everything going for it!”
DSV Champion breeder Dr. Matt Kerton says the variety is one of only a handful to have successfully addressed the yield-resistance trade-off.
“DSV is the only company breeding wheat in the West of the UK where the threat of disease is much higher than in other parts of the country.
“This means our varieties are being developed in conditions with greater agronomic challenges which ensures they have robust disease resistance and resilience at their heart.”
As well as DSV Champion’s list-topping performance, DSV Theodore retains its reputation as the UK’s ‘cleanest wheat’, he says, with the variety having the best Septoria resistance score on the new RL, he points out.
“Added to the RL for the West last year, Group 4 DSV Theodore is another high yielding hard feed winter wheat with outstanding disease resistance across the board.
“It’s the only variety on the new RL to get a 9 for septoria resistance, plus it’s got a 9 for yellow rust and an 8 for brown rust.
“Both DSV Champion and DSV Theodore are very much at the forefront of a new generation of high-yielding wheats able to combine this level of disease resistance with the highest yield potential and that is why they are catching the imagination of so many growers.”