28/01/08
Two new high yielding varieties from the French breeder Caussade Semences extend the British Seed Houses maize range for 2008.
Using new high yielding maize varieties will help reduce the cost per tonne of production, says Paul Billings of British Seed Houses.
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Huski CS features in the latest NIAB Fitcon data in the
Early Less Favourable category, recording a yield of 106%
of the average of the control varieties and is classified
7 for maturity. Huski CS has also performed well in its
first year of NIAB/MGA grain maize trials, producing a
grain yield (adjusted to 15% moisture content) of 8.3t/ha,
which was 106% of the average of the control varieties.
Gladi CS is listed in the Early Favourable category in
the 2008 Fitcon data as a maturity class 5 variety with
a yield of 109% of the average of control varieties. Gladi
CS was also monitored in 2007 in the Kingshay trials, in
which it recorded a dry matter yield index of 129% across
all mainstream sites against an average of 110% of 12 other
comparable varieties. This outstanding yield contributed
significantly to an estimated crop value of £653/acre,
significantly above the average of the other 12 varieties
(£594).
“Both Huski and Gladi are high yielding varieties
that will perform well in the appropriate UK conditions,” says
British Seed Houses director Paul Billings. “Our
message to maize growers is to think hard about the way
maize fits into the overall system on the farm and define
their requirements very clearly before choosing varieties.
For those in favourable areas where earliness is less of
an issue, it will make sense to maximise yields by growing
a variety like Gladi, thereby keeping cost per tonne as
low as possible. For the majority, even in mainstream maize
growing areas, early maturity is increasingly important,
to ensure a fully mature crop is harvested within a manageable
growing window. Choosing a variety like Huski, which offers
both earliness and an uplift in yield, growers should be
able to achieve dual objectives.”
In addition to offering other established varieties such
as Goldclamp (107% DM yield and maturity class 6) and Goldcob
(100% DM yield, maturity class 7), British Seed Houses
has led the way in developing the market for ultra early
varieties, which now include the maturity class 11 varieties
Revolver, Camelot and Scimitar.
NIAB’s Fitcon (Fitted constant) data is used as an
adjunct to the National List and Descriptive List in relation
to forage maize to ensure a fair comparison between new
and established varieties. It is a long established statistical
methodology based on two years data and works by using
linked varieties across all sites (e.g. control varieties)
to predict varietal performance.
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