Surge in hybrid rye sees UK area increase again by 25%

Some 50,000ha of hybrid rye is expected to be harvested this year as wholecrop demand for biogas production continues to drive market growth.

This represents a 25% year-on-year increase in the UK hybrid rye area. Wholecrop rye for biogas production now accounts for about half the UK market – which makes choosing high performing varieties for anaerobic digestion key for most growers.

The agronomic benefits of rye are clear, says independent agronomist Craig Green, of CMG Agronomy. It performs better than winter wheat on light land, has aggressive early growth which smothers blackgrass, and requires fewer agrochemical inputs.

Rye requires far less fertiliser than winter wheat and performs extremely well in drought conditions, where its aggressive root system is able to seek out water and key nutrients, with efficient utilisation of nitrogen and phosphorus.

Strong pipeline

Four out of five new winter hybrid rye varieties on the AHDB 2022/23 Descriptive list last December were bred by Saaten Union. UK partner Elsoms Seeds has clearly secured a strong pipeline of varieties well-suited to UK growing conditions, says Mr Green.

“With most of my growers working on a pound per tonne basis it’s all about sourcing new
varieties that can produce consistently high yields and [this follows] the success of SU Performer which had set the benchmark in recent years.

“Saaten Union and Elsoms now seem to have another winner in SU Arvid, a variety that went onto the DL in 2021/22, offering a significant step forward in yield than Performer, lower inputs, and which can be grown on a wider range of soils.”

Three customers who trialled SU Arvid last year all averaged 48.5t/ha on wholecrop yields – about 2.5t/ha higher than they had previously achieved with any other hybrid rye variety, says Mr Green.

Saaten Union UK cereal product manager Andrew Creasy sees a strong future for rye cropping in the UK. He and some other breeders and industry experts believe that the UK rye area could double in size within the next few years.