Two new winter wheat varieties give growers more opportunities to achieve higher yields amid an increasingly unpredictable climate and market conditions
LG Defiance and LG Challenger are both Group 4 hard wheats from Limagrain Field Seeds. The breeder says they have shown consistently high yield potential across different regions, seasons, soil types and rotational positions.
“LG Defiance has the highest untreated yield on the 2026/27 AHDB Recommended List (95%), which is very rare for a hard feed wheat,” says Limagrain arable technical manager Ron Granger.”
Good pedigree
“LG Challenger is third-best untreated yield on the list, illustrating the strength of genetics underpinning both varieties. Both contain good pedigrees, but the key is what we as breeders can get out of that parent material to deliver on-farm.”
Both varieties offer good agronomic characteristics to deliver strong returns, says Mr Granger. They are close to the best in terms of UK treated yield – at 109 for LG Defiance and 107 for LG Challenger, he adds.
LG Defiance pairs this with disease scores for yellow rust (rated 8) and a 6 rating for septoria, while LG Challenger is rated 7 and 6 respectively.
“With the changes to Yr15 resistance we’ve seen, selecting a variety with better yellow rust resistance, supported by an appropriate fungicide programme, is becoming an increasing priority,” notes Mr Granger.
“Although everyone is talking about yellow rust, we can’t forget that septoria is still the biggest yield-robber on most farms.”
Selecting good genetics to reduce risk and build resilience across the rotation is crucial amid rising costs, unpredictable weather patterns, and evolving disease pressures, says Frontier national technical manager Kirsty Richards.
“Yield is a big attraction of LG Defiance and LG Challenger, but it cannot be at any cost. Remember that 80% of crop potential is harnessed by putting the right variety in the right place, at the right time, for your situation.”
Risk management
Dr Richards says its agronomic characteristics make LG Defiance a good choice for later drilling or second wheat situations, while LG Challenger’s growth habit and straw strength better suit earlier sowing.
Mr Granger agrees, but adds that both varieties have shown excellent yield potential when sown during the main October drilling window. “LG Defiance is a taller variety that will require a good split PGR programme, he explains.
“Limagrain trials show that it responds well to PGRs and the reduced height has no impact on final yield potential, similar to varieties such as LG Skyscraper and LG Redwald.”
A further characteristic that builds resilience and helps meet market requirements under tough conditions is the excellent grain quality of both varieties, particularly their high specific weights at 77 kg/hl and 78.6 kg/hl respectively, notes Dr Richards.
Staffordshire farmer Rob Atkin is growing a small area of LG Defiance this season to test whether the variety suits his farm, and so far he says it is the “cleanest and best looking crop on the farm”.
“In the past, we grew a lot of KWS Extase and Gleam, so when we saw these were in the parentage of LG Defiance, we thought it made sense to give it a try. We like to trial new varieties every year to see what works. So far, LG Defiance looks really good, but the real proof will come at harvest.”.”
Robustness
Yield is a big consideration, but Mr Atkin says robustness to diseases like septoria and yellow rust is perhaps more important. “I want a variety that’s robust enough to stay clean and potentially give us the opportunity to reduce input costs while still maximising yield.”
While recent rises in fuel and fertiliser prices may prompt some growers to consider cutting inputs, ADAS senior crop research scientist Christina Baxter says productivity should remain the focus – yield is still ‘king’.
Analysis of results from more than 1,200 Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) wheat crops between 2013 and 2022 shows a “very convincing” relationship between gross margin and yield, dispelling any suggestion that high yields cost more to produce.
Rob Atkin is hosting an open day on 22 June for growers to see the varieties he is growing this season. For details, visit bit.ly/robatkin