NPZ is celebrating its 20th anniversary with a robust and forward-looking crop portfolio. Maverick leads the oilseed lineup, a hybrid variety performing strongly in the East-West region and includes a late-drilled plot to demonstrate its flexibility in establishment. Two hybrid candidate varieties - Dirigent and Karat - are also on show, highlighting NPZ’s breeding pipeline.

In pulses, NPZ is trialling five spring bean seed rates with the variety Genius, offering growers a visual reference for optimal plant populations. The new spring bean Ketu, a low vicine-convicine (LVC) type, promises improved feed quality with reduced anti-nutritional compounds and strong yield potential.

Pea varieties include high-yielding Concerto (yellow), Pangea (green), and Midori (marrowfat), all listed by PGRO. Several pre-commercial breeding lines are also presented for early feedback.

NPZ is also a partner in the government-funded ANSWERS project with Lincoln University. This multi-year study is focused on optimising spring bean nutrition by exploring macro and micronutrient needs to improve yield stability in UK rotations.

Attendees can also hear from Dr. Ute Kropf, who will give daily talks on oilseed rape physiology, exploring how growers can leverage knowledge to stabilise yields, especially regarding drilling timing and PGR applications.