Three new Group 4 hard feed wheats are among the up-and-coming candidate varieties that Senova is unveiling at this year’s Cereals Event.

All three are very high yielding types, with exceptionally stiff straw and good disease resistance ratings, making them suitable for today’s sustainable farming systems and more flexible rotations.

Currently being assessed as candidates for the AHDB Recommended List, the decision on whether they get added to the new list will be made later this year, following results from the 2024 harvest.

“The hard Group 4 sector is the largest in terms of market share and there is always room for good new varieties that help growers to manage risk,” says Senova’s managing director Tom Yewbrey.

“We are really pleased to have this trio coming through at a time when they are most needed. They are just some of the new varieties that we will be talking about at Cereals.”

Riley, with a yield of 106, is a Gleam/Parkin cross.  As such, it has the short, stiff straw and early ripening that is so valued by cereal growers, along with the potential for early sowing.

Having given its highest yields in the east and west, Riley is also showing promise as a second wheat.

An eyespot rating of 7 is supported by good scores for other diseases, including a 9 for yellow rust, 8 for mildew and a 6.2 for septoria.

Riley also has good grain quality, with a specific weight of 76.7kg/hl, a Hagberg of 292 and a grain protein of 10.8%.

Rufus, which also has a yield of 106, is an Insitor x Clipper cross. A waxless wheat with a distinctive green colour, it also brings orange wheat blossom midge resistance into the mix.

Another to give its best yields in the east and west, Rufus is an early maturing type with a yellow rust resistance rating of 9 and a septoria score of 6.3.

Memphis, with a treated yield of 105 and untreated yield of 91, is another Parkin cross. As a result, it has short, very stiff straw and an early ripening rating of -1, as well as good potential as a second wheat.

Strong disease resistance comes from an 8 rating for mildew, 9 for yellow rust, 6.3 for septoria, 5 for brown rust and a 7 for eyespot.