Tuxedo winter wheat gains RL status

TUXEDO has gained HGCA Recommended List status as a Group 3 variety fulfilling the requirements of all three major soft wheat markets: biscuit making, export and distilling.

Ed Flatman, of breeder RAGT, described Tuxedo as a sound variety with excellent resistance, good standing ability and significantly greater harvest security with a Hagberg falling number equivalent to many bread wheats.

Tuxedo (102.4%) along with Invicta (102.5%) yields at the top of the Group 3 sector. It performs equally well as a first or second cereal, being suited to sowing from mid-September onwards.

Grain quality in terms of specific weight is equivalent to Invicta. But the significant improvement and the outstanding feature of Tuxedo as a soft wheat was its 267 Hagberg falling number, said Mr Flatman.

This was 32 points higher than Invicta and equivalent to or even higher than many Group 2 and even Group 1 australia casino varieties such as Solstice – relevant not only for the increase in overall value but, more importantly, consistency.

Agronomically, Tuxedo is very sound, with shorter, stiffer straw than Invicta. Disease resistance is very good especially for Septoria tritici (7) and yellow rust (9) as shown by the high untreated yield (88%).

Mr Flatman said: “Overall resistance is similar to Warrior, a stable mate of Tuxedo, however the resistance sources are quite different and reflect the genetic diversity within the RAGT programme.”

He added: “Tuxedo is well suited to the requirements of the majority of UK millers and is already of particular interest for Premier Foods (formerly RHM) who have offered a buy back contract on the variety for harvest 2011.”