Five newly recommended varieties from plant breeder Senova promise stronger yields, better disease resistance and reliable grain quality. Covering barley, oats, wheat and triticale, the five varieties aim to expand growers’ choices – offering gains in each of these areas as growers plan arable rotations for 2026 and beyond.
Barley
Two-row feed winter barley Darcie has a treated yield of 106 and a specific recommendation for the eastern region. Senova says it has also performed well in northern trials.
Darcie is resistant to both strains of Barley Yellow Mosaic Virus (BaYMV) – one of only two listed winter barleys offering dual protection. Stiff straw sees it rated 7 for lodging, 7 for rhynchosporium and 6 for net blotch. It has a 70.9kg/hl specific weight.
“The genetic potential is clear when you look at its agronomic merit score,” says Senova managing director George Goodwin. “With its strong disease and virus resistance, stiff straw and lower screenings, it’s a variety that will appeal to growers.”
With no available chemical control, BaYMV Strain 2 is becoming more common. “As Darcie has resistance to both Strain 1 and 2, it avoids the yield and grain quality losses caused by infection,” says Mr Goodwin. “In contrast, most recommended varieties only have resistance to strain 1, so it’s good to see this dual resistance coming through in high performing varieties.”
Winter oats
Rannoch, a new husked winter oat, has also joined the Recommended List. It arrives with a treated yield of 106 and an untreated yield of 92. That gives it a 4% advantage over Cromwell and a 10% advantage over Mascani.
Kernel content sits at 74.5%, with a specific weight of 51.7kg/hl. Screenings are low at 3.3%. Trials indicate that its grain quality is very similar to Mascani, still a benchmark for many millers.
“Rannoch is a big step forward,” says Mr Goodwin.
“When you consider that its untreated yield is virtually on a par with the treated yield of the country’s most popular oat variety, it highlights what this introduction represents and the breeding progress that has been made.”
Commercial goals
Rannoch has a crown rust score of 8 and mildew at 5. It is slightly taller than other Senova oats but has stiff straw and a lodging score of 7. For Mr Goodwin, its strengths match commercial and environmental goals.
“We’re really excited to see Rannoch added to the latest AHDB Recommended List as it meets both the productivity and sustainability targets that growers are striving to reach,” he says. It also performs well in processing.
“That’s a key requirement of millers and it helps growers to access premium markets.”
Spring varieties
The spring cereal line-up includes Merkawa, a new hard Group 4 wheat. It enters the List as the highest-yielding spring feed variety, with a treated yield of 107.
Merkawa is 78cm tall and has early maturity. Its mildew rating is 9, with yellow rust and brown rust both at 7. Septoria stands at 5. For spring barley growers, Senova introduces Nolan. It has a treated yield of 103 and untreated yield of 88. Nolan also offers malting potential, with good Hot Water Extract and Predicted Spirit Yield values.
It is suitable for brewing and distilling. The variety has a specific weight of 67.9kg/hl and screenings at 2.8%. Disease resistance scores include 9 for mildew, 8 for net blotch, 5 for Rhynchosporium and 4 for brown rust. This places Nolan among the cleanest varieties on the List. As standard, it will now enter MBC testing for malting approval.
Triticale
The final addition is Bicross, a new winter triticale. It appears on the Descriptive List with a yield of 99. It has a high specific weight, early ripening qualities and a yellow rust score of 9. Senova says Bicross also offers flexible drilling dates, making it of interest to growers adjusting to unsettled autumn conditions.