Introducing Reilly and Kingston: BASF’s new Australian wheat varieties for the 2023 season

Following the successful launch of BASF’s first Australian wheat seed variety 'Ascot^®' in 2020, BASF and its commercial partner Seednet have released two new wheat varieties – Kingston^® and Reilly^® - for the 2023 season.

"BASF and Seednet are excited to introduce another two new wheat varieties to the Australian market, which will offer growers even more choice that will help them achieve better yields," said Gavin Heard, Head of Seeds and Traits, BASF Australia and New Zealand.

"Introducing new genetics into the market is critical as we grapple with climate changes and nations seeking to improve their food security. We at BASF, have focused on innovations to support the needs for more sustainable agriculture and assist farmers to do the biggest job on earth to feed us and the growing demands of wheat. The new genetics in Reilly will provide growers from the Eyre Peninsula, right through the mid-north of South Australia and into the Wimmera and Mallee, a great opportunity to more effectively manage rust with a high yielding variety. In higher rainfall zones, Kingston will provide a robust, short stature, high yielding variety," Heard added.

Following the same naming convention as Ascot, BASF and Seednet chose to honour local farming pioneers in naming the new varieties.

"Like Ascot, Kingston in central Victoria was the site of a flour mill built by gold miner turned pioneering wheat grower, breeder and miller James Fry, who was one of the pioneering wheat growers in the Wimmera,″ explains Simon Crane, General Manager, Seednet.

Kingston wheat has high-end yield potential and grain quality, exceptional straw strength, outstanding lodging resistance, and the plant type results in low residues to manage the following year. In addition, Kingston has an AH classification (Southern zone) and is suited to medium and higher-rainfall zones and irrigation.

″Reilly was named after Richard Reilly, who arrived in the tough environment of Corack, when farming in the northern Wimmera was just beginning. Like the variety named after him, Richard Reilly showed commitment to not only surviving, but thriving, in these conditions and 150 years later, the latest Richard Reilly and his family are still farming at Corack (and beyond) as testament to the resilience of the Reilly clan.″

Reilly wheat will bring about the advantages of brand-new genetics to Australian growers, and offers excellent grain quality and exceptional resistance to all the major pathotypes of stripe rust. Reilly is AH classified (Southern zone) and has the capacity to thrive in low to medium rainfall environments.

Kingston and Reilly wheat seed will be available to growers for the 2023 winter cropping season.