United Kingdom - Genserus wheats take centre stage

″Genserus stands for genetic security virus and denotes our winter wheat varieties that carry the barley yellow dwarf virus resistance gene,″ says Lee Bennett, managing director of RAGT Seeds.

″BYDV resistance will be a key focus at all three events, and at Cereals, we will be comparing the effects of the disease on several susceptible wheat varieties alongside our Genserus varieties, which of course have remained asymptomatic. The differences are quite striking.″

BYDV-resistant variety (left) versus susceptible one (right) put under extreme pressure in RAGT trials

RGT Grouse is the latest in the pipeline of Genserus varieties. This Group 4 hard Recommended List candidate is a slower-developing type, so is highly suited to earlier sowings when the risk of BYDV is at its highest.

The variety also has the added benefit of resistance to orange wheat blossom midge.

″BYDV resistance on its own is a real step forward,″ says Lee. ″The trait offers season-long protection for less than the cost of a single pyrethroid spray. It greatly simplifies crop management and benefits the environment.

″Adding OWBM resistance will enable many growers to produce insecticide-free wheat, an attractive proposition for all markets.

″RGT Grouse also features good disease resistance and high yields, leaving conventional varieties behind when under high BYDV pressure.

″We believe this will be of real interest to UK growers, particularly those progressive farmers who are minded to attend these three leading events.″