DSV oilseed rape varieties showing their true potential in early AHDB results

DSV Dolphin has achieved the highest one-year yield in the first AHDB winter oilseed rape harvest results for 2023 with DSV Matrix CL and DSV Crocodile delivering class leading performance too, says the company's Sarah Hawthorne.

"DSV Dolphin delivered a one-year gross output of 109.4% of controls, some 3.2% above the next highest yielder, and its 2020 - 2023 average gross output was just 1.6% behind the highest at the sites in Lincolnshire, Suffolk and Herefordshire.

"In fact, the variety performed well in trials at the Callow site in Herefordshire, where it delivered a one-year yield of 115.4% - some 5.2% more than its nearest rival.

The variety joined the AHDB Candidate List in December 2022 and has impressed in DSV's own trials across the country, she adds.

"DSV Dolphin is a simple to grow variety with a high output, strong tolerance to verticillium wilt and has one of the best tolerance to sclerotinia in DSV’s portfolio.

"It also has a very high resistance to lodging combined with strong to very strong stem stiffness that adds to its overall resilience in the field plus it features DSV Harvest Max protection traits.

"This helps deliver maximum seed retention during harvest combined with a quick and even dry down of the crop."

DSV Matrix CL is the highest gross output Clearfield varieties in the results with 97% of controls in both 2023 one-year and 2020 - 2023 average results, she points out.

"This illustrates Matrix CL's consistency across some very different production years and underlines why it has quickly established itself as the most popular Clearfield variety in the UK.

"DSV Beatrix CL is another reliable Clearfield performer achieving 95% of controls across both 2023 one-year and 2020 - 2023 results making it the second best performing Clearfield variety next to DSV Matrix CL."

DSV Crocodile CR's gross output of 99% makes it the best performing clubroot tolerant variety on the list, Sarah Hawthorne adds.

"DSV Crocodile's gross output once again shows not only has it closed the gap between clubroot resistant varieties and ‘normal’ types, it consistently outyields many of them too!

"As clubroot infection continues to spread south, Crocodile CR offers an increasing number of growers a valuable, high yielding option as part of their rotational panning and other defences against the problem."

The results in the AHDB trials are mirroring these seen in DSV trials across the country, she says.

"DSV Dolphin is performing particularly well and promise growers real versatility, reliability and high yield potential in the future, alongside our other proven varieties such as DSV Dart and DSV Duplo.

"In addition, our specialist Clearfield and clubroot tolerant varieties increasingly show that yield does not have to be the penalty you pay if specific agronomic issues need to be addressed."