The resurgence of yellow rust in winter wheat crops this season, combined with the annual threat of septoria and other yield-robbing cereal diseases, should make growers think very carefully about which varieties they select for the coming autumn, warns Nickerson, Europe’s leading cereal breeder.

Choosing ‘tried and tested’ varieties that have strong disease resistance profiles, in combination with high yields and good market options, will reduce exposure to increased disease threats and consequential higher fungicide costs, advises Paul Fenwick, the company’s cereal pathologist.

“Yellow rust is certainly an issue this season”, says Mr Fenwick, who believes that worse is to come next season if the disease follows its traditional pattern in the UK. “We are in the middle season of a typical three-year cycle for yellow rust, whereby during the first year we see new races in patches, in the second it begins to build and by the third year  (2010) it is a widespread problem”.

Outbreaks of the disease have been found in crops in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, down to Norfolk and Suffolk, while recent analysis by NIAB has confirmed that a new race of yellow rust is effecting several varieties of winter wheat in the UK.

“Currently the Group 1 variety Solstice is only moderately affected by the new race which, at farm level, should be manageable,” says Mr Fenwick. “However, we are seeing the re-emergence of virulence for the Yr6 resistance gene, which is contributing towards a considerable effect on other varieties.”

According to NIAB, which released new information on the increased threat of yellow rust in early June, the varieties Humber and Viscount are “showing susceptibility to the new race, while Oakley, already known to have a degree of susceptibility to existing pathotypes, was shown to be more susceptible to the new race. The yellow rust appears to have made an adaptation to the variety’s resistance”.

With the potential for the disease to be more widespread next season, growers’ choice of variety this summer will be key, stresses Mr Fenwick. “Farmers have got enough on their plate without spending additional time worrying about the effects of yellow rust.”

Bill Angus, Nickerson’s Senior Wheat Breeder, confirms that Group 3 biscuit-making favourite Claire and high-yielding Group 4 variety Alchemy are holding up well again this season, putting up robust defences against the key diseases. With both varieties being highly resistant to yellow rust (9), Mr Angus points out that growers can turn to them with confidence for next season.

“As part of a broad-based breeding programme, these varieties are showing their long-term durability in the field and, as breeders, we are confident that they will maintain a high level of resistance to yellow rust in 2010 and beyond. Consequently, they should be at the heart of growers’ winter wheat selection plans this coming autumn.”

FOR FURTHER PRESS INFORMATION PLEASE CONTACT:
• Laura Davey, Nickerson on 01472 370151
• Julian Cooksley, Kendalls Communications on 01394 610022