Level II Agricultural Business Operations

 Choose variety to suit the conditions:  Factors to consider ◦ Location ◦ Soil type ◦ Growing conditions ◦ End product ◦ Pests & diseases

 AFBI, HGCA, DAFM publish recommended lists  HGCA RL plus  Updated annually  Provides information on: ◦ Agronomic characteristics  yield,  straw length  maturity. ◦ Resistance to pests & diseases. ◦ Consumer quality e.g. crisp colour, grain size.

 Part of HGCA Recommended list trialling system  Varieties enter trial after national list testing  Trials include popular ROI varieties  Classifications are: ◦ G fully recommended for general use. ◦ S fully recommended special use. ◦ P provisionally recommended. ◦ PS provisionally recommended special use. ◦ O becoming outclassed

 What are your selection criteria? ◦ Yield potential ◦ Grain quality characteristics ◦ Straw characteristics ◦ Disease resistance ◦ Earliness of ripening ◦ Suitability to farm situation ◦ Cost

◦ Variety Type ◦ Yield potential ◦ Oil content ◦ Stem stiffness & shortness ◦ Earliness of maturity ◦ Disease resistance  Light leaf spot  Stem Canker ◦ Cost

 Market often specifies market  Select a variety from the recommended list on the basis of: ◦ Yield potential ◦ Marketable quality ◦ Maturity ◦ Keeping quality ◦ Disease resistance ◦ Seed availability and cost

NameYield Tuber number Tuber size Freedom from defects Rst to damage Maturity British Queen Cabaret Cultra Kerr’s Pink Lady Rosetta Maris Peer Maris Piper Navan Sante

NameBlightC. scab Black leg Gang rene Dry rot Skin spot PV Y Leaf roll PCE FoliageTubersG.rG.p British Queen3375SS Cabaret RS Cultra RS Kerr’s Pink SS Lady Rosetta RS Maris Peer SS Maris Piper RS Navan RS Sante RPR

 Select a variety of winter wheat with high yield potential, good standing power and good resistance to mildew and septoria.  Select a potato variety with high yield potential, good freedom from defects, and good resistance to blight, viruses and eelworm.

 Within any crop group varieties can vary greatly  Varieties undergo testing to rank agronomic characteristics  Base selection criteria on your farm situation and marketing strategy  Plan in advance