New provisional Group 1 winter wheat and top-yielding OSR for DSV

Combining outstanding yield and excellent grain quality, Arlington offers significant potential for UK growers and millers alike, says DSV UK wheat breeder Dr Matt Kerton.

“Arlington is a variety that perfectly balances strong yield, top-tier baking performance and excellent agronomic traits,” he explains.

Success of breeding programme

“Having Arlington on the AHDB RL as a provisional UKFM Group 1 showcases the success of our breeding programme, which is focused on delivering varieties that not only meet the high standards required by millers but also perform well for farmers in the field.

“With a UK treated yield of 99% of controls, Arlington is just 1% behind the current Group 1 leader KWS Zyatt and it is the highest-yielding Group 1 variety in the key East region. With Zyatt no longer in trial, we expect Arlington to be the top performer in the near future.

“Arlington has the highest untreated yield in Group 1 at 94% of treated controls, which is also the second highest on the entire RL.”

Arlington’s grain quality with a milling spec. protein content of 12.5%, Hagberg Falling Number (HFN) of 309 and specific weight of 78.9kg/hl has also impressed, Dr Kerton adds.

“UK flour millers have praised Arlington for its strong gluten quality, high water absorption, and excellent bake performance.

“It delivers a good loaf volume and is agronomically very similar to Skyfall, which has long been the benchmark for Group 1 wheat.

“Arlington has the protein levels millers need, while still offering the quality that farmers demand for a reliable and profitable crop.”

Agronomics and straw quality

In terms of agronomics, Dr Kerton says Arlington also offers key benefits. “It’s disease resistance package is impressive, particularly when it comes to septoria and yellow rust.

“With a 7.0 for both, Arlington outperforms many other Group 1 varieties on the market. It also features resistance to orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM) – only one of two varieties to have this in Group 1 – and carries PCH1 resistance to eyespot.

Straw quality is another area where Arlington stands out, he says. “The straw is short and stiff, which significantly reduces lodging risk, making it a stable option for farmers looking to reduce the risk of yield loss during harvest.”

Adaptability

Another unique benefit of the new variety is its adaptability to different sowing conditions, he points out. “The low vernalization requirement means that Arlington can be sown late into the season, providing flexibility for farmers who are unable to sow in the autumn or who need to switch to spring sowing to suit the conditions.

“Arlington isn’t just a new variety, it’s a product of years of research and investment in UK wheat breeding at DSV.

“It’s an exciting development for UK farmers and millers alike, and we are confident it will achieve full Group 1 status in Spring 2026 once commercial assessments have been completed.”

Top-yielding hybrids strengthen OSR offering

DSV leads the AHDB 2026/27 Recommended List for oilseed rape with its hybrid variety Dompteur, which has demonstrated outstanding consistency and resilience, says the company’s UK managing director Dr Alex Doering.

“The latest Recommended List names Dompteur as the top-performing variety for both yield and gross output, underscoring the strength of its genetics across multiple sites and seasons.”

“Dompteur delivers exceptional gross output alongside high oil content and a comprehensive agronomic package, including pod shatter resistance, dual phoma resistance and TUYV protection.

“It receives scores of 8 for both light leaf spot (LLS) and phoma stem canker, with its overall agronomics making it well suited to the demands of modern OSR production.

“It delivers a UK gross output of 107% of controls, rising to 108% in the North, with an oil content 46.3%, putting it firmly at the top of all current varieties.”

With growers responding to better margins and stronger yields in 2025, AHDB’s latest Early Bird Survey points to a significant rise in UK oilseed rape area for harvest 2026, Dr Doering points out.

“With such an impressive performance, Dompteur is well placed to capitalise on this renewed confidence in the crop.

“The variety carries DSV’s ‘phoma blocker’ trait, combining two complex phoma resistance genes (RlmS and Rlm7) to provide added protection against a wide range of phoma strains, alongside strong light leaf spot resistance and good performance in verticillium wilt trials.

“Dompteur also includes TuYV resistance and pod shatter resistance, giving growers additional security through to catchy harvest seasons.

“In trials and on farm, Dompteur has shown strong autumn growth and excellent spring vigour, supporting establishment and helping crops recover from pest pressure.”

The new clubroot tolerant variety DSV Crazy CL also heads up the latest spring sowing oilseed rape Descriptive List with five of the six varieties on the list now from DSV, Dr Doering adds.

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