MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY WITH EXPERT HELP

Don’t overlook the excellent and consistent performance delivered year on year by established varieties such as Expert, say seed breeders Nickerson.

 With good seed yield, and gross output of 102% of controls in Recommended List trials, conventionally bred Expert excels in the HGCA south region where it is only 1% below the best.

Its late maturity rating of four can give growers more time in allowing combining to be staggered by a few days relative to other varieties, says Michael Fletcher of Nickerson. “This makes it an ideal variety for spreading the work load on big farms.”

Its other main attribute is good resistance to lodging and very stiff stems. If a variety lodges at flowering it won’t set pods, explains Mr Fletcher. “Expert is rated an eight - one of the best for lodging resistance, and importantly combines this with an eight for stem stiffness.”

“The pods give weight to the plant, but Expert will still remain standing, making it the perfect candidate for swathing. When rape is mature it can lose 40-50% of the crop if it’s not standing, and swathing can reduce that risk.”

With its late maturity rating Mr Fletcher sees Expert continuing as a favoured variety by growers in the south. Its late flowering habit decreases the risk of frost and hail damage in the spring and makes it a suitable variety to plant early.

For further information contact Bram Van der Have on 01485 518501 or go to www.nickersonuk.com