Getting the Best from Viscount

So, just where has it found a home? According to KWS cereal manager, Keith Best perhaps its strongest showing has been in close proximity to the ports.

“With UK growers looking for premium outlets to gain an advantage in a balanced supply and demand scenario, the uks soft wheat brand value that Viscount brings has appealed to those who in the past grew Robigus, Consort and Claire,” he says.

Backed by a yield that is 3% ahead of Alchemy and Robigus, Viscount is the highest yielding premium soft wheat for uks export without the need for blending. As a result it can find a home on any uks soft wheat cargo and is being widely used in the European soft wheat sector having performed well in Continental baking grists.

Although not classified as a NABIM Group 3 variety, significant quantities of Viscount have also successfully found their way into UK biscuit-making and cake markets this season, earning growers some valuable premiums.

Mr Best also points out that there is still a widely held belief that 30% of all UK plantings should be Group 3 soft biscuit types. This though is a fallacy. Market data suggest that biscuit manufacturers use just 500,000t of wheat that need to be of NABIM Group 3 classification each year.

In contrast, other soft wheat uses – including uks exports, distilling, bioethanol, cakes and other baking – could be 10 times this at over five million tonnes. This is where a high yielding Group 4 soft wheat, such as Viscount, can come into its own, provided it meets consumer requirements.

AGRONOMICS

Variety consultant Mike Jeffes points out that agronomically Viscount is no slouch either. It has moderate winter dormancy and is suited to gowing from mid-September onwards, having good tillering ability and tiller retention characteristics.

“Viscount is 6cm shorter than Robigus, but has similar PGR requirements. Ideally, PGR programmes should maximise straw strength but you should avoid over shortening this variety,” he says. “It’s also backed by a strong disease resistance profile with good Septoria tritici and S. nodorum scores complementing complementing a 9 rating for brown rust.”

If it has a weakness, it is in the fact that in common with many other varieties, Viscount yellow rust ratings fell back last season. Currently rated at 4, it is susceptible to the Solstice yellow rust race and this disease should be a priority focus when considering seed treatments and T0 and T1 fungicide needs.

However, those looking to minimise the number of late season spray passes will benefit from its resistance to Orange Wheat Blossom Midge. As such it is unlikely to require specific treatment. “As with any premium wheat, give it priority at harvest to protect its sample quality. Viscount should also be stored separately wherever possible, to help maximise its market potential,” says Mr Jeffes.

PREFERRED DISTILLER

According to Frontier Agriculture’s northern region seeds manger, David Waite, Viscount sits firmly in the preferred list of varieties for distilling.

“While, Claire, Consort, Robigus and Alchemy, to name just a few of the soft wheats that are available, are categorised as ‘acceptable’, Viscount is one of just a handful on the Scotch Whisky’ Research Institute’s (SWRI) preferred list,” he points out.

Of those occupying the SWRI’s top slot, Riband’s area has declined and Glasgow is grown on a relatively small area. This just leaves Istabraq and Invicta alongside Viscount as the favoured varieties for distilling.

“We found last year that Viscount fits well into the main drilling slot in Scotland and Northern England,” says Mr Waite. “Istabraq, in contrast suits a slightly later sowing date.

“Looking at its Recommended List performance, Viscount is the highest yielding soft wheat in the HGCA Northern Region. Combine this with a large, bold, bright grain that provides one of the highest alcohol extraction levels in SWRI trials and it well suits the northern market. At the same time, with the emerging bio-ethanol market requiring high alcohol extraction, once again, Viscount closely meets these needs,” he points out.

While it is too early to say whether it will be a wheat that is actively sought after by Ensus or Vivergo, the better the potential extraction levels the greater the chances it could become favoured for these markets as well,” he says.

WEETABIX

Chris Tye of Dalmark Grain, based at Eye, near Peterborough says that after a season’s evaluation, Viscount appears to fit in well for those prepared to grow a high yielding soft, with the bonus of a small premium. “Our biggest destination for the variety has been into Weetabix.

It doesn’t need to be a Group 3 to suit its needs and can fetch a £2-4/t premium depending upon the time of the year and the supply pressure.

“Weetabix doesn’t buy on protein or Hagberg, so provided you have a nice, bold sample, with good bushel weights, that is free of pests, then it will suit.

They are also strict on DON levels and last year there were no issues with Viscount,” he says.

“In terms of alternative outlets, there exists a strong soft wheat export requirement and we also have seen Viscount going into low protein type homes such as Smith’s as well.”

On farm, Mr Tye sees Viscount as a useful foil to Oakley. “It outyields all last year’s Group 3s, producing Group 4 type yields but with a potential soft wheat premium tied in,” he says.

“Growers in our region – from Lincs in the North to Bucks in the South – are using Viscount alongside Robigus, many for the first time this year. They have also had a look at it alongside Claire – which is still widely grown, but 6% lower yielding.

“Agronomically, nothing came to light last year to cause us a problem – growers who are testing it alongside Robigus and Claire are used to using a robust programme, so are adept at keeping disease at bay.

“While the dry spring did burn off some varieties, Viscount didn’t suffer and specific weights were good. While some Hagbergs were low, we’re not growing it for its Hagberg so this isn’t an issue,” says Mr Tye.

“Basically, Viscount stands on its own as a high-yielding feed wheat with a potential for a low premium home.”

uks EXPORTS

In the South of England, Bartholomews Agri Food sees Viscount meeting uks export requirements and finding a home in soft wheat cargoes out of Shoreham.

This year, it has buy-back contracts for soft wheat exports for the variety and the company suggests it will be in the mix for next year.

According to seeds specialist, James Mayhew, while there was some disappointment that NABIM chose not to reclassify Viscount as a Group 3 variety, it is still a major player this year.

“It yielded exceptionally well in 2009 – some did over 11t/ha – and it also produced some good samples,” he says. “So, we see it as a barn-filler that will also secure an export market.”

In the southern counties, Viscount replaced Group 4 wheat Alchemy, Robigus, and, to a lesser extent, the well-liked and reliable Claire. It is one of the few Group 4 wheats that Bartholomews backs – the bulk of its business being Group, 1, 2 and 3 wheats.

Mr Mayhew says that agronomically it does well. However, with a large raft of varieties with yellow rust ratings of 5 or less, Viscount’s current 4 rating for the disease, means growers will need to focus on keeping it clean.

From last year’s experience Viscount’s P/L export rating was higher than expected and closer to the 0.4 to 0.5 mark, so it is largely used in blended cargoes. “It’s very high yield though – and potential added premium – does mean it provides some good returns on farm,” says Mr Mayhew.