Oakley

After three years on the UK Recommended List, Oakley is once again the highest yielding wheat, one that continues to exceed growers’ yield expectations across the UK.

Despite yellow rust susceptibility, if grown with a comprehensive fungicide programme that starts early and keeps the disease out of the crop, Oakley will continue to be a top-performer on farm.

As a first wheat Oakley is unbeatable and this is where most growers will position it on farm.

With its huge baseline yields, Oakley also does incredibly well as a second wheat – it is just 1% behind the leading variety.

Oakley has also been remarkably consistent across all trials over the last five years and performs equally well in all regions across the UK.

Drilled before October 6th no variety beats it and when it comes to late drilling – from mid-October onwards – Oakley is only beaten by Conqueror.

 

End Use

Group 4 Hard Feed.

 

Agronomic Characteristics

As with any high yield potential wheat, Oakley is responsive to high input fungicide regimes. The longer you can keep it green in the run up to harvest, the higher the yield.

Data source: HGCA Recommended List 2010/11 for winter wheat

Oakley	(1-9)
Mildew	5
Yellow Rust	2
Brown Rust	6
S. nodorum	7
S. tritici	6
Eyespot	4
Fusarium ear blight	5

The key focus for disease control is yellow rust. Oakley is susceptible to the new Solstice race and will need protection.

Serious consideration should be given to selecting systemic seed treatments such as Jockey or Galmano that will delay yellow rust development and will improve straw strength.

In addition, growers should select appropriate foliar fungicides that are particularly active against yellow rust at the T0 and T1 timing.

Early protection is the best course of action and this should be followed by T2 and T3 fungicides that are also capable of controlling rust. Eyespot may also need targeting in high pressure situations.

With medium length and reasonably stiff straw, a routine early PGR is recommended and an additional treatment may often be justified in high yielding situations.

 

Data source: HGCA Recommended List 2010/11 for winter wheat

Straw Strength (+PGR)	Straw Strength (-PGR)	Straw Height without PGR (cm)
7	8	88

Oakley is resistant to Orange Wheat Blossom Midge – this negates spraying for the pest in all bar the highest pressure situations.

 

Growth Characteristics

Oakley has moderate winter dormancy with good tillering ability and excellent tiller retention. It is suitable for drilling from mid September onwards.

It is even better than Robigus at suppressing grass weeds, especially in difficult to control blackgrass situations.

Oakley is tolerant to chlorotoluron.