KWS Sterling

The UK’s Highest Yielding Breadmaker

While it normally takes 4-5 years for a breadmaker to find favour with the miller, KWS Sterling had an established buy-back in place right from its launch.

As a result of early release of grain for testing by UK millers, ADM – the UK’s leading independent miller – quickly identified it as a Group 2 variety that suited its needs.

At 102% of controls, KWS Sterling is the top yielding breadmaker and stands some 4% ahead of Cordiale and Einstein, in Official Trials.

No other breadmaker – Group 2 or Group 1 - beats it for yield and hence growers can capitalise on its barn-filling potential while securing a premium. 

In addition, KWS Sterling has been a consistent performer across a range of seasons.  In the four years it has been in trial, its yields have never varied by more than 1% of controls.

Group 2 Quality

KWS Sterling has all the quality characteristics needed in a top-performing nabim Group 2 milling variety.

Compared to its nearest Group 2 competitors, Ketchum and Panorama, it has a more robust Hagberg, is shorter strawed and earlier to ripen.

All of these characteristics will help give it an advantage, particularly in a difficult harvest, ensuring the best possible chance of getting the crop in the barn before any potential deterioration in grain quality.

As with any milling quality wheat, growers should give priority to KWS Sterling at harvest and store it separately in good condition.

	Protein	HFN	SPW	Height	Ripening
KWS Sterling	11.3	270	76.1	80	0
Panorama	11.6	248	77.6	92	+2

Data source:  HGCA Recommended List, 2011/12

Miller’s Comments

Mark Ringrose Trading Manager ADM Milling:

“KWS Sterling has good milling and baking attributes that complement ADM’s wide ranging gristing requirements.”

“Our proactive commercial approach and technical expertise has enabled us to identify this promising variety at an earlier stage in development.”

"We have worked closely with KWS for a number of years, the success of Cordiale is a good example of this, and KWS Sterling could be as well.”

“Good agronomic management will be required to secure a full buyback premium, however a scale of fallbacks will be applied to enable wheat to be accepted down to our minimum intake specification.”

Securing Breadmaking Quality

Not surprisingly as a result of KWS Sterling’s very high yields, growers will need to utilise high nitrogen inputs and a well-timed fertiliser programme to ensure protein targets are secured. 

Recommended List data shows that with increased yield from varieties such as KWS Sterling, you can expect protein dilution and it is important to address this to satisfy contract requirements.

So, compared with Einstein, for example, KWS Sterling is 4% higher yielding and would be expected to require an additional 40kg/ha of available nitrogen to meet similar milling contract needs.

Agronomics

Agronomically, KWS Sterling is stiff strawed and, at 80cm height, only Grafton is shorter by just 1cm and these characteristics will help speed of combining, further ensuring an easier harvest of a quality crop.  However, as with all varieties, the use of a sound PGR programme on KWS Sterling is recommended. 

KWS Sterling also has good disease resistance ratings including a 9 for yellow rust.  However, it will benefit from a full fungicide regime to ensure high yield potentials are maintained and grain quality protected.

	KWS Sterling
Mildew	7
Yellow rust	9
Brown rust	7
S. nodorum	6
S. tritici	5
Eyepsot	6
Fusarium	6

Data source:  HGCA Recommended List, 2011/12

While it is undoubtedly the highest yielding Recommended List breadmaker in the first wheat slot, trials confirm it is also suited to the second wheat slot.

So, for growers looking for very high yielding Group 2 premium wheat, that puts £s on their bottom line, KWS Sterling is the best breadmaker in the Recommended List pack.

KWS Sterling is tolerant to chlorotoluron.