Viscount

As the highest yielding premium-potential soft wheat on the HGCA Recommended List 2010/11, Viscount is now a market-leading variety.

Widely used for export, distilling and bio-ethanol, as well as household flours and some biscuit markets, Viscount offers significant premium-earning potential.

No. 1 for Export

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.

It is now widely used in the European soft wheat sector having performed well in continental baking grists.

Data source: HGCA Recommended List 2010/11 for Winter Wheat

	W	P/L	Protein (%)
minimum specification	<=120	<=0.55	10.5-11.5
Viscount	82	0.3	11.0

No. 1 for Distilling

Viscount is the highest yielding soft wheat in the HGCA Northern Region. With a large, bold bright grain that provides one of the highest alcohol extraction levels in SWRI trials, it is a variety that is very much favoured by distillers.

Furthermore, with the emerging bio-ethanol market requiring high alcohol extraction, Viscount closely meets this need.

Biscuit & Cake Making

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

Agronomy

Viscount consistently produces high yields in the North and East Regions. Here it outperforms any other recommended soft wheat variety.

Viscount has moderate winter dormancy and is suited to sowing from mid-September onwards. It has good tillering ability and tiller retention.

Viscount is 6cm shorter than Robigus but has similar PGR requirements. Ideally, PGR programmes should maximise straw strength but avoid over shortening this variety.

Viscount is backed by a strong disease resistance profile with good S. tritici and S. nodorum scores complementing a 9-rating for brown rust.

In common with many other varieties, Viscount 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.

Viscount is also resistant to Orange Wheat Blossom Midge and is unlikely to require specific treatment.

As with any premium wheat, Viscount should be given priority at harvest to protect sample quality and should be stored separately wherever possible.

Viscount is safe to treat with some forms of chlorotoluron. Please check chlorotoluron recommendation sheets or consult your agronomist.