New Wheat in Premium Index

Canterbury millers are placing Regency bread wheat in the premium index in its first full year of commercial production.

Weston Milling New Zealand grain manager, Russ Wakefield, says Weston's has had a significant tonnage of Regency from last harvest and it has shown good millability in comparison with other varieties.

The next few years should confirm that Regency is a very good replacement for Otane, the industry standard for the last 20 years, he says.

Champion Flour Mills rural grains manager, John Reece says Champion's experience with Regency from the last harvest indicates it has potential and they are expecting it to perform as indicated by its inclusion in their Premium 1 contract category.

Canterbury Flour Mills manager Mike Smith says they were more than happy with Regency's performance last year and will be contracting a significant tonnage this year as a premium wheat and see it as a good option for both growers and millers with good yield and quality.

Last season a small number of farmers grew commercial evaluation crops of Regency and this year seed production licensee, Luisetti Seeds, say seed will be freely available. Ashburton Grain Consolidators and Midlands Seed are sub-licensees.

Crop & Food Research bred the new cultivar and field agronomist, Ross Hanson says Regency has now proved itself a reliable performer in a wide range of conditions.

"It's a low-risk cultivar as in wet years it has good resistance to sprouting and leaf diseases with good straw strength while in dry years it maintains good yield and grain size."

"Another advantage is Regency's ability to be sown until late June without significant yield depression especially compared to other winter wheat cultivars."

"This later sowing date option gives farmers more flexibility and the opportunity for another grazing when feed is short."

Based on last season's performance, Regency gave good results in both dryland conditions and under irrigation.

Greendale dryland cropping farmer, John Clarkson, says his family's 20 ha of Regency performed exceptionally well. The crop had minimal disease problems, proved easy threshing, and had good protein levels and test weights, with low screenings and good falling numbers, he says.

Second year Regency growers, John and Matthew Honeywell of Rokeby, say it is an ideal wheat for their dryland conditions yet can respond in the wet seasons.

Dennis Carter of Leeston, another second year Regency grower (achieving 10t/ha) says Regency is potentially the highest yielding premium milling wheat variety available.

Georgina Hall
Journalist
Crop & Food Research
Lincoln
phone: + 64 3 325 6400
e-mail: hallg@crop.cri.nz

(May 2001)

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Last updated: 15 May 2000