As well as taking joint top spot in the 2023 AHDB harvest results for fungicide-treated yield in both one-year and five-year results, DSV Champion also achieved the second lowest incidence of Septoria in what was a challenging year for the disease.
Of the 50 varieties tested across all 30 trial sites, DSV Champion was just one of two varieties showing an average Septoria incidence of less than 10%, with many popular RL-listed choices approaching 20% and over.
"It was the best performing Group 4 variety with regard to the disease," explains DSV's Sarah Hawthorne. "While DSV Oxford, added to the RL last year, was also a top ten placement overall with an average Septoria incidence of just 12.3%.
"These are highly significant results as last year was a genuine test of a variety's resistance to Septoria following the relatively low disease pressure conditions of recent times and both DSV Champion and Oxford came through with flying colours.
"To further underline this, while both varieties did outstandingly well in AHDB fungicide-treated yield results, they also performed strongly in untreated trials.
"DSV Oxford was the highest performing recommended variety in the untreated results with a one-year yield of 117% of untreated control with DSV Champion not too far behind at 114%.
"DSV Champion also delivered an untreated yield of 113% in the five-year untreated results, underlining the robustness of its diseases resistance allied to a strong set of agronomic properties that boost its resilience and reliability across a range of conditions."
In the current 2023/24 RL, DSV Champion is the top variety when drilled on heavy soils and second on light soils confirming its versatility and suitability to a wide range of sites, she points out.
'It's a great option for later planting, too, with one of the highest scores on the list for a late drilled situation and is the second highest yielding wheat on the RL when grown as either a first or second cereal."
As well as top level outright and untreated yield performance, DSV Oxford excels when it comes to grain quality and in-field reliability, Sarah Hawthorne adds.
"It's a variety that combines high treated and untreated yields with a robust disease package featuring a 9 for yellow rust resistance in the latest RL, 6s for Mildew and Fusarium resistance and the added benefit of OWBM resistance."