The winning position of Vegas in Agrii’s comprehensive trials for 2023 and 2022 reinforce its leading position on the AHDB winter oilseed rape Recommended List (RL).
“Vegas is a top yielding variety in Agrii trials in both 2023 and in 2022 with an excellent disease profile and outstanding late season stem health,” said David Leaper, technical manager for Oilseeds with Agrii. “It really shows up the traits we see in LSPB varieties that help to drive yields.
“This year there has been lots of late season disease, and filling seed late in the season is where stem health is particularly important. And in a year where we have seen a wet harvest, it is notable that Vegas has stayed green.
“Our 2023 and 2022 Agrii National Trials results underline my comments and, importantly, we have seen a consistency of data over the two years. In both years Vegas is a top variety for gross output with its position in 2022 confirmed in 2023 – plus a very high oil content in both years. Looking at the overall characters, our trials show that Vegas is suitable for all soils and regions of the UK, with a fast speed of development in the autumn and early, vigorous regrowth in the spring.
“The variety produces a relatively compact canopy is very stiff, with medium maturity. Disease resistance includes the highest possible RLmS stem canker resistance and a very robust light leaf spot rating – Vegas also has excellent tolerance to Verticillium wilt with noticeably much greener stems.”
Chris Guest, managing director, LS Plant Breeding (LSPB), added a note on the effects of Vegas’s RlmS resistance: “Our view is that RlmS phoma resistance is a big player in strong stem health, and this clearly has a positive influence on the variety’s good disease scores and, in particular, helps the fight against late season stem disease.
“And while we do not claim Vegas as having pod-shatter resistance, we don’t think that it is quite as cut and dry as yes/no when it comes to minimising pod-shatter – the variety’s good overall stem health is also important.”
