The newest variety from Limagrain, LG Adapt, offers improved potential across the board with a high gross output and all-round agronomics. CPM explores how this variety could help growers to adapt to the challenges with the crop.
“The varieties on offer now are better than they’ve ever been, but the issues are bigger than ever too.” – DAVID LEAPER
By Melanie Jenkins
To adapt is to change to the circumstances or conditions at hand or to become suitable to a new purpose, something all oilseed rape growers are likely to desire in any variety they plant, and is something Limagrain’s latest variety, LG Adapt, could potentially deliver on.
A new fully-loaded hybrid variety, Adapt has come onto AHDB’s Recommended List with the highest gross output in the North region at 108%, and consistently scores the same across all regions, highlights the firm’s Ron Granger. “It’s a consistent variety which can be seen with its results from the 2022, 2023 and 2024 seasons, where it achieved a UK average gross output of 107%, 108% and 108%, respectively.”
With 46.4% oil, Adapt is second only to Dolphin for this attribute on the RL. “It has a really high oil content and is one of a new generation of varieties with increased oils,” adds Ron.
United Oilseeds’ Beckii Gibbs says the appeal of Adapt lies in its flexibility and consistency. “It’s a variety that really stands out for growers wanting to maintain OSR in the rotation despite ongoing pressures. In a volatile environment, growers require reliability, and Adapt offers that, strong gross output, excellent oil content, and a proven track record across regions. Through the wider OSR Reboot best practice guide, we’re working with the industry to give growers confidence to stick with the crop and Adapt is exactly the kind of variety that helps make that possible.
“As a fully UK-recommended variety it’s shown consistently strong performance across the country, and its high oil percentage means growers are well placed to take advantage of valuable oil bonuses,” she adds.
It’s a variety which David Leaper is pleased to be offering to Agrii’s customers and concurs that a UK-wide recommendation is an important attribute to have. “Some varieties are obviously best suited to certain regions, but we also want options which can be successfully grown across the UK.
“Adapt sits well alongside Maverick which is an E/W focused variety, and looks to be a consistent performer across the UK. I see it as replacing LG Auckland and Ambassador, which we’ve been staunch supporters of, but which won’t be on the RL from this coming year. Adapt is a step up on Limagrain’s current offering and sets a new bar for yield.”
Adapt has been produced through Limagrain’s UK breeding programme where it started life as a cross. According to the company’s breeder, Maeve O’Rourke, it stood out from day one as a variety that would be worthy of the lengthy trials process.
“In its first year of National Listing in Lincolnshire it was one of the top performers, so this indicated it was going to be good. Even among similar material it appeared better with heavier pods, and this was something the combine confirmed.”
As the name suggests, Adapt is truly adapted to UK conditions, comments Beckii. “This is a reflection of the strength of Limagrain’s UK-focused breeding programme. Varieties like Adapt are bred specifically to handle the unique and often challenging environments that British growers face, and it really shows in the results.”
As with other Limagrain varieties such as Ambassador and Aurelia, Adapt will be a European-wide variety, adds Ron. “It’s suitability to countries and climates across the Continent such as France, Germany and Poland, demonstrate that it’s a resilient variety. It has strong winter hardiness and although this is less of an issue in the UK, this could change – we never know when there could be a cold blast.”
Having seen Adapt throughout its trials process, Ron says he’s found it interesting to observe. “I saw Ambassador and Aurelia come through the ranks but if you compare them with the newer varieties like Adapt, it’s clear to see that Adapt is more vigorous and robust and just generally a better plant type.”
Adapt has good stem elongation in the autumn but remains compact and doesn’t move too quickly, he continues. “This means it’s a variety which suits growers who sow early. I’d rather see a compact ideotype that stays closer to the ground going into winter because these types seem to be more resilient if there’s snow or frost than something too upright and vigorous.”
Adapt is the highest yielding variety on the RL which also has pod shatter resistance, points out Ron. “I don’t know why you would grow any OSR without confirmed pod shatter resistance. You’re contending with cabbage stem flea beetle, putting money into inputs and then could lose the crop right before harvest because you don’t have the security of the pod shatter resistance gene.”
But David highlights that the lack of the trait doesn’t necessarily mean the pods are going to shatter. “What tends to exacerbate pod shatter is poor late season stem health, which results in the stem drying out and the pods then shatter but newer varieties are proving to have better stem health later into the season. However, many farmers out there will want to grow a variety that has specific resistance and will select Adapt because of this.”
As part of Limagrain’s drive for strong all-round disease resistance scores, Adapt has good phoma, verticillium and cylindrosporium resistance – although the latter isn’t published by AHDB, says Ron. “To avoid stem health issues, it’s important for varieties to have resistance to all diseases. And with its phoma resistance, Adapt has the Rlm7 gene which is known to provide good resistance. But we’re aware as breeders that it’s important to work to bring in additional genes to back this up.”
As with most modern varieties, Adapt has TuYV resistance, he adds. “When this was first introduced many years ago, people questioned it but now it’s become fairly standard.”
According to David, these are traits which the seed trade and growers have come to expect from Limagrain. “Adapt ticks all the boxes for disease resistance and this is combined with its high gross output,” he says.
However, it can’t be ignored that due in large part to pressure from cabbage stem flea beetle, growers have been cutting back on their OSR hectarage or choosing to not to grow the crop at all. So can new varieties help to bring appeal back to the crop?
“OSR is a very important crop for rotations and I think the wider industry is missing it,” argues Ron. “It doesn’t make sense to import it from abroad where it’s possible neonicotinoids are still being used – we want to see an equal playing field for growers.”
This is where Limagrain’s establishment scheme can come into play. “There aren’t many crops whereby there’s a guarantee that if it doesn’t grow there’s some reimbursement on offer. We’re trying to support growers in any way we can to move back into including OSR in their rotation, meaning we’re sharing the risk.”
Plus there are still plenty of growers achieving excellent results with OSR, reminds Beckii. “We’d always recommend choosing a high performing RL variety as these have been tried and tested and bred to give the best possible outcomes.”
The target for breeders is to improve varieties, and Ron feels it would be great to offer growers CSFB tolerance or resistance. “We’re working hard to see if it’s possible to do so, but overall, it’s important to keep trying to deliver improved resistance traits. As is evident in our fully-loaded varieties now compared with five or six years ago, there’s been a noticeable improvement in performance because we’re continually adding and enhancing traits.
“This is why it’s so valuable for growers to invest in new varieties and move on from older ones.”
Maeve agrees that it’s vital breeders continue to work to make OSR more attractive for growers. “We know they want a vigorous crop which can cope with dry conditions and still grow away in the spring, and that has pod shatter resistance so seed isn’t lost before harvest. Our aim is to produce varieties that are a good option for growers whether the season is poor or not.”
Having worked with OSR for 25 years, David believes new varieties are constantly providing growers with improved potential. “The varieties on offer now are better than they’ve ever been, but the issues are bigger than ever too. There are still benefits to be had from in including OSR in the rotation and Adapt has demonstrated consistency and adaptable performance across regions, giving growers confidence it’ll suit most situations.”
This article was taken from the latest issue of CPM. Read the article in full here.
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