An exciting new conventional oilseed rape combining Lioness-level gross output with Canberra-strength resistance to both stem canker and light leaf spot, Excalibur-like earliness of flowering and maturity, and a short, lodging-resistant stem has been launched this season by Frontier Agriculture.

Oilseed Rape

Catalina is the latest high output, short-strawed variety to emerge from the breeding programme responsible for long-time grower’s favourite, Canberra.

A candidate for Recommendation later this year, the new variety has outperformed benchmark Winner in official National List and BSPB trials to date, with gross outputs equalling NK Bravour and Lioness in the key HGCA southern region.

Frontier’s own variety trials on the Yorkshire Wolds further show Catalina producing at the level of both these RL gross output leaders, albeit not quite matching new generation hybrid, Excalibur.

”Catalina has really captured the imagination of growers who follow our trials, “ comments Frontier national trials manager, Jim Carswell. “To start with it has shown the sort of early crop vigour generally associated with hybrids. 

“It’s also shorter than most other higher output varieties but not too short, giving just the right combination of performance and manageability. What’s more, it’s unsurpassed in its combination of phoma and light leaf spot resistance, offering valuable flexibility for autumn spray timings. And it boasts very good standing power.”

“Like Excalibur it has the benefit of being notably early to harvest, maturing a good
4-5 days ahead of most other varieties,” he stresses.  “Combined with a relative earliness of flowering that ensures a good grain fill period, this can have huge advantages in commercial practice; not least in allowing the oilseed rape harvest to be spread for greatest efficiency and flexibility, and in giving valuable extra time ahead of wheat harvesting.

“Our experience with the variety to date shows it to be as consistent as one might expect from a stablemate of Canberra.  This is backed-up by its highly consistent performance under a wide range of conditions in several years of development and proving trials across Europe.”

”Catalina looks like being one of the most solid and reliable conventional varieties to come forward in recent years,” Jim Carswell concludes. “Alongside very high yields, this is likely to make it a particularly good bet for growers keen to maximise their OSR output while minimising their overall production risk.”

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