Seedtech varieties deliver strong results in the 2027 DAFM Recommended Lists
Strong performance across winter barley, winter wheat and winter oats highlights the strength and breadth of the Seedtech cereal portfolio.
Seedtech is pleased to see a strong performance from its cereal portfolio in the 2027 Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Winter Cereals Recommended Lists, with Seedtech represented varieties featuring across winter barley, winter wheat and winter oats. The 2027 DAFM Recommended Lists are based on extensive variety trials carried out during 2024, 2025 and 2026. Varieties are assessed for yield, quality and key agronomic characteristics across Irish growing conditions, providing growers with an important independent source of information when selecting cereal varieties.
Strong results for Seedtech winter barley varieties
The 2027 Winter Barley Recommended List delivers particularly strong results for Seedtech, with SY Canyon achieving a relative yield rating of 105 – the highest on the 2027 winter barley list. SY Kestrel also joins the list as a new Provisionally Recommended variety, with a relative yield rating of 103.
SY Canyon is an early-maturing six-row hybrid with high yield potential. It has very good resistance to mildew, good resistance to brown rust and moderate resistance to Rhynchosporium and net blotch, alongside very good grain quality.
SY Kestrel is a BYDV resistant early-maturing six-row hybrid with high yield potential. It offers good resistance to mildew and very good resistance to Rhynchosporium and net blotch. SY KESTREL is the first cereal on the Irish market with a breeder claim for resistance to Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV).
ORCADE is the most popular 2-row winter barley on the 2027 Recommended List and performed well on farm in 2026. ORCADE is BYDV tolerant and has the biggest grain of all the winter barleys making it ideal for rolling and feeding. ORCADE has excellent disease resistance helping it produce a lovely golden swarth of straw, which has been commented on by many farmers.
KWS JOYAU is a BYDV tolerant 6-row conventional and has been widely grown in Ireland over the past five years. KWS JOYAU has the stiffest straw of all the barley’s on the list and it has proven in trials and on farm to be very suitable to Ireland.
Dr. Tim O’Donovan, commented “The 2027 Recommended Lists demonstrate the progress being made in breeding varieties that combine yield with the agronomic characteristics growers need in the field. Seedtech are delighted to offer farmers BYDV protection in all three categories of barley, namely hybrids, 2-rows and 6-row conventional making it an easy decision to remove the threat of BYDV from their winter barley crops for harvest 2027. We are also very pleased to see strong representation in winter wheat, including KWS Equipe, GRAHAM and CHAMPION offering farmers choice in wheat varieties across a range of drilling dates. These results demonstrate the depth of our portfolio and our continued focus on bringing varieties to Irish growers that are well suited to the challenges of Irish growing conditions.”
Seedtech winter wheat varieties perform strongly
Seedtech represented varieties also feature strongly in the 2027 Winter Wheat Recommended List.
KWS Equipe has a relative yield rating of 102 and combines very early maturity with very good resistance to mildew, moderate resistance to Septoria and yellow rust, and good resistance to Fusarium ear blight. KWS EQUIPE has the added string to its bow that it has potential milling quality and excellent grain quality. GRAHAM remains the control variety for the Department of Agriculture trials, proving it is the most reliable variety of wheat to grow for harvest 2027. Farmers know how to get the most from GRAHAM and are used to growing it now since 2020. GRAHAM is suitable for early drilling. Champion, remains a high yielding winter wheat variety and performed exceptionally well on farm in 2026, once managed for yellow rust. CHAMPION offers good resistance to mildew, moderate resistance to Septoria and Fusarium ear blight, and moderate resistance to sprouting.
Husky remains a Recommended winter oat variety
In winter oats, Husky remains Recommended for 2027. The very early-maturing spring-type variety has a relative yield rating of 100 and good grain quality.
The DAFM notes that all oat varieties on the winter oat list are spring-type varieties sown in winter, meaning prolonged severe frost or harsh winds can cause significant crop damage and potentially substantial yield loss. HUSKY is the only oat that has been tested for winter hardiness, currently available for drilling this autumn.
Supporting cereal variety choice in Ireland
The DAFM Recommended Lists play an important role in helping Irish cereal growers make informed variety choices. Varieties are evaluated over a minimum of three years, with trials conducted across DAFM centres and commercial farms to provide a broad geographic and climatic spread of Irish growing conditions.
For Seedtech, the 2027 DAFM Recommended Lists reinforce the strength and breadth of its cereal portfolio, offering Irish growers a range of varieties combining yield potential, maturity, disease resistance, grain quality and practical agronomic performance.
