DK Imperial CL Tops Two Years of Independent Clearfield Variety Trials

Dekalb exhibiting on stand 72 in Hall 1

Two years of specialist NIAB-TAG trials with Clearfield varieties show DK Imperial CL standing out at the top of the performance rankings.

The trials were conducted across six sites to similar protocols with a total of 16 Clearfield varieties in 2016 and 2017. Of the varieties tested in both years, DK Imperial CL delivered the highest gross output at a mean of 4.16t/ha (103% of the trial average). It did this from the highest two-year average yield (3.89 t/ha) and oil content (44.6%).

Clearfield varieties perform with the best

Clearfield varieties more than held their own in replicated DEKALB trials with 20 other existing and up-and-coming varieties at five sites across the country from Blandford in the south west to Kelso in the north east.

Unsurprisingly, the mainstream varieties, DK Exclaim, DK Exception, DK Exentiel and DK Expansion topped the trials with average gross outputs of over 5.3 t/ha in each case against the trial average of 5.15 t/ha. Coming close behind them, however , with gross outputs of 5.27 t/ha and 5.20 t/ha respectively were
DK Imperial CL and DK Imagis CL. Both varieties showed their all-round strength with yields close to the current East & West Region RL leader at over 4.75 t/ha and oil contents of more than 46%. As well as V316OL they out-performed a number of popular existing varieties and several promising new breeder’s lines to underline the complete lack of yield lag in the best of todays Clearfield breeding.

FROM THE FIELD

OXFORDSHIRE
DK Imperial CL averaging 4.1t/ha from 106 ha alongside 4.3t/ha from both DK Exalte & DK Extrovert to confirm the lack of real Clearfield yield lag.

CHESHIRE
85 ha of DK Impression CL all average 5t/ha or more to really underline the farm potential of modern Clearfield varieties.

NORFOLK
DK Imperial CL shows its value with an average of just over 5t/ha and up to 7t/ha in places.

KENT
An average 5.6 t/ha from 18 ha of DK Imagis CL delights.

YORKSHIRE
DK Imperial CL shines at over 4.7 t/ha in specialist on-farm variety trial.