When planning ahead for the coming season it is important to know what seed will be available. Each year, the Irish Seed Trade Association (ISTA) details the availability of seed for the season ahead.

So, if there’s a variety that you have in mind and it’s taking up a small portion of the market, you may want to book ahead and ensure that your seed merchant has it in stock.

The ISTA held its annual open day in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture yesterday, at the department’s campus in Backweston, Co. Kildare.

In 2019, the Department of Agriculture is evaluating:
  • 182 cereal varieties;
  • 103 grass and clover varieties;
  • 25 winter oilseed rape varieties;
  • 20 forage maize varieties;
  • 11 potato varieties;
  • 11 spring bean varieties.

These variety evaluation trials are carried out at 22 different farms and at four department test centres in Ballyderowan, Co. Cork; Kildaton, Co. Kilkenny; Backweston, Co. Kildare; and Raphoe, Co. Donegal (potatoes).

Attendees at the open day were shown recommended list trials for winter and spring wheat, winter and spring barley, winter and spring oats, as well as trials being carried out on heritage varieties.

AgriLand will bring you more from the day in the coming days, but for now have a look at the seed availability below.

If you’re still deciding on a variety we will be providing plenty of information on what’s looking promising in articles to come.

Seed availability

Winter wheat:
  • Costello – 29%;
  • Graham – 23%;
  • Bennington – 16%;
  • Cellule – 5%;
  • JB Diego – 10%;
  • KWS Conros – 9%;
  • Torp – 5%;
  • Cellule – 5%;
  • Dunston – 1%;
  • KWS Firefly – 1%;
  • KWS Extase.

Winter barley:
  • KWS Cassia – 24%;
  • KWS Infinity – 22%;
  • JB Valerie – 14%;
  • KWS Tower – 12%;
  • Belfry – 9%;
  • Pixel – 6%;
  • Bazooka – 6%;
  • KWS Kosmos – 3%;
  • KWS Casting – 2%;
  • KWS Carneval – 2%.

Winter oats:
  • Husky – 60%;
  • WPB Isabel – 25%;
  • Barra – 12%;
  • Keely – 3%.

Spring barley:
  • RGT Planet – 28%;
  • Gangway – 27%;
  • Proscpect – 14%;
  • Laureate 11%;
  • KWS Irina – 7%;
  • SY Arderin – 6%;
  • Limona – 5%;
  • There will also be small amounts of Chancellor, Flyer, Highway and SY Errigal available.

Spring oats:
  • WPB Isabel – 47%;
  • Husky – 41%;
  • Keely – 5%;
  • Binary – 3%;
  • Barra – 2%;
  • Marco Polo – 1%;
  • Kamil – 1%.

Spring wheat:
  • KWS Chilham – 55.4%;
  • KWS Talisker – 29.3%;
  • KWS Starlight – 15.3%.