Nelson Winter Wheat
Celebrating 10 years of yields: The variety of choice for millers and growers since 2012
German E winter wheats offering high gluten, high quality and strong disease resistance are seeing rising demand in the UK. Nelson is one of the best choices for growers whether it’s for milling or feed.
The exclusive variety is bred by SZ Schweiger GbR, one of the leading German plant breeders who found it produced grain with outstanding bread-making quality and was classed as “E” quality, the highest quality rating attainable.
Nelson winter wheat is a high gluten, high quality winter wheat with high untreated yield potential and has a wide drilling window from September to February and is early to mature.
Strong market credentials
Liked by millers, Nelson can also achieve higher levels of protein from lower levels of nitrogen. The variety can earn a premium over normal group 1 premiums with its high protein and Hagberg falling number.
It’s suited to most soil types and has excellent Septoria, mildew, yellow rust and brown rust resistance and can compete with blackgrass, due to its high canopy. It also boasts good standing ability.
The UK imports more than 675,000 tonnes annually of strong wheat with high gluten quality for breadmaking (Germany, Canada, USA), yet more UK farmers are turning to E wheats due to agronomic and market benefits.
Key Nelson attributes
- Milling quality
- Tall stiff straw
- Early to mature
- High untreated yields
- Consistent and reliable
What the miller thinks
George Mason from Heygates millers, is clear that the demand for UK grown milling wheats is increasing. “We are committed to using the maximum amount of homegrown wheat wherever possible however for some of our flour we require wheat with specific characteristics or functionality that we cannot achieve with traditional grains.
“We have identified that Nelson grown to 14% protein brings us quality and functionality that will displace imported wheat. Through baking, we found Nelson showed a white crumb, no evidence of weakness and produced loaves of good volume. By offering a buy-back contract that incentivises growers, the combination of an additional quality premium and the benefits of the variety on-farm, we are finding the variety very popular.”
