With DSV Matrix CL being the highest yielding Clearfield® variety on the current AHDB Recommended List and new DSV Beatrix CL on the 2022 Candidate List, DSV has powerful options for growers looking at Clearfield® technology, says the company’s Sarah Hawthorne.
“Clearfield® technology, based on a combination of Imazamox herbicide and oilseed rape varieties resistant to it, has proved highly beneficial to oilseed rape growers in recent years offering effective control of pernicious brassica weeds.
“The system has provided reliable control of problem weeds such as charlock, runch and hedge mustard but has also opened up significant management opportunities for many growers in recent years including reducing erucic acid levels at harvest.”
Both DSV’s new Clearfield® varieties allow growers to gain full benefit from the system with significant other advantages too, she explains.
“DSV Matrix CL is DSV’s first quad-layered variety to join the RL combining Clearfield® technology with turnip yellow virus (TUYV), RLM7+ phoma stem canker and pod shatter resistances.
“Recommended for the whole of the UK, the variety achieves 99% of control yield giving it a treated gross output of just over 5t/ha which is exceptional for a Clearfield® variety, especially as it also delivers an oil content of 45.8%.
“It gets an 8 for phoma stem canker resistance, a 6 for light leaf spot and 8s for resistance to lodging and stem stiffness, so it’s a good all-round reliable performer.
“DSV Matrix takes Clearfield® performance within touching distance of the highest yielders on the new RL whilst offering all the proven benefits of better weed control and cleaner crops.”
“It represents a huge step forward in breeding innovation being the first variety to stack four complex traits together without compromising yield.”
Significant advance
The variety demonstrates a significant advance in Clearfield® winter oilseed rape varieties and addresses many of the shortcomings of previous varieties, she believes.
“By allowing growers to choose powerful post emergence Clearfield® chemistry without facing the potential drop in performance shown in the previous generations of varieties, Matrix CL has left the pack behind, significantly raising the bar for Clearfield® varieties.
“It is one of a few varieties recommended for the whole of the UK making it suitable for growing in both the North, and East and West regions.”
“With the outstanding establishment properties seen in other successful DSV Clearfield® varieties such as Plurax CL and mirroring the vigour profiles of the top performing hybrids in both autumn and early spring, Matrix CL has also performed well in our high pressure flea beetle trials.
“Matrix CL offers the best agronomic package seen in any RL recommended Clearfield® variety to date, which combined with high yield, makes it a variety truly without compromise.”
DSV Beatrix CL
The company’s latest Clearfield® variety DSV Beatrix CL takes the concept of quad-layered oilseed rape varieties on to the next stage, Sarah Hawthorne adds.
“It’s got the same complementary package of traits as Matrix CL, namely RLM7+ stem canker resistance, TuYV Protection, Pod Shatter Resistance and Clearfield® technology, and has really strong production performance too.
“On the current candidate list, DSV Beatrix CL has high yields with a good oil content at 45.2%. IT has a height of 132 cm coupled to robust resistance to lodging at 9 and a stem stiffness score of 8 plus it is relatively early to mature.
“DSV Beatrix CL has good winter hardiness combined with strong early and spring vigour making it a variety that establishes well and picks up quickly in the spring to build high yields and high quality.”