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Your wheat at a glance
UKFM Group 1
Quality - 1
RGT Illustrious
Excellent combination of disease resistance
Strengths
Top quality Group 1 milling wheat
End user demand
Consistent performer
Testimonials
Matt Fuller - Bedfordshire
“Given how dry it was we never expected that sort of yield. We’ve only had 170-180mm of rain since the start of the year, but what we have had must have come at the right time.”
2022-08-25
Luke Palmer
“For many years we have compared growing just feed wheat, so I’ve considered all sorts of varieties with that in mind,” says Luke. “But I keep coming back to Illustrious because it yields as well, if not better, than these other varieties.”
2022-09-09
Phil Cottis - Essex
“Illustrious also hangs on well at harvest, so we can leave it until later and concentrate on the other varieties. Provided it continues to yield well and produce the quality we need, it should suit us well.”
2022-09-23
FEATURES AND BENEFITS
RGT Illustrious continues to deliver consistent yields of very high quality milling wheat since its commercial launch in 2016. It is a stiff-strawed variety with an excellent combined package of disease resistances which is borne out by its class leading untreated yield figures when compared to all other Group 1 varieties.
Agronomics
Lodging -PGR 7 (1-9)
Lodging +PGR 8 (1-9)
Height with PGR 80 cm
Spec Weight 78.2 kg/hl
Protein 12.6 %
Sprouting 6 (1-9)
Hagberg 276
Disease
1 = very sensitive / 9 = very tolerant
Mildew 7
Yellow rust 8
Brown rust 6
Septoria Tritici 5.7
Eyespot (7) PcH1
Fusarium 6
FARM SUITABILITY
For best performance, RGT Illustrious should always be targeted towards the more medium and heavily bodied soils.
RGT Illustrious is highly suited for first and second wheat situation.
soil type suitability
Heavy soil
Sowing date suitability
From mid september
recommended sowing density
Heavy soil 200-300
Light soil 220-330
VARIETY ATTRIBUTES
Soil Suitability*
the lowest = 1 – the best = 9
Heavy Soil
77.77%
Light soil
66.66%
Sowing Date Suitability*
the lowest = 1 – the best = 9
Early
88.88%
Late
55.55%
2nd Wheat suitability
77.77%
Sowing window
January
First half
Second half
February
First half
Second half
March
First half
Second half
April
First half
Second half
May
First half
Second half
June
First half
Second half
July
First half
Second half
August
First half
Second half
September
First half
Second half
October
First half
Second half
November
First half
Second half
December
First half
Second half
Optimum
Adapted
HOW TO OPTIMISE THE USE OF YOUR VARIETY
Sowing
It has a medium to med-high vernalisation requirement which makes RGT Illustrious the single best choice for an early sowing Group 1 variety. RGT Illustrious has a semi-determinate tillering capacity and in order to optimise the full potential of the variety, the focus should be directed to the management of tiller retention and the ultimate ear population.
The variety responds well to slightly increased seed rates and it is advisable to increase seed rates by 25 seeds/m2 in comparison to standard farm practice.
Fertilizing
Extensive trials analysis has shown that RGT Illustrious responds positively to slightly elevated doses of nitrogen fertiliser at the first application timing irrespective of whether it is being grown as a 1st or 2nd wheat. Observing this practice will ensure that the full genetic yield potential is more regularly realised.
Agronomy
RGT Illustrious is a medium-tall variety with very stiff straw. It has a very comprehensive disease resistance package and therefore it does not require any specific awareness towards the control of any individual disease.
Harvest
It is a slightly later maturing type, similar to Crusoe, which serves to make it perfectly complimentary to the harvest date of Skyfall. Also has the best end user quality in milling and baking and that is why it keeps Illustrious in a strong demand by end users.
End Market
RGT Illustrious has similar quality properties to Hereward and bakes a great loaf of bread, even at lower proteins. Like Hereward it is also a perfect partner to other varieties in the milling grist.
