A new crop of contenders: wheat varieties for 2026

Louisa Ferrier
administrator
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Growers are seeking wheat varieties that deliver both high yields and good disease resistance. Many indicated at BCG’s Main Field Day on Wednesday 10 September that they plan to move beyond the popular Scepter and introduce new wheat varieties into their 2026 cropping rotations across north-west Victoria. 

In the cereal variety session ‘Top performers & ones to watch’, BCG Research Agronomist Anna Marcus said, “Scepter is our baseline variety and most of the time, when a new variety is released, a common question is ‘Is it better than Scepter?’” 

48 wheat varieties were on display in the Grains Research and Development Corporation’s (GRDC) funded wheat National Variety Trial (NVT) at BCG’s Main Field Day. Wheat breeders from RAGT, Longreach, Intergrain and AGT were also in attendance to speak about the new varieties they have coming through.   

During the session, growers reported they are considering varieties such as Shotgun, Matador, Calibre, Rockstar and Tomahawk CL next year and keeping a portion of Scepter due to its high and reliable yield returns.  

Residue management is an important consideration when selecting a new variety. Due to a late start in many regions this year, the nine-month plantback period requirement for some residual chemicals applied this year may cause damage to emerging crops next year. “If you’re looking for a Clearfield variety, Tomahawk might be a good option,” Ms Marcus added. “It has high yielding APW quality and a similar disease package to Scepter.” 

Some of the highlighted varieties and their characteristics presented by Ms Marcus: 

  • Murray: has one year’s worth of data but showing promising yield results across the Wimmera, Mallee and North Central. APW quality. 
  • Matador: a few growers have already made the switch in the North Central. It’s high yielding and has a slightly better disease rating than Scepter. 
  • Shotgun: a high yielding alternative to Scepter for the Wimmera. 
  • Rockstar: a high yielding alternative to Scepter for the North Central. 
  • Colt: A Yitpi type variety. AH quality and a good disease package. Has provisional triple rust resistance (stem, leaf and stripe). Flexibility around sowing time. 

The high level of grower engagement at BCG’s Main Field Day highlighted both the appetite for innovation and the careful consideration required when selecting new wheat varieties. With so many options on the table, decisions will ultimately come down to striking the right balance between yield, disease resistance, market opportunities and agronomic fit. BCG’s ongoing variety evaluation and extension work, supported by GRDC, will continue to provide growers with independent insights to guide confident decision making for future seasons. 

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