1. Improving the sustainability and quality of DDGS, the high-protein animal feed co-product from bioethanol production, by using triticale as a biofuel feedstock? A collaboration involving ADAS, Agrovista, Ensus, GrowHow, RAGT Seeds, Saaten Union and Senova, co- funded by the government-backed Technology Strategy Board, to develop triticale as a bioethanol feedstock, for sustainable DDGS.

2. Project rationale Recent data show triticale can outyield wheat & require less N fertiliser Triticale is suitable for animal feed Triticale is a suitable feedstock for bioethanol production, hence could deliver more sustainable DDGS protein Triticale is over-looked by many growers and trades at a discount

3. N x species trial 2009

4. Clay loam soil in Suffolk, after wheat 5 N rates 4 Species – 6 wheat varieties, 3 oats, 3 triticale, 3 barley Managed as wheat crop, except weed control & barley fungicides N x species trial 2009

5. Project objectives Demonstrate cost & environmental benefits of triticale over wheat across contrasting environments Evaluate grain, alcohol & DDGS quality in the lab Optimise protein output Demonstrate market utility by processing triticale in a commercial bioethanol plant

6. Work packages WP4: evaluate nutritional quality of triticale grain & DDGS WP5: evaluation of benefits & dissemination WP1: evaluate yields and N requirements of triticale WP2: evaluate varieties, agronomy & ear fertility WP3: evaluate bioethanol performance of triticale

7. Summary of triticale / wheat comparison trials 2007-2012 TrialSiteSoilYearRotational position Best wheat variety (t/ha) Best triticale variety (t/ha) Triticale advantage N speciesSuffolkClay loam2009210.012.020% N speciesSuffolkClay loam201029.5 0% HGCA TTNorfolkDeep silt201027.78.916% HGCA HMN. YorksShallow201029.29.42% AgrovistaN. YorksClay loam2010110.911.56% TSB HMN. YorksShallow201126.37.621% TSB SU 1 st SuffolkLoam2011110.811.02% TSB SU 2 nd SuffolkLoam201128.410.019% HYLO TTNorfolkSilt2011110.110.54% HYLO WTOxonClay loam2011110.29.9-3% TSB HM 1stN. YorksSandy clay loam201219.09.89% TSB HM 2ndN. YorksSandy clay loam201226.99.437% TSB RAGTEssexSandy clay loam201219.811.012% TSB NIABCambsSilty clay loam201227.89.319% TSB SUSuffolkClay loam2012210.39.7-6% Average110.110.65% Average28.59.513% Average9.110.09%

8. ADAS High Mowthorpe 2012 1 st cereal: optimum 163 kg N/ha2 nd cereal: optimum 172 kg N/ha

9. RAGT 2012 (1 st cereal) 1 st cereal: optimum 209 kg N/ha

10. NIAB 2012 (2 nd cereal) 2 nd cereal: optimum 10-15 kg N/ha (but very poor curve fits)

11. Saaten Union 2012 Wheat mean: 8.31 t/haTriticale mean: 8.47 t/ha

12. Biomass at harvest RAGT 2012 (1st cereal)NIAB 2012 (2 nd cereal)

13. Biomass at harvest RAGT 2012 (1st cereal)NIAB 2012 (2 nd cereal)

14. Nitrogen uptake RAGT 2012 (1st cereal) NIAB 2012 (2 nd cereal)

15. Nitrogen uptake RAGT 2012 (1st cereal) NIAB 2012 (2 nd cereal)

16. Lodging RAGT 2012 (1st cereal) NIAB 2012 (2 nd cereal)

17. Specific weight

18. Grain protein (Varieties only shown if included in three or more experiments)

19. Gross margin comparison as a second cereal wheattriticale Grain yield (t/ha)7.58.4 Grain price£150£145 Grain output (£/ha)£1125£1218 Seed£45 Seed treatment£25 N fertiliser (kg/ha)200160 N fertiliser (£/ha)£174£139 Other fertilisers£85£90 Herbicides£60 Fungicides£100£70 Insecticides/slug pellets£10 PGRs£15£20 Total variable costs (£/ha)£514£459 Gross margin (£/ha)£611£759 Triticale advantage£148

20. Triticale advantages Higher yield than wheat (in 80% experiments to date) –5% higher yield as 1 st cereal –13% higher yield as 2 nd cereal Needs up to 20% less N –To avoid lodging; little difference in N optima in most experiments Lower protein content than wheat –Higher predicted alcohol yields /ha and /t Higher gross margins Lower GHG costs per tonne

21. Triticale problems Greater lodging risk than wheat Lower specific weight Lower market price

22. Project partners - contacts Daniel Kindred, Susie Roques, Richard Weightman Mark Hemmant John Pinkney Allison Grundy Cathy Hooper Richard Jennaway Alison Barrow, Chris Green Project monitoring officer: James Dunn