Mindful

Disease resistance

Best mildew score of any AHDB RL variety/candidate when trialled.

Outyields Dawsum in east and Champion in north.

Good early drilling yields, third highest overall (including Dawsum/Champion) in 2022.

Compliments Sartorial with earlier drilling windo and differing genetics to reduce disease pressure on farm.

Very high specific weight through Costello parent.

Good second wheat on heavy land.

Mindful appears to have inherited from its parent Evolution the latter's good scavenging capability, with competitive yield both early and late-drilled.

Sample quality

Mindful is a Costello cross and has most certainly picked up the high specific weight of this popular variety.

“Last year Mindful did just shy of 3.5t/acre (8.5-8.6t/ha) with a lovely solid ear (as in rectangular and bold with 78.5ish bushel weight) and displayed no real signs of disease (septoria unsurprisingly due to dryness, but no

chasing yellow rust (unlike nearly all other varieties))!” commented Colin Chappell who produced one of our high grade seed crops harvest 2025.

High specific weight brings consistent grain yields whether seasons are dry or wet, but it’s a characteristic which can also prove useful for livestock farmers.

Flexible Mindful proving a livestock farm favourite

Group 4 hard feed wheat, Mindful, is proving a winner for farmers looking for high feed wheat yields, or livestock uses, such as whole cropping or crimping, according to Agrovista agronomist John Ball.

Mindful’s flexibility is a key advantage for his farming clients in Lancashire. “They need something that is versatile,” he says. “It could be whole cropped, it could be combined, depending on the year. If it’s been a good

grass-growing year, they may choose to combine it if they don’t have space to store whole cropped wheat in clamps, for example.

“You need a variety that can do both, and something you know will perform in terms of its specific weight,” he says.

A high specific weight helps with processing, making it easier to ensure every grain is broken open during harvesting. “If it is not a big grain, then it can just go straight through the harvester without being cracked. And then it will pass straight through the animal, not providing any nutritional value and effectively wasting money.

“Getting a good specific weight is key to getting a good final product.”

On farm, John is finding Mindful typically achieving specific weights in the 80s. “That’s down to its Costello parentage. Costello was a banker for high specific weights.”

Its other parent is Evolution, which John says provides good scavenging ability for nutrients. “I think that’s a key aspect of why Mindful’s yield and quality was so consistent last year, because it was able to scavenge for nutrients in a stressful year.”

Another useful characteristic for whole cropping with Mindful is its height. That provides plenty of biomass, which along with the bold grain, helps provide the maximum output.

Agronomically Mindful is strong with excellent mildew and septoria resistance, while holding out well to yellow rust.

“It wasn’t as susceptible to the yellow rust outbreak as I saw in Dawsum and Extase,” John recalls.

Where it’s been grown for whole crop John still advises a full fungicide programme, although the T3 could be manipulated depending on harvest date. “If you’re going to take it when the grain still has a bit of moisture left in, you might treat it slightly differently to taking it when the grain is closer to being fully ripe.”

But while there might be some scope to reduce spend at T3, John is adamant that cutting it out entirely can jeopardise both yield and quality. “It’s important to get right because the cheapest way to feed your cows is

through what you can grow at home.”

Yields of whole crop Mindful should be around 25t/ha, while grain yields of 10t/ha have been consistently achieved on his clients’ farms, John says. “It’s been an ideal replacement for Extase and Dawsum type varieties, where the specific weight can be inconsistent.

“A lot of my growers have really liked it – it outyielded most other varieties last year, and it can be grown as a first or second wheat, and drilled early or late, giving a huge amount of flexibility,” he concludes.

Mindful videos