The Magic of Maize
Maize varieties for 2026
Maize is an excellent crop for animal feed due to its high energy content, digestibility, and nutritional balance. Rich in carbohydrates, it provides animals with essential calories, supporting growth and productivity.
Maize can be used in various forms, including silage and ground grain, making it a versatile, cost-effective feed option.
Call Jonathan Coombe today 07841 163776 today.
Place your orders now
Below is a summary of Grainseed’s Maize Varieties for 2025. This will be updated for 2026. In the meantime, you may click the image (left) above to download the full 2026 list now.
To have the best chance of getting the varieties you require, please speak to Jonathan on 07841 163776 today.
| VARIETY | COB RIPENESS SCORE | SOIL TYPE SUITABILITY | REC SOWING RATE/ACRE | YIELD % OF CONTROLS (NIAB) | STARCH CONTENT | ME LEVEL | KEY VARIETY ATTRIBUTES/COMMENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Es LOVELY | 8.3 | Light/Medium/ Heavy | 42,500-45,000 (40,000 -42,000 under film) | 97 | High 36.1 | Outstanding 11.7 | Proven UK variety with big yields for such an early variety, it’s quick off the mark with good quality and early cob ripening. Good option for later drilling. Also performs well under film for very, very early harvest! Will expect to sell out of this variety early in campaign. |
| FAITH | 8.2 | Medium/Heavy | 42,500-45,000 | 104 | High 34.6 | Outstanding 11.6 | A new variety reaching the pinnacle of modern breeding delivering in all aspects. Very high yielding at 104% of controls for favourable & less favourable sites. Great cob formation on a robust plant helps provide a high quality, high energy silage. Good resistance to fusarium extends harvest window compared to other ultra early varieties. Expect high demand for this variety. |
| ES MYRDAL | 7.3 | Medium/Bodied | 42,500-45,000 | 105 | Average 30.1 | Average 11.3 | A very large,robust maturity class 8 plant which produces large cobs. Exceptional yields on favourable sites, and suitable for medium/bodied soils. Performed very well in contrasting seasons of 2023 and 2024 with many fields recording fresh yields in excess of 50 tonnes per hectare. |
| BONNIE | 7.8 | Light/Medium | 40,000-45,000 | 101 | High 34.8 | Outstanding 11.7 | Outstanding variety with exceptional yield & quality, backed up by its impressive data set. Exhibits decent drought tolerance. Superb cob set maximising energy output. Had a very good year on farm again in 2024. Some farmers have crimped this variety for rocket fuel animal feed. |
| ES CONSTANCE (Forage & Grain) | 7.6 | Medium/ Bodied | 42,500-45,000 (40,000 - 42,000 under film) | 104 | Good 32.3 | Outstanding 11.5 | Very consistent, very robust all round variety suitable for varied soil profiles. This variety enjoys some body in the soil. An excellent cob set produces high yields of good quality silage. Also ideal for proven grain production qualities and performs well under film. |
| EMELEEN | 7.4 | Sand/Light/ Medium | 38,000-42,500 | 105 | Average 30.0 | Good 11.4 | Massive high yielding variety which is a great addition to our portfolio, consistantly giving 105% of yield over controls. It exhibits decent drought tolerance, has excellent early vigour with an impressive cob set. To optimise yield drill early on best growing sites. Expect high demand for this variety again in 2025. As with all new varieties, seed will be limited this year. |
| ES LEGOLAS | 7.0 | Light/ Medium/Bodied | 40,000-45,000 | 105 | Average 29.0 | Good 11.4 | Proven to be one of the highest yielding varieties on Less Favourable NIAB list (105%). Drill early for enormous potential from a variety that will grow in a wide spectrum of soils, also enjoying more bodied fields. Stay green with excellent fusarium resistance. |
| CROSBEY (Forage & Grain) | 7.0 | Sand/Light/ Medium | 38,000-42,500 | 103 | Good 31.8 | Good 11.3 | This exciting very high yielding forage & grain variety has really proved itself in the last 3 years, producing some of the best yield results on lighter soils. Produces robust plants exhibiting sturdy strong stems and superb cob set. European data & our own UK experience suggests excellent tolerance of heat & drought, which has become increasingly common in the UK. |
| CATHY | 6.9 | Sand/Light/ Medium | 38,000-45,000 (36,000-40,000 under film) | 102 | Average 28.7 | Good 11.4 | Cathy has been a very consistent high performer for early drill on good sites for enormous dry matter yields. Exhibits good drought tolerance. Also performs well under film producing the highest of ME yields to maximise production output. |
| MICHELEEN (Forage & Grain) | 6.5 | Sand/Light/ Medium | 36,000-42,500 | 109 NIAB Very Favourable Sites Trial | Good 30.6 | Good 11.3 | This superb new variety has proved it's drought tolerance in the last 3 years, producing some of the highest yields seen in 2023. With a massive 109% yield over controls drill at lower population especially on light soils. |
| ES METRONOM | 6.0 | Medium | 38,000-42,500 | 102 NIAB Very Favourable Sites DL | Average 28.3 | Average 11.1 | Proven for a few years now.Massive yields producing around 18.9 tonnes DM/ha in NIAB 3rd Cut Descriptive List . Has excellent disease resistance and standing power, very important for such a large plant. For best results drill on medium soils in very favourable regions. |
| JAKLEEN | 5.0 | Sand/Light | 36,000-40,000 | 107 NIAB Very Favourable Sites Trial | Good 29.0 | Good 11.4 | For those wanting yield in a dry site, this new addition is for very favourable UK maize sites easily giving potential yields exceeding 50 tonnes per hectare. Has exhibited good drought tolerance in past 4 years. Suitable for lightest of soils and drill early at lower seed rate for best results. |
