Wizard is the variety in demand, liked by growers and requested by end users. It has a high yield score on the 2007 NIAB recommended list and is the shortest, stiffest strawed variety currently available . This combined with good disease resistance makes Wizard difficult to resist growing. Wizard produces a sample which is suitable for the animal feed compounding market and for the middle eastern export market. In official trials it has produced a protein content of around 28.5%, some 1.3% above Clipper and Target.

Yield 2007 RL Data

General Performance (Breeders trials 5yr mean)

Wizard produces a large pale skinned bean which has been accepted by many end users for the export bean market. The introduction of Wizard now gives bean exporters an opportunity of competing in a wider range of export markets, as the large seed size of Wizard offers a realistic option to similar sized beans from other competing countries.

If growers can achieve a good quality sample of even sized beans with Nil or very low bruchid infestation then Wizard financially comes out on top in comparison to Spring Beans, Peas or Oilseed Rape. The high costs associated with growing OSR in particular are encouraging more growers to grow Winter beans and Wizard in particular.

Wizard is the most widely grown bean in the UK.

All information is a partial extraction from Wherry & Sons Ltd website and also the HGCA Recommended List 2007/8. See http://www.winter-beans.co.uk/Varieties/clipper.asp and also www.hgca.com for the full dataset