BSPB Forage Maize Descriptive Lists

Forage maize

BSPB 2026 Descriptive Lists

Published on 1st September 2025

The BSPB Forage Maize Crop Group organises independent Descriptive List testing for forage maize varieties, financed by the BSPB and managed by Niab. 

The List aims to compare major maize varieties in the UK market place across the key growing locations of the UK, comparison is made on crop dry matter, crop yield, quality characteristics of starch and energy and finally agronomic data such as lodging.

The dataset incorporates five years of trials and is divided into three Lists – Favourable, Less Favourable and Very Favourable.

The Favourable List is for growers who are in good growing locations but for certain reasons such as drilling follow on crops need to find a balance between maturity and yield. 

The Less Favourable List is for growers whose major concern is growing a crop to reach acceptable maturity by a given date.

Varieties on the Very Favourable List may be suitable for biogas producers growing and using the crop as a feedstock. Some varieties are also found on the current Favourable and Less Favourable Forage Maize DLs but others, including some later maturing varieties, are unique to this List. 

The previous AD Favourable and Less Favourable Lists were discontinued in 2020.

It is important that the grower identifies which List is most suitable for their situation.