IMPRESSIVE YIELDS FROM NEW VARIETIES DESPITE STOP-START HARVEST
Written by Keith Nicholson Despite catchy August weather that has left many farmers with the usual harvest headaches there have been some notable performances from several new varieties being grown for the first time, including two new winter barley varieties, that have exceeded the current AHDB winter barley yield estimates of 6.8-7.2t/ha reported to date for 2021 harvested crops. 16th of September. Tony Scarborough, farmer near Weather conditions at and post Grantham drilling were excellent, and the crop Tony grew a first-time crop of winter was at the 4-5 tiller stage going into barley Bolton harvested on August 9th winter. A low-pressure disease year was and achieved almost 8t/ha, again well further aided by a cold snap in early above AHDB national yield estimates spring so, despite not being fully tested, for this season. it did cope extremely well with the very We drilled on October 12th in decent heavy rain we caught in May. Harvested Tim Booth, Lincolnshire Farmer weather. The variety established in early August the final yield was an quickly, competing extremely well. It impressive 10.56t/ha, ahead of our near Swinehead stood well during the spring, despite 5-year farm average. Specific weight Tim grew a crop of Lightning with a some heavy rain that temporarily was 68hL, again better than expected yield of just over 8.6t/ha, a new 2-row yellowed the crop, and received a basic and excellent for a feed barley. conventional winter feed barley from fungicide package at T1 with a more Although not really examined on its breeder Elsoms Seeds. robust spray at T2 on May 12th. Bolton disease resistance this year Bolton was It’s our first-time growing winter looks a good variety for a mixed farm, easy to grow, stood well and looks a barley as historically, its been tricky to fit proving uncomplicated to grow and straightforward robust variety into our rotation. However, we changed producing a significant quantity of good things up last autumn, drilled 17ha and quality stiff straw. We grew two winter were rewarded with a fantastic looking Whilst almost 90 percent of barleys this season, including Hawking crop that had no disease issues, all bethe UK’s winter barley area had from breeder KWS which did 6.78t/ha, it in a low-pressure year for this area. been cut by mid-August, winter although both varieties were drilled at Beyond 1 or 2 minor lodging problems wheat has seen its slowest start the same time and received the same due to heavy rains Lightning competed to a harvest since 2017 with late inputs package. well producing a lot of tillers which ripening and catchy weather the The final bushel weight of 63hL on smothered the ground very quickly main explanations for delays. helping to keep our blackgrass at bay. the Bolton was slightly down on our But, despite the unsettled weather, It’s an early maturing type that proved farm average of 65hL, although that positive reports on early harvested excellent for an early harvest slot as we seems to be in line with AHDB reports wheat crops have started to filter followed it with oilseed rape drilled on of national averages of 60-64hL for through. winter barley this year” adds Tony. August 2nd. Although not really tested it has 8s for Rhynchosporium and net blotch and 7s for mildew and brown rust, so the disease package looks potentially very solid” he confirms.
Tony Bell, farmer near Thirsk
John Wilson, Rankeilour Farms near Cupar in Fife Reports on Bolton have also been positive further north where John drilled 17.6ha of the crop on 15th52 DIRECT DRILLER MAGAZINE
For Tony a first-time crop of the Group 4 hard wheat Astound achieved a yield of almost 10t/ha supporting its credentials as a robust, low stress variety. We drilled 18ha of Astound, split across 2 fields, with the larger field late sown on November 5th following a ‘difficult to harvest’ crop of maize. Despite heavy rain that submerged parts of the crop, it came through and established extremely well once the ISSUE 15 | OCTOBER 2021
