Barley set to deliver much more in the future

New barley varieties can already add signi cantly to diversity of cropping and deliver real management advantages and margin gains, but there’s much more to come, say KWS.

Investment in barley breeding is now delivering signi cantly higher yields than achievable from the crop just a few short years ago, reckons Dr Kirsty Richards of KWS.

With a strong pipeline of new varieties now coming through, the crop o ers UK growers an increasing number of rotational and nancial advantages, she believes.

“We’re at a point where the leading two-row varieties are now o ering yields comparable to those achieved by the best six-rows with improved agronomic features as well.

“Get your management and variety choice right, and there’s no reason why a conventional two-row barley cannot now be a more pro table cropping option than a second wheat.

“Variable costs can be 75 per cent of wheat plus barley straw has a higher sale value than wheat which, at about £65/t baled ex- eld can add an extra £180/ha to above the sale price of grain.

“Winter barley is often the rst crop to be harvested, helping to spread the summer workload and make way for cultivations so for many there is no better entry for oilseed rape.

“In addition, fungicide timings are typically a week earlier than wheat, helping to spread the sprayer workload and reduce the pressure on wheat application timings.”

“Not only was it the highest yielding two-row on the list, it was also producing yields equivalent to many six-row hybrid varieties.

Increased yields

year, she admits.

“Not only was it the highest yielding two-row on the list, it was also producing yields equivalent to many six-row hybrid varieties.

“At 106 per cent of control, it’s the highest yielding two-row barley by some margin but it’s only 1 per cent behind the highest yielding six rows and hybrids.

“It absolutely ies in the East, being beaten by just one hybrid six-row variety on the entire RL and then only by 1 per cent.”

In the eld, KWS Tardis is very vigorous – getting out of the blocks quickly with good standing power being the only variety on the RL with just 1 per cent lodging without PGR, she points out.

“Overall, its resistance to lodging score is 8 which plays a key role in its levels of performance on heavier soils, which is 110 per cent of control in the RL, where it outyields everything bar two hybrids. “Agronomically, it’s a medium height variety at 92cm with a really strong disease package including a 7 for rynchosporium resistance and a 5 for net blotch, plus it’s BYMV resistant. “KWS Tardis follows a line of two-row barleys that have been steadily pushing yields higher in recent years, with varieties like KWS Cassia and KWS Orwell proving very popular with growers.

“With over 10 years’ service under its belt, KWS Cassia has served feed barley growers well, but many realise the newer varieties can deliver so much more.”

everything bar two hybrids. “Agronomically, it’s a medium height variety at 92cm with a really strong disease package including a 7 for rynchosporium resistance two-row barleys that have been steadily pushing yields higher in recent years, with varieties like KWS Cassia and KWS Orwell proving very

New BYDV-tolerant high yielder

One of the most exciting of the new developments is the introduction of KWS Feeris, Dr Richards says.

“KWS Feeris is a conventional six-row winter barley that brings BYDV tolerance to the market in a realistic package.

“It’s a variety suited to all regions of the UK. Like other six-row barleys, KWS Feeris has excellent yield potential but really stands out in the West.

Mr Hugill says that a well timed and quality pod sealant can help to minimise crop losses at harvest of up to 0.3t/ha. Peas also o er a very good entry to rst wheat, but they are a more weather-dependent crop that needs more management to help reach the full yield and quality potential. FG