E-Malt.com News article: UK: Yield average for winter barley below five-year average

The overall 2016 harvest yield average for winter barley is under the five-year average in the United Kingdom, according to AHDB Cereals.

A total of seven trials in Devon, Hereford, North and East Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk and Suffolk have reported their results.

The overall yield average of 8.79 t/ha for 2016 is below the five-year average of 9.30 t/ha.

Looking at the annual trends, the average yield remains lower than farmers have seen in 2014 and 2015, but up on 2012 and 2013.

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties, which this year are Cassata, Volume, KWS Meridian, SY Venture and KWS Glacier.

The average of the yields from these varieties is represented as 100%.

The 2016 values only show yields based on one season from seven sites.

The five-year average is a better measure of variety performance over the past five seasons (2012–2016).

In 2016 so far, the six-row feed varieties top the yields. Six-row hybrids Belfry and Bazooka top the yield table with 113% of the control varieties, with Volume also performing well at 107%.

KWS Meridian remains in trial as a six-row conventional variety control and has performed well at 109%.

Candidate six-row varieties are also achieving good yields, with Sunningdale (six-row hybrid) at 110% and Funky (six-row conventional) at 106%.
The two-row feed variety Surge is currently top of the two-rows at 105% in the 2016 harvest results, while KWS Orwell (the highest yielding two-row on the current RL) is close behind at 104%.

Two-row malting varieties are judged more on their quality than outright yield.

Based on current information, Craft has yield 97%, SY Venture 93% and Talisman 92% in 2016.

When selecting varieties for next season, the five-year average values give farmers a better representation of performance across seasons.

Looking at the five-year averages, Bazooka tops the RL yield at 110% and Belfry at 108% for six-row hybrids.

The two-row feed variety KWS Orwell achieves 104%, while KWS Glacier, KWS Tower and KWS Infinity achieves 102%.


02 August, 2016