Harvest 09: Better off fallow
Harvest is progressing well at Richard Burt’s Rotherdale Farm, Throckmorton, Worcestershire, after a slow and frustrating start.
Considering the appalling conditions last autumn, all the crops had fared far better than expected, he said.
Having cut 65% of his Oakley and Solstice winter wheat, yields had ranged from 7t/ha to 11t/ha (2.8-4.4t/acre).
“We left 200ha (500 acres) fallow last autumn, and at today’s prices we would have been better not to plant those crops which are doing 7t/ha,” said Mr Burt.
He now had 270ha (667 acres) of wheat to finish before moving onto 250ha (618 acres) of winter beans.
Mr Burt had finished his Excalibur oilseed rape, which came in at 12-13% moisture, and yielded 3.8t/ha (1.5t/acre) with 46% oil content.
The Spectrum winter barley ranged from the sublime to the ridiculous, according to sowing conditions, he said. Yields varied from 6.5-9.5t/ha (2.6-3.8t/acre).
Crop: Winter wheat
Varieties: Oakley and Solstice
Yield: 7-11t/ha (2.8-4.4t/acre)
Crop: Oilseed rape
Variety: Excalibur
Area: 160ha (395 acres)
Yield: 3.8t/ha (1.5t/acre)
Crop: Winter barley
Variety: Spectrum
Area: 320ha (790 acres)
Yield: 6.5-9.5t/ha (2.6-3.8t/acre)
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Duxford winter wheat is an HGCA Recommended List 2009/10 variety with very high UK treated yields and a maximum 9 rating for resistance to lodging with and without PGR. Combined with the highest second wheat yield and a balanced disease resistance profile, Duxford will continue to help UK growers meet the challenge of producing more grain profitably. Go to the Syngenta Seeds website |
