How hybrid barley gives Hants farm security and flexibility

High barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) pressure last autumn has led Hampshire farm manager Tim Walters to rethink his variety choices heading into the new season.

This year he has ditched conventional two-rows and opted for BYDV resistant SY Kestrel for its potential to give higher yields and peace of mind against the aphid-transmitted disease. 

Tim Walters © Syngenta

Tim says: “In a normal harvest year with combining spread out right through from mid-July to September there are big advantages to having winter barley in the rotation.

“We have been planting oilseed rape sometimes as early as the last week of July, so it creates that early entry point. We are also trying to extend our oilseed rape rotation, so it feels like a good fit.”

But with BYDV pressure in the crop so high last year, Tim was conscious of the threat it might pose this season.

With the estate focussed on stewardship schemes and environmental work over the past 25 years, he did not want to rely on broad-spectrum insecticides.

Tim says: “The thought of going back to doing widespread BYDV sprays through the autumn does not appeal to us, because we know they are largely unselective and we don’t want to be killing our beneficial insects.

“We also grow spring barley for malting, so we have quite an acreage down to no insecticide treatment as an SFI option.”

Read more on this SFI option.

Having reviewed the trials data, Tim chose SY Kestrel because it was able to offer security against the threat of aphids while retaining quality.

SY Kestrel offers strong resistance to BYDV by being resistant to the MAV, PAV, and RPV strains and also provides tolerance to wheat dwarf virus (WDV). It is the first six-row Hyvido Neo hybrid with this level of viral resistance.

Using Cropwise Seed Selector tool from Syngenta, also gave Tim additional assurance that the variety was a good fit for his farm situation.

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Tim says: “I only wanted to grow a variety that had that resistance. We’re seeing now with these hybrids that specific weight is not an issue as it perhaps used to be with six-rows.

“Out-and-out yield is obviously very important, but we want grain quality to be reasonable too and not have issues with screenings or lower bushel weights, and these newer hybrids are now delivering that.”

The Hyvido Neo hybrid variety also appealed to Tim for its weed suppression characteristics, with blackgrass and brome the estate’s main grass weed challenge.

The farm is a big user of precision technology and has been variable rate drilling for some time, increasing seed rates in mapped blackgrass areas within the fields.

“We are trying to hit these weeds in numerous cultural ways, knowing the herbicide armoury isn’t that strong, particularly in winter barley, so any variety that is more aggressive and competitive against weeds is a good thing.”

With crops being cleared from fields particularly early this summer, independent agronomist Sarah Franklin says the threat of BYDV is likely to be high.

Sarah Franklin © Syngenta

“Despite crops going in later last season, the BYDV pressure in Hampshire remained high in mid-late September sown Winter Barley crops.

“This year could create the perfect storm for the disease with the early harvest and many tempted to drill early, nervous of another wet autumn.”

While SFI’s IPM4 no insecticide action has put pressure on not using insecticides in some cereal crops, Sarah believes all growers should be looking down the route of varietal resistance going forward, for additional peace of mind.

She says: “Winter barley is an integral part of the rotation but with more weather extremes and wet weather windows, we are going to be more reliant on resistant varieties going forward.

“SY Kestrel has comparable yields to two-rows and a good all-round disease package, as well as being suited to most soil types so it is a good fit.

© Syngenta

“Hybrids also tend to be more tolerant of having wet feet over winter, which barley generally just doesn’t like.

“They are very vigorous and generally that bit taller, so if you’re looking for blackgrass suppression and better straw yields, they are particularly beneficial.”