Winter barley and oilseed rape has shown very mixed results for Nick Harding on Preston farm, Dorset.

Twenty eight hectares of Pearl winter barley had disappointing yields at 6.25t/ha, which was down 1.25t/ha on last year. The Pearl also showed very high nitrogen levels at 1.85-1.9%.

He said 16ha of Maris Otter winter barley yielded surprisingly better than Pearl at 7.5t/ha.

Forty hectares of Pollen oilseed rape yielded 4.4 – 4.5t/ha, and he was just starting 40ha of Labrador which he said was a bit flat on the ground. Both varieties were looking similar to last year.

Mr Harding was pleased with how things were going this year but he was hoping for “a clean run of weather”.

• Crop/Variety: Pearl winter barley


• Area: 28ha


• Yield: 6.25t/ha


• Quality: 1.85-9% Nitrogen

• Crop/Variety: Maris Otter winter barley


• Area: 16ha


• Yield: 7.5t/ha


• Quality: N/A

• Crop/Variety: Pollen oilseed rape


• Area: 40ha


• Yield: 4.4-4.5t/ha


• Quality: N/A