Imperial College London finished wheat harvest in Ashford, Kent before the rain last Friday (Aug 19), said Dr Andrew Ferguson. On the 320ha farm in Wye, yields were satisfactory and he was very pleased with decent specific weights.

First wheats Claire and Robigus yielded 9 – 10t/ha, with bushel weights of 77 – 80kg/hl. He said: “Fortunately the biggest fields produced the biggest yields.”

First wheat Hereward met the farm average of 8 – 9t/ha, which was 1t/ha lower than group three wheats, he said. Bushel weight was 78 – 81kg/hl, but Hagbergs were disappointing at 250 which he said was due to the wet end to July.

Dr Ferguson said second wheat Robigus struggled to make just over 7.5t/ha, despite having been sown in late October. He said he had predicted 10t/ha as the crop had looked “fantastic” in May, but the dry June caused shriveled grain. The specific weight was 69 – 73kg/hl.

Moisture averaged 15 – 16%, but he said some of the last samples were as low as 13.2%.

Winter beans remain to be cut, and are likely to yield 5t/ha, he said.

• Crop/Variety: Claire and Robigus wheat
  
• Area: 320ha wheat in total
  
• Yield: 9-10t/ha
  
• Quality: Bushel weight 77-80kg/hl

• Crop/Variety: Hereward wheat
  
• Area: 320ha wheat in total
  
• Yield: 8-9t/ha
  
• Quality: Bushel weight 78-81kg/hl, 250 Hagberg

• Crop/Variety: Robigus (second wheat)
  
• Area: 320ha wheat in total
  
• Yield: 7.5t/ha
  
• Quality: Bushel weight 69 – 73kg/hl