Wheat yields average at Kensham Farm

Charlie Edgley has finished harvesting at Kensham Farm, Cadmore End, Berkshire, and is pleased with average wheat yields.

“We finished on Sunday (9 September), which was a real relief,” he said. “The combine did 335 hours this harvest covering 850ha, which is the longest it’s ever done.”

Vision oilseed rape on virgin ground yielded over 5t/ha, which was very pleasing, said Mr Edgley.

Oats averaged 6.3t/ha, with Gerald going flat and producing a low bushel weight sample in the mid-40s, even though it out-yielded Mascani, which had a bushel weight of 50-55kg/hl.

Propino spring barley yielded 5.9t/ha, and looked to be of nice quality, he added. “It hasn’t been tested, but I’m hopeful it will malt.”

Wheat averaged 8.3t/ha across 591ha, which was about average, considering much of the farm was in continuous wheat, said Mr Edgley.

Gallant was the best, at 7.5-10t/ha, with Cordiale at 6.5-10.2t/ha. “Bushel weights were in the low 70s, which I’m quite happy with, considering the season.”

Crusoe also did well, at 8.7t/ha and up to 78kg/hl, with Istabraq at 7.5t/ha. “There was a lot of deer damage in a couple of fields, which yielded just 5.5t/ha.”

Panorama ranged from 6t to 8.5t/ha, with the lowest bushel weights of the lot, in the mid to high 60s. “All the wheat was treated with Aviator, except the Panorama, which had Adexar – I don’t know if that had anything to do with it,” said Mr Edgley.

“In general, the earlier the wheat was drilled the better the bushel weight was, and thin looking crops on the light chalk yielded better than thicker crops on heavy soil.”

Two fields of late-drilled Solstice averaged 7.4t/ha, compared with fields drilled 10 days earlier and treated the same, which came in at 8.5t/ha. “It had a lot to do with the weather at flowering.”


Crop: Winter wheat
Variety: Solstice
Area: 157ha
Yield: 8t/ha


Variety: Panorama
Area: 93ha
Yield: 7.6t/ha


Variety: Istabraq
Area: 56ha
Yield: 7.5t/ha


Variety: Crusoe
Area: 47ha
Yield: 8.7t/ha


Variety: Cordiale
Area: 119ha
Yield: 8.25t/ha


Variety: Gallant
Area: 119ha
Yield: 8.6t/ha


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