Barley and OSR variety trials confirm trends
Barley and OSR variety trials confirm trends
By Charles Abel
FIRST results from winter barley and oilseed rape variety trials confirm the trends identified by farmers weekly harvest round-up reporters over recent weeks.
Winter barley yields are variable and generally worse than last year, with quality suffering too. Meanwhile oilseed rape is matching last years good results, but hybrid varieties are not performing as well as usual.
So far 7 NIAB winter barley trials have been harvested in Cambs, Cornwall, Glos, Hants, Lincs, Kent and Norfolk. Results are expressed as yield ratings relative to the average yield of the control varieties – Fanfare, Pastoral, Fighter, Halcyon and Manitou. They achieved 7.45t/ha (3t/acre), almost 0.5t/ha (4cwt/acre) down on the five-year average.
"Variety performance between sites is variable making it difficult to draw too many conclusions yet," says NIABs Bill Handley. "A clearer picture should emerge once more sites have bee harvested."
Indeed, the five-year mean figure, determined from 1993-96 results plus the new information from the trials harvested to date, provides a more balanced picture of variety performance, he notes.
Initial NIAB tests confirm suspicions that germination potential may be lower then normal. "This ties in with reports of pre-germination. If this problem is widespread it may have serious implications for those growers producing for the malting industry," says Mr Handley.
Varieties doing relatively better than usual this year are Fighter, Intro, Epic and Puffin – 4, 3, 3 and 3% better than usual respectively. But Regina, Hanna and Fanfare remain top 2-row yielders in the five-year mean results, with six other varieties all within the 4% significance cut off for yield (see table).
Winter oilseed rape
With only three fungicide treated trials and three untreated trials analysed so far, hybrid oilseed rape yields are clearly less outstanding than in the past two or three years, says NIAB oilseeds specialist Simon Kightley.
Hybrids Synergy, Artus and Pronto are 7, 10 and 6% lower yielding than their five-year means, falling behind Apex this year. But their four-year mean results remain more than 4% ahead of their nearest conventional rivals.
Mr Kightley believes their poor results are probably due to late frosts and drought up to and during early flowering. "We have had indications of this susceptibility before, particularly in 1995. But I think the picture will swing back to hybrids as results come in from other regions," he notes.
Conventional varieties are showing big differences in performance, Apex outstripping all comers with an 8% improvement on its four-year average.
Meanwhile, Lizard, Herald, Jazz and Licrown are each down 10, 8, 6 and 6%.
"Apex really has stood very well, whereas other varieties have shown a lot of lodging," says Mr Kightley.
As for winter barley, yields are expressed as a mean of the control varieties ) – Apex, Express, Falcon, Synergy and Nickel. Those averaged 4.31t/ha (35cwt/acre) – broadly the same as the four-year average. Differences of less than 4% should be treated with caution, stresses NIAB.
"The next two weeks will reveal a much fuller picture," says Mr Kightley.
This summers widespread lodging should focus interest on lodging and stem stiffness ratings, he adds. "New varieties, not severely tested during the past two or three years will be under the spotlight. Indications so far suggest that current ratings will not require major adjustment when the new seasons data are complete."
Wet weather and the damp micro climate within lodged crops could mean a major build-up of disease inoculum to attack autumn plantings, NIAB pathologists add. Stem canker resistance ratings will be worth considering, they say. *
OSRVarplan
VarietyCurrent 4yrInterim mean
mean 94-97yield for 97
(96 trials)(3 trials)
Control yield4.384.31
Recommended
Lipton104102
Meteor104101
Licrown10498
Herald10498
Contact103104
Lightning103104
Alpine100100
Gazelle100100
Capitol10099
Jazz10094
Cobra9997
Arietta9994
Lizard9989
Apex98106
Falcon9896
Amber9893
Bristol96105
Commanche96*
Express9596
Inca9595
Hybrid varieties
Pronto111105
Artus110100
Synergy109102
Additional varieties
Columbus103106
Kansas102102
Huron10198
Nickel99100
Corniche9795
*1997 Commanche seed was heat damaged and field emergence reduced.
OSRVarplan
VarietyCurrent 4yrInterim mean
mean 94-97yield for 97
(96 trials)(3 trials)
Control yield4.384.31
Recommended
Lipton104102
Meteor104101
Licrown10498
Herald10498
Contact103104
Lightning103104
Alpine100100
Gazelle100100
Capitol10099
Jazz10094
Cobra9997
Arietta9994
Lizard9989
Apex98106
Falcon9896
Amber9893
Bristol96105
Commanche96*
Express9596
Inca9595
Hybrid varieties
Pronto111105
Artus110100
Synergy109102
Additional varieties
Columbus103106
Kansas102102
Huron10198
Nickel99100
Corniche9795
*1997 Commanche seed was heat damaged and field emergence reduced.
Winter barley Varplan
VarietyCurrent 5-yrInterim mean
mean 93-97yield for 97
(152 trials)(7 trials)
Control yield7.997.45
NIAB recommended varieties
Muscat108107
Manitou105102
Regina104103
Fanfare102104
Hanna102102
Intro101104
Rifle101102
Gaelic101101
Pastoral101101
Gleam100100
Linnet10097
Sunrise99101
Fighter98102
Angora9896
Epic97100
Melanie9794
Puffin9497
Sprite94-
Pipkin9392
Halcyon9392
Candidate varieties
Vertige103102
Peridot102102
Jewel101103
Baton101102
Spirit10099
Other varieties
Spice100100