MAKE THE MOST OF CROPS PROSPECTS
MAKE THE MOST OF CROPS PROSPECTS
Barley is bouncing back. Keener export demand combined with poorer production in Europe mean prospects for the crop look more attractive than for some years.
That is good news given the big upswing in plantings, particularly of the spring crop after the diabolical drilling conditions last autumn and through the winter.
To help growers make the most of spring and winter barley, farmers weekly has joined forces with input supplier Syngenta to bring you this special Barley Focus supplement.
On the following pages we provide an over-view of the key cropping decisions which need to be taken to ensure spring barley performs. Drill-and-go is not enough. Inputs need planning, management fine-tuning and agronomy honing to harness the full potential of the seed you plant.
We then move on to a detailed examination of the issues influencing screenings, before relaying the views of a Norfolk grower who has long-term experience of both winter and spring barley. He highlights the crucial importance of managing the crops very differently to extract the best return from each.
Attention then turns to ramularia, a damaging disease of northern spring barley. As understanding improves, effective control tactics are emerging. We explain what you need to do to protect the green leaf area of your crops this summer. Fungicide strategies for more common foliar disease are also considered.
The overall picture is promising. If managed correctly, winter and spring barley crops offer good prospects for the coming harvest – weather permitting, of course!.