Mixed results in Buckinghamshire

26 July 2001



Mixed results in Buckinghamshire

COLIN RAYNOR, estate director for J. Raynor and Sons, near Slough in Buckinghamshire has seen mixed results with winter barley and oilseed rape.

Two combines have been harvesting 100ha of Pearl winter barley. It has yielded 8.4-9.9t/ha (3.4-4t/acre). This is higher than the average for the farm.

He also notes the variability of the yield, “on grade one soil where there is good drainage, the yields were good.

“But on grade two, three and four, the yield was not as good.” The Pearl was combined at moisture 13-16% and dried to 15%.

Apex, Capricorn and Pyramid are the varieties of oilseed rape consisting of 170ha (420ha).

The pattern of yields is consistent with barley with grade one soil yielding average at 4t/ha (1.6t/acre). Grades two, three and four yielded 2.5t/ha (1t/acre).

“The older varieties have tended to out yield the new and hybrid varieties. We have suffered some terrible flooding on lower grade land.”