Wheat disappoints on heavy clay
21 August 2001
Wheat disappoints on heavy clay
WHEAT yields have been poor for Roger Ward, reporting to the FARMERS WEEKLY Harvest Hotline and who farms on heavy clay at Kelshall near Royston.
They have combined some wheat for home saved seed and have since moved onto milling wheat.
His 4ha (10 acres) of Claire for seed yielded 8.6t/ha (3.5t/acre). 5ha (12 acres) of Consort for seed yielded 9.2t/ha (3.75t/acre). “We normally expect 4t/acre (10t/ha) on first wheat.”
“We expected yields to be down. Autumn and spring conditions have been terrible, but the crops have come back quite well.”
They have also combined 49ha (120 acres) of third wheat Malacca. This yielded 6.8t/ha (2.75t/acre), which is below the 7.4t/ha (3t/acre) average for third wheat on the farm.
Quality has been impressive. The first field of Malacca had 12.6% protein, but the subsequent ones have 13-14% protein. The Hagbergs are all over 350.
There is 36ha (90 acres) of Consort left, then they will be into November drilled Reaper feed wheat. There are also beans that will be ready in a week.
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