Harvest is underway across most parts of the country now with variable yields. Farming Online’s Harvest Results has collated more than 25,000 acres (10,000ha) worth of harvest results.

According to the latest HGCA report, yields in 2013 are 8.46 t/ha which is below the five year average of 8.73 t/ha. Of the varieties currently on the HGCA Recommended List, the two-row feed varieties Retriever (108%), KWS Glacier (107%) and the six-row Hybrid Volume (106%) have all performed well in 2013.

New feed candidate varieties have also performed well in 2013. Harelquin has so far achieved a yield of 108% compared to the control varieties while Tetris has yielded 107%.

The six-row conventional varieties KWS Merdian (104%) and Escadre (100%) have performed in line with their five-year average in 2013.

For malting barley the focus is more on quality although yield remains important. Based on yields, SY Venture Talisman  and Archer have all performed around their five-year average although there is less evidence about how quality has held up this early on.

It was a similar story yield wise in oilseed rape. HGCA results in the East/West region shows the gross output average, which takes account of the seed yield and oil content, is 5.37 t/ha in 2013, which is just below the four-year average of 5.41 t/ha.

The four-year average values provide a more balanced look at variety performance over several years although with a season such as last year, its likely to draw this average down over the previous few.

Looking at the varieties on the HGCA Recommended List, the three restored hybrid varieties – PR46W21, Marathon and PT211 – which are the top yielding varieties on the current HGCA Recommended List, continue to hold their position. Both Marathon and PT211 have also done well in 2013 compared with their four-year averages.

The two conventional varieties Quartz and Sesame have also performed well in 2013 trials. Turning to the new candidate varieties, Trinity, Incentive, Charger and Ginfizz have performed well in 2013.

According to the results Farming Online has received so far, yields are actually holding up with an average of 3.88 t/ha compared to last year’s 3.65 t/ha. However this is significantly back on the 4.52 t/ha, a level seen only in 2011.