Harvest is underway across much of England and even into Scotland this week (23 July) with crops proving to be good.

HGCA have harvested five Recommended List winter barley trials so far. With the furthest north in Teeside and furthest south Hampshire, results are pleasing so far.

“It is early days to make any conclusions on the season, since early trials may not  always reflect the majority, but the signs are looking good with an average yield of 10.78 t/ha which compares favourably to the five year average yield of 9.04 t/ha,” HGCA reported.

Volume is topping the table for six-row hybrid varieties so far with a yield of 106% of the control varieties. The six-row conventional variety KWS Meridian isn’t far behind with a yield of 104%. The control varieties this year are Flagon, Cassata, Volume, KWS Cassia and KWS Meridian. The average yield from these five varieties is used to calculate 100% yield.

Of the two-row feed varieties on the HGCA Reccomended List, KWS Tower heads up the league table at 102%, a yield that is equalled by the candidate feed variety Daxor. The Recommended List varieties KWS Glacier, California have a yield of 101% which is equalled by the candidate two-row feed variety KWS Infinity.

Malting barley yields are all similar with Flagon, Cassata, SY venture and Talisman all achieving a yield of 97% of the control varieties.

HGCA will release data of their other crops in the coming weeks but for the moment you can keep track of varieties and yield on our Harvest Results page which has over 8000 acres of results submitted so far this season.