The first of this year’s winter barley crops are being harvested now, following a return to drier weather conditions.
However, Teagasc is advising that most crops are still a week out from harvest. Overall, the prospects for yields are good.
But Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) and take-all may impact on some winter barley yields.
Weather for barley crops
Rainfall at the end of June was welcome as soil moisture deficits were increasing and drought symptoms were starting to appear on light soils.
Overall June rainfall was above average in most of the tillage areas (Cork airport 104%; Oak Park 103%; Johnstown 100%) except the north east where Dublin airport (65%) and Dunsany (90%) were below their long-term average.
Rainfall in the last week of June resulted in some lodging, mainly in spring barley crops in the south. But, overall, the lodged area is small and mostly confined to fertiliser overlaps and crops where excessive nitrogen was applied.
Where winter oilseed rape is concerned, many crops are approaching the stage when they are fit to desiccate.
Some early-sown fields have already been desiccated earlier this week with the remainder likely to be burned-off over the coming days.
Water quality
Meanwhile, Teagasc is, again, high;ighting Ireland’s fifth Nitrates Action Programme (NAP) which contains specific measures to protect water from nutrient loses arising from agricultural sources.
One of the important changes concerning tillage farmers is the establishment of a green cover through natural regeneration techniques on tillage ground.
High nitrate levels in rivers have been recorded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in predominantly tillage areas in the south east.
While there are many sources of nitrate loss to ground water, surplus nitrogen in the soil at harvest time not used by growing crops can contribute to these losses.
Early sown catch crops and establishment of green cover can help capture some of this nitrogen which could otherwise be leached to ground water by rainfall.
Essentially, tillage farmers are now required to take measures to establish green cover as soon as possible post-harvest to protect waters from nutrient loses.
The regulation states that shallow cultivation or sowing of a crop must take place within seven days of baling of straw post-harvest.
Where straw is chopped, shallow cultivation or sowing a crop must take place within seven days of harvest.
It is recognised that some uncultivated cover must be retained through the winter period to support seed-eating birds.
Consequently, there may be small changes to the requirement for shallow cultivation on all harvested crops but they are not available at this time.