The Teagasc annual tillage conference has reiterated the benefits of an effective rotation for crops.
These include: the better use of manpower, an extended harvest window and more effective use of machinery.
According to Teagasc’s Dermot Forristal: “The inclusion of a break crop, such as oilseed rape or spring beans, can be extremely beneficial.
“It represents a management approach, which allows for the use of different herbicides – thereby delivering better weed control over a period of time.
“There are also significant yield increased to be secured by including a break crop within a rotation, [e.g.,] a first wheat can follow winter oilseed rape or beans.”
Teagasc’s trial work has also confirmed the yield benefits that can be obtained when a continuous barley regime is tweaked to include other crops within a more holistic rotation.
Growing a range of crops extends the harvest window, In turn, this allows cereal growers smaller combines than would otherwise be the case.
“This reduces the overall level of costs incurred within the business,” Forristal added,
He recognises that the reduced opportunities to plant winter crops last autumn will have an impact on the rotations, followed by tillage farmers over the coming weeks.
Spring oat varieties
However, there are a number of themes that should be followed over the coming weeks. Farmers who failed to get winter oats planted prior to Christmas can opt for spring oat varieties now.
Spring beans are an option now for growers who failed to get winter oilseed rape crops established prior to Christmas.
He continued: “Spring barley is the obvious option for those growers who fell short with their winter wheat planting at the back end of last year.
“Obviously, there will be an issue with barley seed availability over the coming weeks. Winter wheat can be successful until the middle of February.
“This is an option, which growers should look at seriously while time permits.”
Forage crops, including maize and beet will also be an option on a number of farms in 2024, but this comes with the Teagasc advisory note that customers for these crops should be secured before planting takes place.
Forristal referred to spring oilseed rape as a marginal crop under Irish conditions at the best of times.
Irish Seed Trade Association president, Tim O’Donovan, disagreed with this assessment, pointing to the potential for spring rape on some farms.
He also confirmed that spring rape seed is available at the present time.