Tillage: The 2024 winter barley harvest is underway
The first crops of winter barley were combined in Co. Louth this week, but the subsequent rains brought harvesting work to a halt.
Drummonds’ agronomist, Michael Howard, has confirmed the risk of lodging in some crops, particularly those that received late applications of a plant growth promoter (PGR).
The Dublin and Louth areas received approximately 40% of the rainfall that would normally be expected for the month of July in 48 hours.
The agronomist said:
“Crops in very fertile soils and exposed locations will be most at risk of lodging. Growers should also be on the lookout for crow damage in these crops.
“This won’t be a year for record winter barley yields. We could be looking at average yields coming in at 3.5t/ac, with the best fields averaging 3.75t.”
Weather permitting, the Drummonds’ team will be harvesting their winter barley trial plots at Termonfeckin in Co Louth from next Monday onwards.
Turing to other crops, Howard said that winter oilseed rape (OSR) crops will be sprayed off over the coming days.
“Growers can use glyphosate that has been in store since last year for this purpose. New regulations prohibit the use of glyphosate to desiccate crops directly prior to harvest.
"The only exception to this rule is the use of the herbicide in crops with heavy weed infestations.
“Growers should be mindful of the glyphosate application rates that they use. Higher water rates, up to 300L/ha, is recommend in thicker crops of OSR when desiccating or for weed control.
“A pod sticker should also be added to minimise pod shatter and seed losses. The first rape crops should be ready for harvest in about two weeks’ time," Howard said.
Where spring barley is concerned, again it will not be a year of record yields.
Howard added: “The best crops will probably yield over 3t/ac with many averaging 2½t.
“But straw yields will be poor enough across the board. This is because a lot of spring barley crops were planted out late in the season. As a consequence, they went through their growth phases very quickly.”
Howard has confirmed that many winter wheat crops have performed well over recent weeks: "But, again, yields will be moderate enough.
“There will be very few 5t wheat crops grown in Ireland this year. The best wheat crops in 2024 will probably yield in the region of 4t to 4¼/c."
Meanwhile, cereal growers across the country will be keeping a very close eye on the weather forecast over the coming days.
Met Éireann is predicting a relative dry period from now through to the weekend. However, heavy showers are due to return with a vengeance early next week.
Temperatures will rise to around average values for July over the coming days, however, there is no prospect of any settled weather in the forecast for the week ahead.
