The Teagasc Crops Forum, which was held recently, happened to follow the publication of the 2024 recommended lists for winter barley.
The confirmation of the varieties that make the winter wheat recommended listings will follow later this week.
However, the forum event did provide attending delegates with an opportunity to ascertain some of the general trends that have been identified across all of the national list variety trials, hosted by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).
The department has committed to restructure the barley trials to nullify any growth impacts that six-row and hybrid varieties might have on two-row options, when growing in directly adjacent plots.
Full spatial separation between the different varietal options is now an integral part of the regime followed at all DAFM sites
Not surprisingly, the weather played a key role in determining final yields in 2023.
Winter barley
Where barley is concerned, the move towards emphasising the disease resistance continues apace.
There is growing evidence, indicating that claims of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) resistance and tolerance do hold up.
However, at this stage, DAFM officials are clearly indicating that claims of BYDV resistance and tolerance are those that have been made by breeders only.
Significantly, Molly – a winter barley variety from Drummonds – has made the 2024 provisionally recommended list. It comes with claims of BYDV resistance from the breeder.
There has been little movement in the direction of new varieties of wheat for the coming season, and the same principle holds where winter oats are concerned.
However, lodging across many wheat varieties was a general theme picked up, courtesy of the DAFM trials held this year.
List
The 2024 recommend winter barley list sees seven varieties fully recommended.
Belfry is an early maturing hybrid six-row variety with very high yield potential. It has long straw with good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to straw breakdown.
Belfry shows good resistance to rhynchosporium and moderate resistance to mildew. It demonstrates good resistance to brown rust and net blotch.
Cassia is a moderately early maturing two-row variety. It has short straw with good resistance to lodging moderate resistance to straw breakdown.
The variety is moderately susceptible to mildew and susceptible to rhynchosporium. It demonstrates good resistance to brown rust and net blotch.
Infinity is a moderately early maturing, two-row variety with a short straw length, resistance to lodging is good.
It is moderately susceptible to mildew but shows good resistance to rhynchosporium and net blotch
Joyau is a very early maturing, six-row variety with exceptional yield potential. It shows good resistance to net blotch and brown rust. BYDV tolerance is claimed by the breeder.
Tardis is a very high yielding two-row variety. It is moderately early maturing, showing very good resistance to lodging and straw breakdown.
Casting is an early maturing, two-row variety with high yield potential, and is highly resistant to rhynchosporium.
Armadillo is an early maturing, six-row variety with very high yield potential, again it is highly resistant to rhynchosporium.
Provisionally recommended varieties for 2024 are Bordeaux and Molly. Both are early, two-row varieties. Molly comes with a claim from the breeder that the variety is resistant to BYDV.