With the winter barley harvest almost wrapped up, growers should make a point of recording all the details of the experience to analyse performance while the memory is fresh.
While some of the later-harvested crops yielded well, many of the earlier-harvested crop performed very poorly. Where crops were poor, try to figure out why this happened from listening to reports from around the country, advises Teagasc Tillage Specialist Shay Phelan.
“There may be many reasons, including fertiliser applications or rates, rotation, sowing dates, soil compaction, disease control, BYDV, various crop stresses or lack of moisture. Try to figure what you think was relevant in your situation. It may even be worth sitting and comparing notes with a trusted neighbour or friend,” he said. “With input costs likely to increase for the 2023 crop, making sure crops perform to their potential will be vitally important.”
The Tillage Edge Podcast
The harvest so far has been a mixed affair with relatively poor winter barley yields across the country. On this week’s Tillage Edge podcast, John Pettit and Conor Kavanagh, both Teagasc tillage advisors, join Michael Hennessy to discuss the results so far from the southeast and the south of the country.
For more episodes and information from the Tillage Edge podcast see here.