Tips and tools abound in barley agronomy guide

How to achieve good yield potential

Ways to maximise the yield and quality of barley crops are the subject of a technical growing guide unveiled for the 2025 season.

The Barley Agronomy Guide explores the factors and husbandry required to fulfil the potential of spring and winter crops.It has been published by BASF in partnership with NIAB, ADAS, Scotland’s rural college SRUC and Ireland’s Teagasc.

Yield potential

The first part of the guide examines the importance of planning and implementing a well-considered crop strategy. This an essential step on the road to creating and achieving yield potential.

The importance of end market objectives, the position of the crop in the rotation and choice of variety – all of which will impact crop management – are considered by crop physiologist Steve Hoad, of SRUC.

BASF business development manager David Leahy explains: “It is absolutely essential to get the basics right from the start. Barley is sink limited which means it is limited by the number and the capacity of grain sites.

“Creating yield potential in both winter and spring barley is all about maximising sink capacity, which means establishing the crop in a way that enables the crop to strongly develop and tiller.”

Once the variety is selected and drilled, good establishment is key to enable rapid development and the formation of tillers, adds Mr Leahy.

Early management

The next section of the guide is  designed to give crops the best start. Will Vaughan-France (NIAB) Ciaran Collins ( Teagasc) discuss seed quality, seed rates, drilling dates and establishment techniques.

Detailed husbandry over the course of the season is key to achieving high yielding crops. Ways to minimise risk from the outset are considered by Jonathan Blake and Sacha White (both ADAS), alongside take-all and barley yellow dwarf virus.

Sarah Kendall and John Cussans (also both ADAS) look at weed management, macro- and micro-nutrition. They discuss integrated pest management (IPM) for weed control in barley crops, detailing various management strategies and herbicide options.

Fulfilling potential

Pete Berry (ADAS) discusses how to avoid lodging and brackling – including ways to maximise yield and quality while minimising lodging risk and the factors which influence brackling, which has become more common as yield parameters are pushed.

Disease management strategies are covered in depth by Stephen Kildea (Teagasc), Neil Havis (SRUC) and David Leahy (BASF). They describe the lifecycles and effects of Rhynchosporium, net blotch, brown rust, powdery mildew and ramularia.

The key principles of IPM for each disease are outlined, considering the risk factors which affect the severity of each, and potential management strategies.

Fungicide strategies and timings are explored, including independent data illustrating the efficacy of active ingredients to help growers make informed choices.

David Leahy says: “This guide, with its intuitive layout, is packed full of useful content and will act as an invaluable reference for successfully growing barley crops from start to finish.”