The 2025 spring barley recommended lists have been published by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) which reference a total of 12 varieties.
Of these, nine are fully recommended: Florecne; Gangway; Geraldine; Gretchen; LG Mermaid; RGT Planet; Rockway; Skyway; Spinner; and SY Amity.
Florence is a very high yielding, moderately early maturing variety. It has good resistance to lodging and straw breakdown.
Florence demonstrates very good resistance to both mildew and rhynchosporium. It is moderately susceptible to brown rust and shows moderate resistant to net blotch.
Gangway is a good yielding, moderately late maturing variety. It demonstrates moderate resistance to lodging and good resistance to straw breakdown.
Gangway has very good resistance to mildew and net blotch, with moderate resistance to brown rust. The variety is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium. Grain quality is excellent.
Geraldine is a very high yielding, moderately early maturing variety. It shows good resistance to lodging and is moderately resistant to straw breakdown.
The variety has very good resistance to mildew and net blotch. It also demonstrates good resistance to rhynchosporium. Geraldine is moderately resistant to brown rust.
Gretchen is a a high yielding, moderately early maturing variety, demonstrating good resistance to lodging and moderate resistance to straw breakdown.
It has very good resistance to mildew and net blotch. Geraldine demonstrates good resistance to rhynchosporium; it is moderately resistant to brown rust.
Mermaid is a very high yielding, moderately late maturing variety. It is moderately susceptible to lodging and susceptible to straw breakdown.
The variety shows very good resistance to mildew and net blotch. Resistance to rhynchosporium and brown rust is moderate.
Planet is a good yielding, moderately late maturing variety. It is moderately susceptible to lodging and susceptible to straw breakdown.
The variety shows very good resistance to mildew. It is moderately susceptible to rhynchosporium and brown rust but is susceptible to net blotch.
Rockway is a high yielding, moderately late maturing variety. It shows moderate resistance to lodging and straw breakdown. The variety has very good resistance to mildew.
Rockway demonstrates good resistance to rhynchosporium. Resistance to both brown rust and net blotch is moderate.
Skyway is a very high yielding, moderately late maturing variety. It is moderately susceptible to lodging and susceptible to straw breakdown.
Skyway shows very good resistance to mildew and good resistance to rhynchosporium. It is moderately resistant to brown rust and net blotch.
Spinner is a very high yielding, moderately late maturing variety. It is moderately resistant to lodging and straw breakdown, while showing good resistance to mildew and net blotch.
Spinner has good resistance to rhynchosporium while being moderately resistant to brown rust.
And, finally, Amity, is a very high yielding, moderately late maturing variety. It shows good resistance to lodging and is moderately resistant to straw breakdown.
Amity demonstrates very good resistance to mildew and net blotch. It is moderately resistant to rhynchosporium and brown rust.
Spring barley provisionally recommended
Two spring barley varieties are provisionally recommended: Hurler and Lollipop.
Hurler is a very high yielding, moderately early maturing variety. It shows good resistance to lodging and is moderately resistant to straw breakdown.
The variety demonstrates very good resistance to mildew, rhynchosporium and net blotch. It is moderately resistant to brown rust.
Lollipop is a very high yielding, moderately early maturing variety. It is moderately susceptible to lodging and moderately resistant to straw breakdown.
The variety shows very good resistance to mildew, rhynchosporium and net blotch. It is moderately resistant to brown rust.