BYDV tolerance trials 'add up to 0.2t/ac' to winter barley yields - agronomist
There is now clear evidence indicating that Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) tolerance is driving significant yield improvement in winter barleys, according to Seedtech technical director, Tim O’Donovan.
He told Agriland: “We are seeing from the results of our own trial work that BYDV tolerance can add up to 0.2t/ac in terms of the yield achieved from a winter barley variety.
“The winter barley harvest is over for the most part. Crop yields in the south of the country have been in the range 3.5t to 4.t/ac, averaging: 3.8t. These figures are well up on 2024 levels.”
The agronomist is also confirming that grains coming off the combine over recent days are of excellent quality. Dry matters are averaging 15%.
“Specific weights are coming it at around 70kg/hectolitre. And this is an impressive figure,” O'Donovan said.
The Seedtech representative is indicating that the winter barley variety Orcade has performed particularly well in Ireland this year. Significant quantities of seed will be available for the 2025/26 growing season.
Orcade is a two-row option with BYDV tolerance.
Meanwhile the winter oat harvest is continuing apace in the south of the country.
O’Donovan said: “The yields of crops growing on soils with good clay content have held up really well. This is because they were able to retain more moisture for plant growth purposes.”
However, the jury remains out on possible winter wheat yields.
“Crops were looking really well until the recent hot spell,” the Seedtech agronomist noted.
“What we are looking at now is a scenario of crops coming to maturity very quickly. And this may well impact on yields in a negative manner.”
While it is still early days, Teagasc is projecting a 16% increase in cereal production this year relative to 2024 - 2.2Mt versus 1.9Mt.
This is partly accounted for by a 4.5% increase in the cereal growing area planted out - 270Kha for 2025 versus 259Kha the year before.
But it is enhanced yields that constitute the main driver in the determination of final grain output figures in 2025.
For winter wheat, the projected average yield figure is 10.93t/ha, up from the 8.9t estimate for 2024.
Significantly, the total winter wheat area is estimated to have fallen from 59.4Kha to 40.5Kha over the past 12 months.
All winter crop yields are projected to have risen in 2025 relative to the year previous. However, the opposite trend is very much the case where spring barley, oats, and wheat are concerned.
