Winter barley needs N now

That is the advice from GrowHow UK, based on new research conducted by ADAS, which shows significant grain and straw yield benefits from applying up to half of total N before GS30.

RB209 recommends most is applied at early stem extension and, in practice, some farmers delay even further not going into a barley crop until it looks yellow.

“We now have two year’s worth of data which clearly demonstrate the benefits of early Nitram applications,” says GrowHow agronomist Allison Grundy.

Because there has been little recent research into the fertiliser requirements of winter barley, the advice has been to treat the crop as if it was wheat.

“But barley is quite different to wheat,” says Miss Grundy. “In barley, unlike wheat, you need a thick crop to get high yields.”

The trials using the two-row variety Saffron and the six-row Pelican were at High Mowthorpe in North Yorkshire and Rosemaund in Herefordshire.

Average yield benefit across both sites was between 0.3 t/ha and 0.5 t/ha when 50 per cent of the N was applied in late February/early March, followed three to four weeks later by 50 per cent at GS 30, compared with RB209 recommendations.

Using a breakeven ratio of 5:1, the optimum N rates were 30 to 70 kg N/ha higher than RB209 recommendations. “There is evidence to suggest the yield effect may be even better if a greater proportion of the Nitram is applied early so perhaps we will look at a 60:40 split.

“We are also looking at splitting the N three ways which will be a more practical option on many farms,” says Miss Grundy.

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