Of the 16 fungicide-treated AHDB Recommended Lists (RL) winter barley trials 12 have reported results. Two were lost to the wet over winter and two remain under investigation due to odd results. In addition, seven fungicide-untreated trials have also reported, with one remaining under investigation.

Overall fungicide-treated yields of control varieties (9.67 t/ha) are very slightly above the five-year average (9.62 t/ha). They are also relatively consistent, ranging from 7.50 t/ha in Norfolk to 10.83 t/ha in Yorkshire. Trials went into good conditions and established well before the weather broke last autumn. Apart from some localised waterlogging and the two lost trials, winter barley trials have come through the winter well. It is a different story for the fungicide-untreated trials though, with the average yields for 2024 (6.78 t/ha) well below the five-year average (7.93 t/ha) with brown rust and rhynchosporium both common, clearly impacting on yields. Disease data from fungicide-untreated trials and disease observations plots (small trials not taken to yield are included in this dataset) are now included in the harvest results dataset.

Control varieties

Yields are represented as a percentage of the control varieties. In 2024, the control varieties comprise two malting varieties, Craft and Electrum, the two-row feed variety KWS Tardis, the six-row hybrid variety SY Kingsbarn and the six-row conventional variety KWS Feeris. The average of the yields from these varieties is represented as 100%.

2024 averages

With all but two poor trials included now, the results can be considered to be a good indicator of performance in 2024.

In the fungicide-treated trials, four varieties have finished on 105% of controls, two-rows LG Capitol and LG Caravelle and the six-row hybrids SY Kingston and SY Canyon. Just behind these on 104% is the two-row variety KWS Tardis and two six-row Hybrids SY Nephin and SY Kingsbarn. Though all these varieties except KWS Tardis have underperformed their five-year averages in 2024.

The next highest yielding variety is the six-row conventional variety KWS Feeris on 103%, which has tolerance to BYDV. The other variety currently on the list with BYDV tolerance, SY Buzzard will be removed from the list in November because of lack of seed supply, though there are several candidates with this trait.

Of the other currently recommended feed varieties, most are yielding below their five-year averages in 2024 and a number are due to come off the list in November.

The two-row malting varieties have performed in line with their five-year averages in 2024, with Buccaneer on 98%, Electrum on 96% and Craft on 93%. Buccaneer remains provisionally approved for malting by the MBC and so growers should speak to local merchants about markets before committing to the variety.

With a lot of disease in trials this year the results from the fungicide-untreated trials look quite different. Highest yielding on 115% of controls is the malting variety Buccaneer, reflecting is good around disease resistance, with another variety with lower treated yield but good disease resistance LG Dazzle, on 112%. Splitting these two is the six-row hybrid variety SY Canyon on 114%. The two-row varieties LG Capitol and LG Caravelle have also done well in the fungicide-untreated trials in 2024 on 111%, alongside Lightening, also on 111%. The BYDV tolerant variety KWS Feeris has also done very well in 2024 in these trials, on 110%, 8% above its five-year average, while at the other end of the scale, Valerie on 77% has suffered from its susceptibility to brown rust.

2020–24 (five-year) averages

The five-year average values provide a better representation of performance across seasons, especially with this season being so extreme.

Results largely reflect the current RL, with LG Capitol and LG Caravelle (106%) highest yielding of the two-row feeds in the fungicide-treated trials, with the six-row hybrids SY Kingston and SY Kingsbarn (107%) just ahead of these. Six row hybrids SY Canyon (106%), SY Nephin (105%) Bazooka and Belfrey (104%) complete the top of the list. Lightening, KWS Tardis and Bolivia all on 103% are the next highest yielding of the two-row feed varieties.

Buccaneer is highest yielding of the malting varieties (99%) with Electrum on 96% and Craft on 93%.

In the fungicide-untreated trials six-row hybrid SY Nephin is highest yielding over 5 years (111%), with six-row hybrid SY Canyon on 110%, alongside two-row feeds LG Caravelle and Lightening, with LG Capitol just behind on 109%. Still doing very well in the 5-year dataset is the malting variety Buccaneer (108%), well ahead of the other malting varieties Electrum and Craft, both on 98%.

Candidate varieties

With almost all the trials in we can get a good impression of the performance of this year’s candidates. Data can only be reported for candidate varieties that have been added to the GB and NI Variety List (VL).

In the fungicide-treated trials the six-row hybrids SY Quantock and Inys (109%) are highest yielding in the five-year dataset, though as with most varieties both underperformed in 2024. A little behind these are the two-row feed varieties KWS Valencis, Russo and NOS Olena on 106%. Just behind these on 105% are Integral and Sixy, both are six-row conventional varieties with tolerance to BYDV and just behind these on 104% are KWS Heraclis, SY Kestrel, Kitty, SU Arion and Bastion, all two row feeds except SY Kestrel, which is a six-row hybrid with resistance to BYDV. Sitting at the bottom on fungicide-treated yield are Organa and LG Carpenter on 102%, both are two-row feeds with tolerance to BYDV, so despite their lower yield they will no doubt be of interest to some growers.

Results from the fungicide-untreated trials give an indication of the all-round disease resistance of the candidates. Highest yielding again is the six-row hybrid SY Quantock (113%), just behind this is the BYDV tolerant two-row feed variety LG Carpenter (112%), both of which have done very well in 2024. SU Newmarket on 111% has been withdrawn from the RL system, but six-row conventional BYDV tolerant variety Integral and 2-row KWS Heraclis are also on 111%. Just behind these on 110% are the two-row feeds KWS Valencis, Organa and Russo alongside six-row hybrid Inys. The six-row hybrid with resistance to BYDV, SY Kestrel, is on 105% and six-row conventional with tolerance to BYDV variety Sixy is on 91%.

Disease, agronomic and grain quality data is now available for these candidates and will be used along the five-year average treated and untreated yield data to decide which varieties will be recommended in November.