Winter barley harvesting in mid-July might be the norm for most of the country but it is unusual in Donegal. Still, in the year that’s in it, the majority of cereal growers in that county were out in winter barley fields early last week, even if only to get that first headland cut and blow the dust out of the combine. Those fine spells of weather are not to be ignored in this part of the country, where it must always be a case of make hay when the sun shines there. That recent heat accelerated ripening and much of the remaining is now fit for harvesting.

I recently walked a range of crops grown in the Laggan Valley, an area synonymous with tillage farming in Donegal. Speaking with growers an air of optimism was evident when they considered the potential of this year’s crops. Indeed, of the 6,000 or so hectares of cereals and brassicas grown in the northwest (predominantly concentrated in the east of the county), it is hard to recall a year when crops looked so promising.

It will not be a surprise to readers to hear that growers here and along the western seaboard experienced what can only be described as the harvest from hell in 2016. The expectation was that signs of compaction would be evident in most tillage fields this year following the damage caused by the poor ground conditions last year. This, for the most part, is not the case and we undoubtedly have the dry winter and spring to thank for that. To date the total annual rainfall for this area is 418mm, which compares with 620mm for the same period last year.

Growing crops at this latitude poses many challenges. Later seasons, shorter working windows throughout the day and the constant threat of catching lows off the Atlantic all make for a tricky growing climate. But every so often the balance tips in our favour, which was the case this year. The phenomenon of rust and localised drought that was so prominent in areas further south failed to spread to the fields of the northwest. Furthermore, the good spring allowed crop management operations to be carried out on time and in full, which makes a welcome change from the chaotic scenes last spring.

The NW problems

Before getting into individual crops, it is worth mentioning the key pests, diseases and weeds here during 2017. Donegal, famed for its low aphid numbers due to its windy conditions, has not escaped the rise in aphid populations seen this year and, as a result, barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) is present to some degree in virtually every field.

As well as this, Donegal has failed to elude the acceleration in grass weed infestations, particularly sterile, great, soft and meadow bromes. Patches of wild oats continue to appear sporadically throughout fields and annual meadowgrass is also particularly prevalent. Finally, mildew has been present in a number of crops throughout the season and it was particularly bad on susceptible varieties.

I estimate that over 50% of winter barley crops are now harvested but green grains on headlands and tramlines are causing issues in the sample. Yields appear to be very variable this year ranging from between 3 and 4t/ac which, given the favourable season, has baffled many growers.

As a whole, crops appear to be bushelling well but large variations can be seen between varieties. Moistures are generally low and there appears to be excellent straw yields. Many fields which had a bad weed problem were burned off a few weeks ago.

Lodging is a big issue here this year, with some varieties suffering badly. Some brackling is evident already also and this can be expected to increase once crops are fully ripe. Crows and pigeons continue to attack crops in a number of areas and control is proving difficult.

Spring barley

Spring barley accounts for over 60% of the crop area in the county. All field operations have been completed with the exception of a small number of late-sown crops. Crops appear very clean, with early infections of rhyncho and mildew long since cleared up.

As mentioned previously, BYDV was a prominent disease this year but the yield penalty is expected to be minimal. Crops have been very lush throughout the season and are quite soft as a result. Lodging has already occurred on overlaps and under trees and there is a real fear that lodging may increase as the season progresses.

While this spring was generally favourable, germination and early growth were slow. As a result, earlier sown crops which were drilled in cloddy seedbeds have lower tiller numbers and smaller heads and this is noticeable in a number of fields.

Wheat is relatively clean

Winter wheat is in the early stages of ripening, with many of the leaves beginning to turn. It has been a favourable year for the control of septoria, with growers having achieved good control of the early spring infections. However, low levels of septoria can still be seen in some crops, as well the early onset of head blight.

Aphid numbers are very low, with a number of aphid mummies (carcases of parasitised aphids) present in the canopy, indicating the presence of aphid predators.

There is a small area of spring wheat sown here this year. These crops have been badly hit with mildew and control of this continues to be a challenge.

Oats

Both winter and spring oats show great potential this year, with all crops standing well. Winter crops have been particularly badly hit with mildew, with traces of the disease evident throughout the growing season. Growers have also stated that their crops appear slow to ripen. BYDV is evident in a number of spring crops. This is characterised by red-tinged leaves, which are visible throughout the field.

Oilseeds

Winter rape growers have benefited from the unusually long flowering period and, as a result, there are high numbers of pods present. Most growers have desiccated their winter rape crops by now and most have included a pod sticker in that spray. If the weather plays ball, then growers can expect a strong yield from the crop.

Spring rape is entering the latter stages of flowering, with pods in the lower canopy beginning to develop. Bee activity is still high and there are little signs of pests or disease. Pod numbers appear somewhat lower than growers would have hoped for but spring rape tends to be one of the last crops sown in the county.

Harvest mercy

Growers have closed the gates on most crops at this stage and we once again find ourselves at the mercy of the weather. If harvest weather remains in our favour then we can look forward to reasonable yields and quality, which would be very welcome.

However, the wounds from harvest 2016 still sting and growers never dare to count their chickens before they come home to roost.