Barley

• Hordeum Vulgare

• Is a member of Poaceae

• Most widely grown crop in Ireland

• 200,00 hectares

• 90% of barley grown in Ireland is Spring Barley

There are two types of barley grown in Ireland: malting barley and feeding barley.

Malting barley is grown on contract by farmers to produce alcohol in the brewing and distilling industry. It must be of a very high quality.

Feeding barley is grown to produce anima ration and also for feeding livestock on farms. Barley straw is used for animal bedding and occasionally as an animal feed.

Soil requirements differ for malting barley and feeding barley.

Malting barley requires a well-drained soil and is best suited to brown podzolics and light sandy soils.

Feeding barley can be grown on soils that retain more moisture, such as brown earths and deep sandy loam soils.

The pH of the soil is an important consideration. A soil pH of 6.5 is ideal for barley but a crop will grow on soils of pH 6.0 or greater. Barley is highly sensitive to acidity, so soils used for regular barley production should be tested for pH and limed where appropriate to ensure a suitable pH is maintained. A pH below 6.0 will result in less availability of nutrients to the crop and reduced productivity.

Moisture is important for barley growth, since drought leads to a lower yield and a poorer quality grain. However, dry conditions are necessary for harvesting and a wet summer can have detrimental effect on the barley crop. Drier grain is preferable at harvesting. The south-east region of Ireland, where temperatures are warmer and there is less precipitation, is best suited for barley growing.

Selective herbicides can be used to control weeds in a barley crop. Herbicides should be chosen on identification of the weeds present in the crop. Wild oats and charlock are common weeds that compete with barley. The crop should be sprayed with a post-emergent herbicide at the three to five leaf stage for successful control of weeds. This is particularly important for spring crops.

For greatest effect, herbicides should be sprayed during good growing conditions and a mix of herbicides should be used to prevent resistance from weeds. Field history should be taken into account when choosing a herbicide. Other herbicides can be sprayed up to the flag leaf stage. Crop rotation and stubble cleaning can also help in the control of weeds.

Barley is harvested with a combine harvester. When the crop is ripe, the ear bends over and lies parallel to the stem. The grains are hard and dry and the golden colour of the crop fades.

It is important for the grain to have low moisture levels; otherwise it will have to be dried out. Farmers are also paid based on the moisture content of the grain.

Winter Barley is higher yielding than spring barley and can be harvested earlier in the summer.

Winter Barley- 8-9 Tonnes of grain per hectare, harvested in July

Spring Barley- 6-8 Tonnes of grain per hectare, harvested in August

Barley straw can be used for animal feed and bedding or ploughed into the soil for winter crops. Straw can be made into round or square bales and used on the farm or sold.

Grain is stored in large ventilated sheds. Grain that is kept in storage is treated with propionic acid, which prevents the grain from being attacked by pests, fungi and bacteria. Low temperatures and low moisture content are important for grain storage to prevent germination and spoilage. Ventilation systems can keep temperatures low and also dry out grain to a low moisture level.

Feeding barley:

Soil-borne pests and diseases do not seriously affect barley. Barley will give higher yields when grown in rotation, particularly in intensive tillage enterprises. The crop can also be affected by pests if grown after grassland. Rotation is considered advantageous as it helps to maintain the soil structure. However, feeding barley can be grown continuously.

Malting Barley:

Since it has a lower nitrogen requirement than feeding barley, malting barley should not be sown after grass or legumes in a rotation.