Spring Cereals – Planning for the Season Ahead

With spring seed now arriving at the seed plant, preparations for the new season are well underway. As weather patterns remain unpredictable, resilience is central to our approach — from variety selection through to seed treatment options. Stephen Bell, Technical Support Manager, explains that managing risk through careful variety choice and integrated seed treatment strategies is key to maintaining performance and crop health under increasingly variable spring weather conditions.

Spring Barley

Our leading spring barley varieties — Lollipop, Skyway, Rockway and LG Diablo — continue to perform strongly on farm.

• Lollipop: Producing high yields (102% of controls) with excellent grain quality and strong disease resistance. Scoring 8 for mildew, rhynchosporium and net blotch, makes it a robust, balanced choice for dependable results.
• Skyway and Rockway: Consistent performers over several seasons, both producing bold, well-filled grains.  Yielding 102% and 99% of the controls on the DAFM Recommended List and carry good resistance to mildew and rhynchosporium
• LG Diablo: A longstanding farm favourite, valued for its high grain quality, strong straw and proven on-farm reliability.

Spring Wheat

Spring wheat continues to be a popular choice, supported by several new, high-yielding varieties. KWS Alicium, KWS Harsum, KWS Ladum, WPB Mylo, Ophelia and Frigg all offer strong ratings against mildew, septoria and yellow rust. With good straw strength and balanced agronomy, they suit both combining and wholecrop systems.

Spring Oats

Husky, WPB Isabel and Merlin dominate the spring oat market, with good kernel content, hullability and low screenings.  While all three have a similar yield, Merlin gains points on strong resistance to mildew, a slightly stiffer straw and earlier maturity.

Other Spring Options

Additional spring options include Dublet spring triticale, Bojko spring rye and Lynx spring beans, providing flexibility for crop rotations and wholecrop silage. Wholecrop mixtures of barley and oats or barley and peas can be made to order. The legume component boosts protein and overall feed value, enhancing forage quality in livestock systems.

Seed Treatments – Building Strong Establishment

Seed treatments play a key role in giving spring crops the best start, promoting strong root and shoot growth right from emergence.

• Manganese seed treatment helps prevent early deficiencies, particularly following long-term grass, on recently limed soils, or where phosphorus levels are high and potassium is low.
• Kick-Off supports early rooting and tiller survival through its phosphite-based formulation, helping crops better withstand adverse spring conditions.
• Tiros Max introduces beneficial bacteria that unlock bound soil phosphate and convert atmospheric nitrogen into plant-available forms, improving nutrient efficiency and plant health throughout the season.

For guidance on the best varieties and seed treatments for your farm, contact your local Fane Valley Agronomist or call 028 9261 0485.