NEW spring barley varieties could help to reverse last year's disappointing spring crop yields for quantity and quality.

According to Dr Steve Hoad, crop science team leader at SRUC, the 2016 combinable crop harvest in Scotland was disappointing for yield with grain quality very much average. Spring barley production he said was low at 1,296,481tonnes with an average yield of 5.43t/ha produced from a below average area of 239,899ha.

Winter wheat averaged 8.45t/h with oats at 6.44t/ha with winter barley close to the recent average.

However, with 16 spring barley varieties on the Scottish list – the largest number seen for several years – eight of which are malting at Provisional Year 1, 2 or 3, and new spring oat and soft wheat varieties, arable farmers have a bigger selection to chose from and a more optimistic market to sell into.

That was the good news story from Dr Hoad who told delegates attending the Agronomy 2017 conference in Perth, that the fall in the value of sterling had resulted in improved prices for wheat and barley which coupled with growing demand for malting barley should ensure a buoyant demand this year too.

There was more good news for those looking for a variety to beat the old malt favourite, Concerto, too, with a couple of varieties moving up the rankings.

"Concerto has been the dominant spring barley variety but it has become outclassed on yield with four provisional varieties producing higher yields last year," said Mr Hoad. "It remains on the Recommended List for a ninth year, and for all it has good grain and malt quality, with moderate straw strength, it showed more weakness to rhynchosporium last year."

Instead he pointed to Sienna, Octavia, Laureate and KWS Sassy, which are all higher yielding spring malting varieties with potential for brewing and distilling.

Sienna and Octavia are both in their provisional year 3 of the Scottish List, with Sienna being 9% higher yielding that Concerto, with best straw strength and rhynchosporium resistance. It also boasts a high specific weight, whereas Octavia, which is 8% higher yielding than Concerto, produces grain of low specific weight. Octavia also produces straw of moderate length with a higher brackling risk.

Most talked about Laureate, is in its provisional year 2 and alongside KWS Sassy produces yields 12% higher than Concerto, with short straw, low specific weight and strong agronomic features.

The Sassy variety which is still undergoing tests, could be developed with distilling support as it boasts low screenings, with moderate straw stiffness and agronomic features, Mr Hoad said.

One for 2018 could be LG Opera, which is a provisional 1 on the Scottish lists and AHDB lists and is under test for brewing and distilling. Early maturing, with short straw of moderate strength, good brackling resistance and low specific, it is 12% higher yielding than Concerto.

Looking at spring oats, two new varieties on the scene include Yukon, which boasts a high treated and untreated yield at 102. Higher yielding than Montrose, Canyon and Firth and stiff strawed it offers intermediate kernel content and specific weight.

The other new variety is WPB Elyann which produces yields on a par with Montrose, with high kernel content and low screenings. It also has intermediate specific weight.

Looking further afield to the autumn, there are three new winter wheat and winter barley varieties.

The wheat varieties which are new soft distilling and suitable for the northern region are in their first year of recommendation, rated medium for distilling and are all earlier than Leeds.

First is Savello which is higher yielding than Leeds with a lowish Hagberg falling number (HFN) and specific weight with moderate agronomic features.

Earliest of the three is LG Motown which in trials produced yields on a par with Leeds, lowish HFN and specific weight. It also provides good disease resistance with the exception of Eyespot.

Over good septoria resistance is LG Sundance which is slightly lower yielding than Leeds with lowish HFN and specific weight.

New to the winter barley scene are KWS Creswell, Funky and Sunningdale, which are all in their first year. The first, a two-row variety is high yielding but with a relatively low untreated yield. Early, and similar to that of KWS Glacier, it has average agronomic features.

Funky and Sunningdale are both six row with the former being a conventional variety with high yield, above average agronomics and still straw. Screenings on the other hand can be high.

Sunningdale a hybrid boasts a higher yield with intermediate specific weight and screenings. Agronomic features are average.