September 2011

The 2009 sown trial at Aberdeen got their second cut of the year at the end of July and have produced some very interesting results. In the intermediate trial, the top yielding varieties were a mixture of tetraploid varieties from AFBI and Barenbrug Holland, but the common factor with all of them was excellent spring growth, a vital factor in the relatively short northern Scottish growing season. 
The best diploid variety came from Holland and produced yields better than Malone, the highest yielding control variety. In the late heading trial, unusually, three of the top five varieties were diploids, the other two being Navan a control and an AFBI tetraploid. The three diploid varieties are from the Dutch breeding programme, showing a strong correlation between Aberdeen and continental conditions.

UK general situation

The UK is split into two areas, those who have had enough rainfall, and in some cases too much, and those that haven't. 

The weather, and particularly rainfall, can affect swards, not just total yields but the proportion of different grasses within the sward. I have had several comments about the strength and dominance of Timothy in swards, particularly in the south west of Scotland, an area which has had the wettest growing season in 10 years. Timothy is a species that thrives in these conditions, whereas in very wet conditions ryegrasses may struggle.