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September 2011The trials at Loughgall are more comprehensive than Aberdeen and Cropvale. The potential varieties are sown in parallel trials. In the first they are subjected to a simulated silage system where they are cut up to five times and the second is a grazing system which simulates rotational grazing with a three week interval in the first half of the year, stretching to a four week interval in the second half of the year. For a variety to be selected to enter the National List system, it must perform well in both trials. The varieties Malone and Copeland are the control varieties in the intermediate heading trial that set a significant hurdle to beat, and in each trial they are only out-yielded by three or four varieties, showing how difficult it is to make progress. In the diploid late heading trial there are varieties that are out yielding the best control Drumbo by a significant margin, but with tetraploids Dunluce and Dunloy are continuing to provide a significant hurdle to beat. UK general situationThe UK is split into two areas, those who have had enough rainfall, and in some cases too much, and those that haven't. The north and west have had adequate rainfall this year and stocks of forage are plentiful, whereas the south and east are short of moisture and consequently short of forage. Looking at the rainfall for the areas around the three Barenbrug trial sites over the main growing season, from beginning of March to the end of August, there are some dramatic differences. Not surprisingly the wettest area is that surrounding the Aberdeen site, where the total rainfall was 769mm, 108 percent of the five-year mean. Loughgall had 434mm, 84 percent of the five-year mean, but still sufficient to maintain good grass growth. Conversely Cropvale had 225mm, a mere 60 percent of the five-year mean and low enough to put plants under severe drought stress. These differences underline again the importance of testing all potential varieties in a wide spread of locations. 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.
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