Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) has been identified in counties Carlow, Kilkenny and Kildare by Leighlinbridge based agronomist Eoin Jordan in crops that he has walked over recent days.
Jordan told Agriland that he had observed the “yellow decolourisation” that is symptomatic of the disease on some barley crops that were planted out last autumn.
“Many cereal crops that were planted out at the back end of 2022 took a real hit from the weather. The presence of BYDV is adding to this pressure.”
“Winter barley crops impacted by BYDV last year did not perform at all well. Where the disease was an issue, average yields fell to below 3t/c. But in some cases, crop output was much lower than this,” he stated.
Jordan, is the manager of Jordan Agri Services which works with growers in counties Carlow, Kilkenny and Kildare, said that 70% of the 2023 malting barley acreage is now in the ground across his catchment area.
The equivalent figure for spring feeding barley is around 20%.
However he has highlighted that persistent rain in the past few days has brought all planting operations to a halt.
According to the agronomist when field work resumes there will be a major push to get crops of beet and forage maize into the ground.
According to Jordan growers in his area are not committing to spring beans in any significant manner and explained why.
“The soils in this area are quite light. So they don’t really suit beans. There is an acreage of peas grown on contract in the Athy area.
“But, fundamentally, beans don’t fit that well within crop rotations that include oilseed rape,” he added.
However one key crop which Jordan said has seen a “significant increase of in the area” is oilseed rape.
He added: “Growers are responding to the excellent price available for theses crops.
“I have walked a number of rape fields in this area over recent days. In my opinion, many of these crops have significant potential.”
Beet also remains a significant spring cropping option in the Carlow, Kilkenny, Kildare area.
According to Jordan, it works as both a livestock feed and an energy input for biogas production systems.
But it is ongoing weather conditions that continue to be the key issue that tillage farmers are focused on this time.
Met Éireann has forecast another changeable week ahead with temperatures on the rise from Tuesday onwards.
But later in the week there are further indications that Wednesday could be a particularly wet day with heavy rain expected nation-wide which will create further problems for farmers who want to get on with field work.