RGT Bairstow standing strong

In Pembrokeshire, Richard Darlington has made a start on his 40ha of RGT Skyfall and 16ha of RGT Bairstow at Syke Farm, Haverfordwest. “We were a bit late into the wheat because we got tied up with oilseed rape. We did a field of RGT Skyfall first – a second wheat – which did quite well, yielding 9.14t/ha,” he says.

“We then did a field of RGT Bairstow, which did quite well at around 11.37t/ha, it also stayed stood, while some other varieties of wheat were flat on the floor,” says Richard.

He made a start on another field of RGT Bairstow before being rained off. “That was looking more promising; we only went three times around the field, but I would say it was looking closer to 12t/ha, it does look like a promising field if we ever get back to it.”

RGT Bairstow doesn’t seem to have any pitfalls, says Richard. “It has been good on disease, there has been a little bit of rust early on but once we were on top of it that was fine, and it’s good on Septoria. It seems fairly stiff and hasn’t gone down.”

Richard is involved in on farm trials with agronomy business, Spunhill. “We haven’t harvested the trial plots yet, but everyone’s favourite variety has been RGT Highgrove. It has looked promising all the way through and it seemed to stand up to the hot, dry weather we had. While a lot of the other varieties were curling up and senescing, it was looking green and healthy.

“RGT Bairstow is also looking good in the trials, and RGT Stokes and RGT Grouse are looking promising.”

Across in the East, the wheat harvest has been challenging for Sam Morris at Top Farm, Croydon, Cambridgeshire. “I’m not particularly optimistic about our harvest this year – last year we did amazingly well, so you win some, you lose some. We’re on very heavy land so do better in drier years.”

So far Sam has cut 40ha of RGT Bairstow, leaving another 40ha to get. “It was a second wheat and it did 9t/ha, which I’m quite happy with.” It came off at 15% moisture, with screenings below 1%, a Hagberg of 240 seconds, and specific weight of 76kg/hl.

“It was fine wheat and yielded quite well, but the protein was below 9%. We cut our nitrogen application by 10%, which might account for some of it, but clearly the soft wheat premium isn’t there.”

Sam is now just waiting for a dry weather window to continue with harvest. “The RGT Saki is 22% moisture and the forecast is still wet. But I don’t want to start cutting at 18-19% moisture yet; if it were the end of August I’d be keener to get going.”

RGT Bairstow

• Highest yielding soft wheat (RL 2022/23)
• Very consistent performer
• Good disease ratings
• OWBM resistance
• Suitable for early drilling but can be sown to mid-February
• Excellent second wheat
• Good grain quality
• Approved for distilling