Why is proper knowledge of winter barley cultivation so important? What is the optimal sowing date and what should we pay attention to?

Winter barley is one of the oldest crops and one of the most important cereal crops in the world.

The primary use of this grain is animal feed, and it also plays a large role in the food industry, but it gains its greatest market value from the brewing industry.

In addition, it also plays an important role in the ecosystem. Sowing winter barley has many advantages, however, in order to be satisfied with the yield, it is necessary to have the right knowledge, as sowing too early or late can cause many problems.

What is worth knowing about winter barley?

Winter barley has many advantages, for example, it is a crop that can manage a large amount of water stored in the winter, but excess water can cause the appearance of many diseases.

Barley has many varieties, so be sure to match it to regional conditions.

The average growing period of this cereal is about 3 months, so the correct sowing date is important, as sown early enough it is easier to grow. During this time, the plant will have time to properly root, grow, and bolt, so it will accumulate a lot of sugars that will help it overwinter.

Sowing winter barley too early or late - consequences.

Sowing this cereal at the optimal time is very important, as sowing too early or late adversely affects its cultivation and can lead to numerous problems.

Sowing too early leads to barley growing exaggeratedly, which makes the plants more vulnerable to invasion by aphids, which transmit viral diseases such as barley yellow dwarfism, and to the development of various fungi, such as powdery mildew. In addition, it can have a bad effect on its overwintering. Intense virus attack on the plantation may make it necessary to liquidate it in the spring.

Cultivating barley too late can cause it to grow more slowly, which can make the plant insufficiently bushy going into winter dormancy. Late sowing will also not allow this grain to root properly.

Sowing date for winter barley

The time to start sowing is not at all so obvious, since it is mobile. When to sow winter barley? This period usually falls around mid-September, although the exact date depends on the region of Poland. Under the conditions of an average autumn, the optimal sowing date for each region is as follows:

• September 10 to 15 - the eastern part of the country;
  From September 12 to 18 - central Poland;
  From September 16 to 20 - the western part of the country.

However, depending on the prevailing temperatures of the season, the sowing date for winter barley may be postponed, as the longer and warmer the autumn, the later the sowing time will be.

If, on the other hand, we want to sow hybrid barley, we can do it from the second decade of September. The optimal sowing date for hybrid winter barley in each region is:

• September 16 to 20 - eastern part of the country;
  From September 20 to 25 - the western part of the country.

Regarding the postponement of the sowing date of hybrid barley, the same principle works, that is, in the case of a long and warm autumn, the sowing dates given are postponed and fall later.

What is hybrid barley?

Hybrid barley is increasingly being chosen by farmers thanks to its very high yield potential, ability for above-average tillering, low susceptibility to lodging or outstanding winter hardiness.

So what is hybrid barley? It is a genetic cross between different parent plants, which combine their common traits to make the resulting hybrid plant have increased productivity or resistance.

What kind of soil does winter barley need?

A fertile and well-drained loam will be appropriate for sowing barley. In parts of the country where winters are dry and mild for barley, a light and loamy soil will be best. In addition, it will cope better than other cereals on slightly alkaline soils. It will also do well in dry and light soils.

Sowing density of winter barley.

Sowing density is of great importance but it depends on the barley variety and the soil site. The desired sowing rate for multi-row varieties on soils of the defective wheat and very good rye complex is 450-500/m2, while on soils of the very good wheat and good wheat complex it is 500-550 pcs/m².

The seeding norm can be calculated using the formula (MTZ x stocking rate) / germination strength = seeding rate (kg/ha. Thus, the optimal sowing density should be as follows:

• From 220 to 270 grains/m2 - when sowing early
• From 270 to 320 grains/m2 - at the optimal sowing date
• From 320 to 350 grains/m2 - at a late sowing date
• However, two-row barley varieties are sown more densely by 30 grains/m2.
• If the barley is hybrid, the sowing density should be about 170 to 240 grains/m2.

When sowing, it is worth paying attention to sowing barley at a row spacing of about 10-15 cm, and at a depth of 3-4 cm into the compacted soil.

Basic fertilization of barley.

Due to its underdeveloped root system, winter barley has a high demand for various components such as nitrogen, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, magnesium, sulfur or a little less for iron, manganese, zinc, copper, boron and molybdenum.

Barley is quite sensitive to potassium deficiency and very sensitive to phosphorus deficiency, these are the basic ingredients that should be applied before sowing it.

The dosage of fertilizer depends on the soil complex and the amount of the given ingredients in the soil. Barley absorbs potassium in large numbers, as it is responsible for important functions in the nutrition of this plant. It also increases drought resistance and facilitates its overwintering. 

Phosphorus, on the other hand, acts to promote rapid and proper root growth, making it easier for the plant to take up more nutrients and water.

With winter barley, multi-nutrient fertilizers or single fertilizers can be used. Unfortunately, it is often the case that some fertilizer components are poorly soluble in water, which limits their access to the plant, so it is worth paying attention to the chemical form of the fertilizer before buying.

When is it time to harvest?

The standard growing period is about 6-7 months, but it all depends on the date of sowing and maturity.

The best time to harvest winter barley is when it reaches either waxy maturity (the grains are easily crushed between the fingers or easily broken under the fingernail) or full maturity (the grains are hard and difficult to split with the fingernail). These maturity stages are when barley gains about 14-15% moisture content, which is very important because grains that are too dry will be too susceptible to mechanical damage.

Summary

Winter crops play an important role in the economy and provide important ecosystem services, e.g., reducing soil erosion, sequestering carbon in the form of organic matter, providing wildlife habitat, and limiting nutrient leakage into surface and groundwater bodies.

The right sowing date is important, because sowing too early exposes barley to various diseases and pests and the development of pathogens such as powdery mildew or other fungi, while too late sown barley may be insufficiently bushy and rooted, which is important for its entry into winter dormancy.

In theory, this is a fairly simple crop that requires the right selection of seeds for climate and soil conditions, while keeping in mind a good sowing date and sowing spacing.