Getting established

he majority of Irish spring malting barley is grown in the south east of the country on free-draining soils that warm up quickly in the spring for the early drilling that is so vital when trying to achieve a low protein malting crop. However, their free-draining characteristics can also be a disadvantage, as leaching can be a common issue. This is why cover/catch crops have become extremely important for many Irish tillage farmers across the main malting barley growing regions, because they provide soil protection during the winter months and help to prevent leaching of valuable soil nutrients. With cover crops now of extreme importance to a growing number of malting barley growers, the joint Teagasc/Boortmalt programme decided to carry out an on-farm trial to investigate the growth