Winter barley variety boasts good yields and agronomics

The first recommended winter barley from a new plant development initiative signals a new level of agronomic strength and risk management for growers, says breeder KWS.

Conventional six-row variety KWS Feeris combines the best yield with the additional benefit of Barley Yellow Dwarf Viarus (BYDV) tolerance and overall disease resistance, says KWS UK manager Will Compson.

It is the first winter barley variety from the KWS Sowing for Peak Performance (SPP) breeding initiative to be included on the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board Recommended List for 2022/23.

“SPP is all about arming producers with the genetics they need for the future,” says Mr Compson. With aphid-borne viruses increasingly difficult to control, the tried and tested BYDV tolerance exhibited by KWS Feeris will be a real benefit to many farmers.

Functionality 

“While yield is usually the topic that excites growers the most, some of the biggest advances are now in the shape of crop functionality and resilience to cope with increasingly variable growing conditions.”

Sitting at 103% of control yields for the UK, KWS Feeris stacks up well against other six-row winter barleys in terms of agronomic features – borne out by an untreated yield 84% of control and scoring 6 for both rhynchosporium and net blotch. 

Although reasonably tall-strawed at 95cm, Feeris is 5-10cm shorter than many commercial six-row hybrids. It has stiff straw, similar maturity to KWS Orwell and delivers good quality grain with a specific weight of 69.5kg/hl at harvest.

“All in all, KWS Feeris is a very strong variety in its own right but with its BYDV tolerance and BYMV resistance, it’s an excellent risk management tool for barley growers in high pressure hotspots and those looking to push drilling as early as possible.”