Causes of brackling

[limestone brash]

0.5 ethephon at flag leaf / paint brush

 

[D14]

Just cut it when the straws green and cook the grain very slowly in the drier. My grandfather always used to cut it a week after people cut for crimping and brackling was never a problem. Then he’d dry the grain and turn the straw.

 

[davidroberts30]

I thought I'd bump this thread as I'm getting bad ear losses in spring barley. Again. I've boosted soil K indices and used foliar K at T2. The Planet wasn't particularly tall either but it still brackles 10 minutes after it is fully ripe. Any fresh theories on why this happens???

Planet is very weak straw,good grain yield but the straw.....

After a part field trial last year I used a shdi for t2 and it's made a noticable difference

 

[BigBarl]

Had the same in our Planet - at least 1t/ha on the floor. very depressing but nothing you can do. when you think of the weather it's had on it no wonder it's looking beat up and on the deck. serves me right as I was thinking it was the best spring barley we have ever grown back in the spring....

 

[oil barron]

I thought I'd bump this thread as I'm getting bad ear losses in spring barley. Again. I've boosted soil K indices and used foliar K at T2. The Planet wasn't particularly tall either but it still brackles 10 minutes after it is fully ripe. Any fresh theories on why this happens???

I would think those big gaps between the rows on your Claydon aren’t helping. Barley will always brackle in the right weather conditions but in tight row spacing it falls together and you can still get most of it.

 

[Brisel]

I would think those big gaps between the rows on your Claydon aren’t helping. Barley will always brackle in the right weather conditions but in tight row spacing it falls together and you can still get most of it.

I looked at a neighbours on narrower row spacings in 2017 when we last had a bad year for brackling in a wet August & their ear losses weren't any less than mine. It does certainly look worse though. My next drill will have narrower row spacing.

 

[ajd132]

Personally I think the old phrase ‘if you think it’s fit go on holiday for a week’ has got a lot to answer for every year, especially this year and for all crops.

 

[Brisel]

Personally I think the old phrase ‘if you think it’s fit go on holiday for a week’ has got a lot to answer for every year, especially this year and for all crops.

Try that with spring barley & you'll lose 10+% of your yield to brackling.

 

[ajd132]

Try that with spring barley & you'll lose 10+% of your yield to brackling.

Exactly, it happens. Looking at twitter most people seem to be cutting spring barley that’s on the floor.

 

[Brisel]

Ah, I misread your post. You're advocating cracking on with it. Like it!

What's the difference between a good farmer and an ordinary one? A week?

 

[ajd132]

Ah, I misread your post. You're advocating cracking on with it. Like it!

What's the difference between a good farmer and an ordinary one? A week?

Yes always crack on. We have finished harvest apart from a few beans. No quality lost. Admittedly there was some green grains in spring barley but it’s all gone to camgrain so sorted there, no fun scraping barley off the floor.

 

[CORK]

Brackling is a common issue over here in Ireland, most years we get some with this year being particularly bad.

Here are the factors which I see at play:

Pre harvest glyphosate, definitely makes barley straw more brittle. I don’t do it after seeing it’s effect some years ago.

Variety - plays a big part every year. Planet versus Gangway, massive difference.

This is a big barley yield year, I’ve seen brackling worse in such years - probably due to heavier ears pulling themselves down.

I’ve done plot scale trials on PGR on spring barley; Terpal is the only PGR that I’ve seen have a positive effect on brackling. As others say, be careful with PGRs on spring barley.

Good disease control will help reduce brackling. Ramularia is one disease which certainly weakens straw.

Have good soil K levels.

 

[Flat 10]

I disagree slightly with @ajd132 . Waiting a week may lead to brackling, I did as was rained off in 5 acres and didn’t bother going back for 10 days. Yes head losses were high and it wasn’t a good thing to happen but straw chopped like a dream, thrashed easily, Walker losses non existent and forward speed was high. First time I think it was truly fit. So I think the plant breeders are partly to blame and people like you @ajd132 with modern hybrid combines that can better cope with unripe crops from what I see. TBF breeders are breeding crops for you, not people like me with old banger combines.

 

[ajd132]

I disagree slightly with @ajd132 . Waiting a week may lead to brackling, I did as was rained off in 5 acres and didn’t bother going back for 10 days. Yes head losses were high and it wasn’t a good thing to happen but straw chopped like a dream, thrashed easily, Walker losses non existent and forward speed was high. First time I think it was truly fit. So I think the plant breeders are partly to blame and people like you @ajd132 with modern hybrid combines that can better cope with unripe crops from what I see. TBF breeders are breeding crops for you, not people like me with old banger combines.

That’s a fair statement.

 

[Barry]

Genetics is a key factor. If you are prone to Brackling choose varieties that generally have better scores. A few percentage points in yield on the recommended lists will mean nothing if you are losing it in tricky years because of Brackling.

Latest summary from AHDB.

 

[Laggard]

Brackling is a common issue over here in Ireland, most years we get some with this year being particularly bad.

Here are the factors which I see at play:

Pre harvest glyphosate, definitely makes barley straw more brittle. I don’t do it after seeing it’s effect some years ago.

Variety - plays a big part every year. Planet versus Gangway, massive difference.

This is a big barley yield year, I’ve seen brackling worse in such years - probably due to heavier ears pulling themselves down.

I’ve done plot scale trials on PGR on spring barley; Terpal is the only PGR that I’ve seen have a positive effect on brackling. As others say, be careful with PGRs on spring barley.

Good disease control will help reduce brackling. Ramularia is one disease which certainly weakens straw.

Have good soil K levels.

How much Terpal would you recommend?

 

[CORK]

How much Terpal would you recommend?

It really will depend on the crop.

if it is under stress (drought, waterlogged, nutrient deficiency) then no Terpal would go on.

if it is worryingly lush and soft then I would apply 0.75L/Ha.
If it is a good lush crop but not keeping me awake at night then I would apply 0.5L/Ha.

Best timing is flag leaf rolled up but peeping.

Observe label restrictions on straw for compost etc.
Terpal is a great product in my opinion but like all PGR’s - use with care.

 

[Laggard]

It really will depend on the crop.

if it is under stress (drought, waterlogged, nutrient deficiency) then no Terpal would go on.

if it is worryingly lush and soft then I would apply 0.75L/Ha.
If it is a good lush crop but not keeping me awake at night then I would apply 0.5L/Ha.

Best timing is flag leaf rolled up but peeping.

Observe label restrictions on straw for compost etc.
Terpal is a great product in my opinion but like all PGR’s - use with care.

Ear just emerging on some of the spring barley, is that too late for Terpal?

 

[CORK]

Ear just emerging on some of the spring barley, is that too late for Terpal?

Yep

 

[Gong Farmer]

Ear just emerging on some of the spring barley, is that too late for Terpal?

According to label, yes. In theory any chemical that hits an exposed floret will kill it, hence grain lost. If it were allowed you could balance this loss against that from severe brackling I suppose.