Tipping the balance in favour of Publican

Just when whisky demand is seeing distillers looking to increase production, along comes a variety which takes yields to a new level.

Undergoing its farmer (C2) launch this year, Publican has provisional approval 1 for distilling from the Institute of Brewing and Distilling – coupled with the highest UK treated yield of any spring barley variety with provisional or full IBD approval for distilling on the latest HGCA Recommended List 2008/09.

“Commercial evaluations are taking place with four or five distilleries,” explains Simon Phillips of Syngenta Seeds. “As well as distilling potential, it is also undergoing commercial brewing evaluation in Northern Europe. So could offer export opportunities too.”

Agronomy-wise, Publican has excellent resistance to Rhynchosporium and mildew, good standing power, bold grains and low levels of skinning and gape.

NEW potential distilling barley with Optic-like quality but higher yields

Performance

• High yields in all UK regions (UK treated yield 105%*)
• Excellent resistance to Rhynchosporium (8*) and mildew (8*)
• Good resistance to lodging and brackling

* Data from the HGCA Recommended Lists database, full database at www.hgca.com

Growth habit

• Medium tillering (similar to Optic)

Drilling dates and seed rates

Scotland: Feb-Mar 375 seeds/m2
England: Jan-Mar 350-375 seeds/m2

No yield advantage from increasing or decreasing seed rates

Fertiliser use and grain N

• Consistently produces grain N levels below Optic
• Delaying N from standard timings of 60 kg pre-emergence and 60 kg @ GS11 did not significantly affect grain N in Scottish 2007 trial but did reduce yield
• Increasing N fertiliser dose increased yield, but also increased grain N

Fungicides

Crop Protection Standard Programmes – ensure cover for brown rust