A NOTE ON THE EFFECT OF SOWING DATE AND FERTILIZER NITROGEN ON THE YIELD, GRAIN NITROGEN AND SCREENINGS CONTENT OF SPRING-SOWN MALTING BARLEY

Malting barley (cv. Blenheim) was sown on three sowing dates (March, early April, late April) at three rates of N (100, 125 and 150 kg/ha) on three different soil types (light, medium and heavy) in the south-east of Ireland in 1990 and 1991, to test the effect of these factors on yield and quality. The earliest-sown spring barley generally gave the greatest yield and the best quality grain (lowest grain nitrogen and smallest amount of screenings). Increasing increments of N always reduced the quality of the grain but did not always increase the grain yield. The higher rates of N (125 and 150 kg/ha) increased yields on the light soil in 1991 and on the medium soil in 1990 and 1991. There was no response on the heavy soil.