Despite one of the wettest springs and driest summers on record, Lincolnshire farmer Tim Lamyman, has managed to harvest yields of 15.38t/ha from his crop of LG Skyscraper wheat.
“In what has been a really challenging season to get yields like this from a variety the first time we have grown it is tremendous,” he said.
“It’s one of the boldest samples I have seen in wheat since we grew Oakley back in 2008, producing a specific weight of 84.”
Lamyman chose to grow LG Skyscraper for its very high yield potential and the combination of plant characteristics offered by the variety.
“It’s the highest yielding candidate in the 2018 AHDB Recommended List trials at 109% of control, so we had the right mix of good soils offering the potential to develop well-structured root systems enabling easier nutrient uptake and a high yielding variety from the start.”
Record-breaking yields
The same 8ha field in which the LG Skyscraper was grown, grew a record-breaking crop of LG Stallion peas last year.
The crop was drilled on September 24 at a seed rate of 175kg/ha into grade 2 chalky loam that had been pressed, followed by two passes with a Lemkin Terradisc and then finished with a Vaaderstat carrier (discs and crumble roller).
Once satisfied with the seedbed, LG Skyscraper was drilled by a Vaderstat Rapid with the coulters set at a 4in row width, and finally rolled.
Lamyman’s LG Stallion pea crop yielded 5.6t/ha at 14.76% moisture this year – a very impressive performance in what has been a most challenging season for pulse crops.
The peas followed a second wheat crop in the seven-year rotation which also includes spring barley and oilseed rape.
A well-fed crop
Lamyman puts down his high yields, which also includes this year’s oilseed rape record yield of 7.01t/ha, to a good foliar feed programme, which he says helps to encourage deeper rooting in the winter relieving heat stress in the summer.
Little and often is my philosophy to meet the crop’s growing needs; a healthy, well-fed crop will be better at resisting debilitating disease.
“Between sowing and mid-November, the crop had three applications of Delta K which went on with an insecticide, a herbicide and then on its own,” he added.
“After that, the weather closed in and it was very cold and wet, so we didn’t do much more with the crop until the spring.”
With regard to nitrogen applications, the crop received a total of 360kg/ha spread over several applications between February and May.
“I can’t say enough how pleased I am with the way that the crop has performed in what has been a really challenging season,” Lamyman said.
“I will definitely be growing the variety again next year – there are always learnings to be had when growing a new variety. I say it takes four years of growing a variety to really get to know it and to grow it to its full potential.”
