Saffron

Saffron is the UK’s most widely grown winter barley providing very high yields from an agronomically secure variety.

For the second season running, at least one in every four UK barley fields is down to Saffron, grown by those who appreciate its year-on-year consistency.

It is the highest yielding of the two-row control varieties and on a par with conventional 6-row variety Sequel.

Because of its bold berry, Saffron possesses none of the screening issues of some other two-row feeds.

Quite simply, Saffron is very easy to grow. With good disease resistance and straw characteristics, it produces high yields of bold, bright grain with good specific weight.

 

Short, Stiff Straw

Saffron is a medium height, stiff strawed variety. This gives security in the field, with only a simple PGR programme being required.

A free tillering variety, Saffron produces an abundance of good ears, all of which produce bold grain.

This high tillering characteristic also means that Saffron is a forgiving variety with the ability to recover from thin or gappy stands, later drilling or poor establishment.

Saffron performs well on all soil types and can be sown from mid September onwards. Winter hardiness is good. Saffron has medium maturity similar to Pearl.

 

Excellent Net Blotch Resistance

Saffron offers excellent resistance to net blotch. However, keep an eye out for mildew as specific control may be needed in some seasons and situations.

Data source: HGCA Recommended List 2010/11 for winter barley

Saffron	(1-9)
Mildew	3
Yellow Rust	6
Brown Rust	7
Rhynchosporium	4
Net Blotch	8

Like all feed barley varieties, a reasonably robust fungicide input is recommended to exploit Saffron’s very high yield potential.

Saffron is tolerant to chlorotoluron.