AFBI Crossnacreevy crop event to focus on performance of winter wheat, barley and oat varieties

Date published: 16 June 2026

An arable crop event will be held at the Agri-Food and Biosciences Institute (AFBI) in Crossnacreevy, Co Down, from 5pm to 8pm on 23 June.

Organised by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and AFBI, the event will give farmers the opportunity to see how different winter wheat, winter barley and winter oat varieties are performing, helping inform important variety selection decisions for next year’s cropping. 

Attendees will be able to see how the varieties in the AHDB Recommended List Trialling system perform under different crop management approaches to fungicide and plant growth regulator inputs.

For winter barley, there will be plots of 2-row, 6-row and 6-row hybrid varieties; for winter wheat there are plots of 54 varieties to view, and for winter oats there will be both conventional husked and naked oat varieties. For each crop, the ability of varieties to withstand biotic and abiotic stresses will be demonstrated and discussed.

Varietal choice is becoming increasingly important given rising input costs and growing disease pressure. For example, yellow rust has posed a significant challenge this season and last, due to the breakdown of the winter wheat Yr15 resistance gene in 2025. As a result, several previously highly resistant varieties have declined in performance, affecting their rankings and suitability for farmers.

While yellow rust is controllable with fungicides, it comes at a cost. Poor weather in early spring also meant that many T0 fungicide applications were missed, allowing yellow rust to become more prevalent. Despite this pressure, Septoria tritici remains the most economically damaging disease for winter wheat growers and must remain a primary consideration when selecting varieties with strong resistance ratings.

Choosing varieties can be complex due to trade-offs between key traits. To support decision-making, Sean Burns from the AHDB will provide a guided tour of the plots. Sean is an expert in crop varieties, working closely with AHDB Recommended List trials, and will offer practical insights on selecting suitable varieties for the region and for different farm management systems.

In addition to the variety walk, the event will include:

• An AFBI update, including latest findings from the Northern Ireland Pilot Protein Crop Scheme. This will present preliminary results on the benefits of growing beans, along with guidance on disease management and fungicide use for Northern Ireland farmers.
• A machinery display.
• A presentation from PhD student Robert Tambudze, who will outline his research on the ensilability of cereal–legume mixes. His work assesses the impact of different crop combinations and seeding ratios on silage quantity, quality, and fermentation.
• A free moisture meter calibration service provided by the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE).

The event is free to attend, with food and refreshments provided. Attendees can also earn BASIS and National Register of Sprayer Operators (NRoSO) points.

To register, please visit AHDB

Please wear suitable clothing and footwear for walking in fields.