Winter Barley Recommended Varieties.
Winter barley is an essential part of the winter crop rotation on Irish tillage farms. Winter barley is important to spread workload during harvest time, into autumn drilling, and again in early spring. Growers also value the straw from winter barley and its ability to produce a profitable yield in take-all situations.
Seedtech continues to bring new varieties to market with advances in genetics, such as ORCADE a new 2 row with unique BYDV tolerance, KWS JOYAU, a conventional 6 row with BYDV tolerance also helps reduce BYDV risk for growers.
SEEDTECH VARIETIES SHINE ON THE 2026 WINTER BARLEY RECOMMENDED LIST
Seedtech is delighted to announce that our winter barley portfolio has received strong recognition in the newly published 2026 Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) Winter Barley Recommended List. The results highlight Seedtech’s ongoing commitment to providing Irish growers with high-performing, resilient varieties that deliver both yield and grain quality.
Key Highlights for Seedtech:
· KWS Joyau: A very early maturing six-row variety with excellent yield potential (101% of controls), strong lodging and straw breakdown resistance, and BYDV tolerance as claimed by the breeder. Joyau offers farmers both security and flexibility in their crop planning.
· Orcade: Performing with outstanding grain quality, including very large grain size (TGW 60.2g) and excellent resistance to brown rust. Orcade also brings BYDV tolerance, giving growers confidence against virus pressure.
· SY Canyon: A high-yielding hybrid six-row variety delivering 106% of control yields – the top performer on the 2026 list. With very good mildew resistance and strong overall grain quality, Canyon sets a new benchmark for hybrid barley in Ireland.
· Belfry: Already a trusted choice for many growers, Belfry continues to impress with its early maturity, good disease profile, and reliability under Irish growing conditions. Driving Innovation for Irish Farmers
2 Row Winter Barley.
6 Row Hybrid Winter Barley.
6 Row Winter Barley.
2 Row Specialist Malting Winter Barley.
Winter malting barley is a relatively new crop in Ireland, and Seedtech has been developing suitable varieties and agronomy advice in conjunction with Boortmalt and Teagasc. As a result, malting barley is increasing in area and value.
Having some of your malting contract area drilled in autumn and harvested in July is a huge bonus to spreading work and risk for growers and maltsters, making it more sustainable for the whole industry.
