Welcome to the 2023/24 Spring Sown Cultivar Performance Trial summary booklet.
Drier weather conditions across the country, from sowing through to grain fill, resulted in mostly average to above average regional yields in the 2023-24 season.
The lower North Island experienced below average rainfall from sowing until harvest, a change from previous seasons where rainfall has been above average. Despite the dry, barley yields were around 1 t/ha higher on average than the 4-year mean, although the wheat site at Cheltenham was back around half a ton per hectare.
On average, spring barley yields in Canterbury were similar to the 4-year mean, while spring wheats were around 1 t/ha higher than the 4-year mean. Most parts of Canterbury experienced below average summer rainfall, especially south
Canterbury which had eight months of below average rainfall between April and February. Hail took out the spring barley site in Methven.