Over the autumn months winter barley has been drilled back into the ground ready to begin its early growth stages. Leaf emergence and tillering (GS1-GS2) are two of the most important processes when establishing canopy development. These growth stages are highly influenced by temperature in order to drive leaf emergence and tillering rapidly throughout autumn.
At this point in crop development Skippy Scout is vital to gather information regarding emergence. Figures collected for winter barley, during GS1-GS2 include crop cover, crop GAI and crop uniformity. All of these are important aspects to consider during canopy development. Harehope Farms, our Northumberland base, uses the leaf-level, high-resolution imagery Skippy Scout collects, to monitor GAI during this vital time of canopy development.
Image: Scout point of emerging Winter Barley at Harehope Farm, Northumberland
Once the growth rate slows and temperatures drop over the winter months, winter barley becomes susceptible to overwinter plant loss. Frost heave and waterlogging are two common, winter climate conditions affecting winter barley in the UK. In comparison to other cereal crops, winter barley is more prone to the effects of weather and climate. Monitoring the overall health of winter barley during this vital stage can be done using Scout Spheres (Skippy Scout’s full-field overview feature). This takes a spherical aerial image at 100m above the field, which can be used to pinpoint areas of concern, where overwinter plant loss might be apparent.
Monitoring the health of crops over the winter season means informed decisions can be made ready for GS3 – stem elongation – in the spring. Using Skippy Scout as a tool to track crop emergence and health during early growth stages has significantly improved productivity at Harehope farms, Northumberland.
If you are interested in using Skippy Scout, please get in touch with us!