Spring naked barley

Spring barley needs fewer inputs, so is cheaper to grow.

In the UK, its ability to compete with black-grass is especially important, as this weed is expensive and difficult to control (or attempt to control) in winter wheat.  80% of black-grass seeds germinate in the autumn so can be destroyed before spring sowing by cultivation or total herbicide, creating a stale seedbed.  Spring germinating black-grass plants are less competitive and get beaten up by spring barley which covers the ground quickly, blocking out the light and grabbing water and nutrients.

I have a couple of dozen spring crosses, and these were sown in the field last week - F2s of new crosses and later generations of selected lines from older crosses.

This one looks promising...