Teagasc Crops Forum “Protecting yields and adding value”

A section of attendees at the Teagasc Crops Forum, held at Killashee Hotel, Naas, Co. Kildare on Wednesday 10 September 2025

The event brought together researchers, specialists, and industry representatives to discuss the latest agronomy issues and the potential role of rye in Irish tillage systems.

The Forum took place against the background of largely good yields but a lower grain price, has placed continued financial pressure on tillage farms.  The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) presented data on cereal varieties which are available to farmers this year.  Cara MacAodháin from the DAFM’s Crop Policy, Evaluation and Certification Division said; “This year’s yields were excellent across all crop types; however, the year was not without its challenges.  Yellow rust in wheat was evident and allowed a robust assessment of variety performance.  The addition of six new varieties to the Winter Wheat Recommended List offers greater choice for farmers to select varieties that are best suited to meet the challenges specific to their farm”.

Dr. Vijaya Bhaskar, a crop researcher at Teagasc, updated the Forum on shifts in suspect herbicide resistance sample and the status of grass weed resistance. He outlined the types of resistance emerging in Italian ryegrass and blackgrass, along with key measures to prevent their spread.

Building on this, Teagasc tillage specialist Shay Phelan reviewed available herbicide options for winter cereals and strategies needed following the loss of some key actives. He noted: “Pre-emergence herbicide will give the best weed control results however knowing the problematic weeds in each field is critical to making the correct herbicide choice.”

The second session turned to rye as an alternative cereal option. Dr. Richie Hackett, Teagasc Oak Park, presented many years trial results, showing rye can match first wheat yields and out yield winter barley, particularly as a second cereal. He added: “Rye can be sown early, helping to spread the workload, and is relatively straightforward to grow with a lower nitrogen requirement and better disease profile than wheat.  Rye has proven value in pig diets, and performs well in ruminant systems, feeding out between barley and wheat. However, growers should not plant rye without securing a market.”

Michael McKeon, Teagasc pig and poultry specialist, shared results from Teagasc Moorepark pig feeding trials.   He said, “With home milling accounting for half of the pig industry, rye offers real potential. A diet inclusion rate of up to 60% gave excellent performance and can be considered comparable to barley.”

Professor John O’Doherty, UCD, discussed the benefits of acid-treated grains in pig diets, reporting improvements in growth performance, carcass traits, and gut health.

To conclude, Teagasc tillage specialist Ciaran Collins presented strategies for integrating rye into crop rotations. He noted the potential to increase rotation gross margins compared to barley but cautioned that planning is essential to manage rye volunteers effectively.

The event proceedings will be available shortly on teagasc.ie/publications