Crop updates: July 2025
Spring barley is well on the turn now.
Our regular round up of the issues affecting crops around Scotland, summarises how crops are developing and what weather and other issues are affecting them. The update provides information on the progress with key field work activities as well as news on the pest, weed and disease problems being noted in crops. The health issues being seen in crops are a key part of the topical update and lets growers and agronomists adjust management practices appropriately. More details on crops in your area are available at SRUC Adopt-A-Crop
25 July 2025
General Comments
Wet weather from the east means a mixed picture across the country. On the same day, everything from flash floods and closed roads in Perthshire to silage cutting carrying on unimpeded in the southwest. Catchy weather obviously knocks into harvest progress, but it is early yet. Winter barley harvest yields so far are tentatively looking ‘OK’. Oilseed rape has still to really get going. A few spring barleys have gone down in patches after heavy rain. Crops are ripening off now and so there is really nothing bar pre-harvest weed control and desiccation by way of activity. Spring barley crops have a lot of secondary tillers this season. These seem to be catching up fast with the main crop, but it could make for uneven ripening at harvest and a few hard decisions about harvest readiness. Thundery, humid weather ups the blight risk as well as making blight spray timings harder to hit. With blight confirmed at 3 locations up the east/northeast coast and several more cases pending confirmation in the Lothians and Borders, the risk is high.
Regional Comments
ORKNEY
The current heatwave has removed all thoughts of the unsettled weather we had in early June which included some torrential downpours. Spring barley crops are at various stages of grain fill and the heads of the early ripening Bere variety have turned golden and are pointing down. Some good quality hay has been made in the last week and growth of grass has been exceptional.
CAITHNESS
Winter barley harvest started in early July, a possible record for the area. Spring crops are motoring on having had weeks of high temperatures. Potatoes and swedes are also looking excellent whilst yields of silage and hay have turned out to be very good so far.
ABERDEENSHIRE
The showers this week have brought a welcome relief to the very hot weather the previous week, but most growers of winter barley got it cut during the hot week, with some moisture contents as low as 12-13%. Yields appear to have been encouraging, with most between 3.1 - 3.5 t/ac and good bushel weights. Oilseed rape has been swathed or desiccated now in most cases with some early crops even harvested now and reports of good yields. Wheat and spring barley harvest also looks to be rapidly approaching, but secondary tillers appear to be a big issue in spring barley, with some crops having grains at a soft dough stage, but secondary tillers still at medium to late milk stage. The hot dry weather has been perfect for making hay, but reports from livestock farmers suggest grazing grass is in tight supply due to the dry weather.
BANFF & BUCHAN
The combines are rolling in Buchan with headway being made with winter barleys and the first of the oilseed rapes combined. The last few days however has seen a most unwelcome change in the weather with glorious hot sunshine giving way to cloud and torrential rain showers. Most crops look to have decent potential with the good levels of sunshine recently hopefully resulting in good bushel weights and seed yield. Most winter barleys have been sprayed off to help tidy up any weeds and even up crops and will be ready once the weather improves. Almost all fields of oilseed rape have either been swathed (once again swathing remains popular in the north-east) or desiccated, with the heavy showers recently seen sure to have made a few of those who have chosen to spray off crops slightly nervous. Winter wheats and spring barleys are starting to turn in places although remain a month or so away. The heavy showers have taken their toll on some of the later spring barleys with parts of fields lodging and other parts of fields having that tell-tale tousled look. Thoughts are turning to 2026 and with spring barley prospects as poor as they have been for several years, many growers are considering other crops. Winter oilseed rape is under consideration again by several growers for the first time in some time as producers look to re-introduce a rotation. The changes to Greening for 2026 are also seeing some reviews of current practices and consideration of eligible alternatives.
FIFE
Some very warm dry weather last week allowed the early winter barley crops to be harvested and baled. Winter barley yield reports so far have been average (3t/ac) to good (4.45t/ac). Winter oilseed rape fields have been sprayed off and luckily stood up to the past weekend’s wet weather without too much sign of shedding. The next dry spell will see the first of these winter rape fields cut. Spring barley and wheat are ripening and look well, though there are some fields that have areas that have gone flat in the wet weather. The weather looks a bit more settled for the rest of this week with some warm temperatures and light winds.
STIRLINGSHIRE
Harvest is well underway across the region, with good progress being made. Some dairy farms have already taken a fourth cut of silage, and most crops are now coming to the end of their growth stages. There is a notable amount of lodging in spring barley and winter oat crops, which may present challenges for harvesting. However, early yields of winter barley look promising, giving a strong start to the harvest season. Interestingly, cover crops have already been established following winter barley in some areas, the earliest we've seen this practice in the region, setting a positive tone for soil management post-harvest.
BORDERS
June rainfall helped to alleviate the drought pressure and was close to the seasonal average at 83mm. The unsettled spell continued into the first week of July until the recent heatwave which tempted many growers to make a start to harvesting winter barley. Early reports are of moisture content below 15%, average or above average grain yield and below average straw yields. Desiccation of winter oilseed rape has also been progressing as seeds ripen and change colour. Colour change is also evident in some 2nd wheat crops and is related to take-all and stem-based disease. Foliar disease levels continue to be low in all crops apart from yellow rust in wheat due to delayed head sprays. The late secondary tiller in spring cereals have quickly developed with small heads now emerging. All cereals are now ripening with grain from milky ripe in spring cereals and dough stages in winter wheat and oats.
LANARKSHIRE
Weather has continued to be unsettled across the district, but temperatures remain on the warmer side, reaching up to 31C recently. Many have managed to take the 3rd of a multi cut silage. The long-awaited boost in grass growth has happened and there is a welcome abundance across the region. Combines have been spotted working on a few farms over the last fortnight. Spring barley seems to be relatively clean across the board with a few grass weeds throughout. There is some noticeable lodging in some barley fields. Forage crops are looking well in the district.
AYRSHIRE
Winter cereal harvest is well underway in Ayrshire with the winter barley on the observation farms combined and the straw baled. The spring barley is ranging from GS85-GS86. There is evidence of more disease in the crop, with some disease also visible on the stem. The most prevalent of these is Ramularia. There are also a couple of affected grains in the ears of some plants, though incidence remains below 5%. The past fortnight has brought periods of heavy rainfall, but also dry spells to allow some harvesting. The average temperature over the past fortnight has been 16°C. The growth stage and disease level has varied slightly between observation farms with one farm more affected and at a lower growth stage.
DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY
The winter barley harvest has commenced over the past couple of weeks. Yield reports have been very good, with most yields exceeding 8 tonnes per hectare. Spring barley crops are ripening, and yields are looking promising. Grass growth has been exceptional, with strong second-cut silage yields helping to make up for the lower first-cut volumes. Forage crops have been recently planted, with most having a good establishment.
Posted by SRUC on 29/07/2025
