Variety Overview
End-use group: Livestock feed
Market options: Six-row feed, hybrid
Soil preference: Suitable for all soil types and performs well even on marginal land
Regional positioning: Performs well in all regions, particularly in the West
Sowing rate: Approx 200 seeds/m2 in good conditions. Up to 250 seeds/m2 in grass weed situations
Key features: BELFRY is a commercially-proven variety that is high yielding, resilient and easy to manage. BELFRY is a great choice for the West and is especially strong on heavy land. In addition, BELFRY will appeal to growers who are looking for a robust variety that offers management flexibility due to the combination of a robust disease resistance profile – which drives high untreated yields – together with good lodging resistance. BELFRY is a resilient option that benefits from proven grass weed suppression even in the tough conditions found on heavy land.
Key Performance Statistics
The below data is taken from the AHDB Recommended List 2025/26.
Yield
| Untreated Yield* | Treated Yield* | Eastern Yield* | Western Yield* | Northern Yield* | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BELFRY | 85 | 104.1 | 104 | 104 | 104 |
* % treated control
Grain quality
Specific Weight (kg/hl) | Screenings (% through 2.25mm) | Screenings (% through 2.5mm) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| BELFRY | 69.2 | 2.8 | 9.2 |
Disease profile
Mildew (1-9) | Brown rust (1-9) | Rhynchosporium (1-9) | Net blotch (1-9) | BaYMV | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BELFRY | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | R |
Agronomic features
Resistance to lodging with PGR (1-9) | Straw height without PGR (cm) | Straw height with PGR (cm) | Ripening (days +/- KWS Orwell, -ve = earlier) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BELFRY | 8 | 110 | 104 | -1 |
Breeding Insight
The hybrid barley variety that is easy to manage. The very strong disease resistance scores and the shorter straw make this the hybrid barley variety of choice for those situations where spray timings may be compromised.
Ben Urquhart - Seeds Technical Expert
