Confidence in new spring barley, Skyway, which joined the UK Recommended List well clear of the field for yield has been boosted by provisional approval for brewing from the Maltsters Association of Great Britain this month.

With AHDB treated and untreated yield ratings markedly better than any other variety on the RL at 106% and 96% of controls respectively, the variety also boasts one of the best specific weights in the business at 68.7 kg/hl, very low screenings and excellent all-round agronomics.

“Provisional MAGB approval confirms the confidence we have always had in this Nordic Seeds variety,” says UK agent Agrii’s head of seed, Lee Robinson. “Our R&D team’s trials across the country over several years have underlined the advantages it has over RGT Planet, from which it was bred, in just about every department.

“We have plenty enough Skyway in the ground this season for the commercial malting evaluation needed for it to progress through the approval system as well as for much wider growing from 2022. It is shaping-up to be as much of all-round spring barley-growing advance as either RGT Planet or Propino.”