It's no surprise that this region, like many others, has experienced significantly lower than average rainfall. The further south and southwest you go, the luckier some areas have been receiving a bit more precipitation, offering at least some relief to growers in those areas.
Cereals
Reports on winter barley yields are already mixed and this is likely to be the same story as combines move into other crops. It is already starting to show that soil type and establishment will play a major role in how well crops have performed this year.
Wheat crops have looked surprisingly good. High solar radiation has certainly supported grain fill, but the key question remains, has there been enough moisture to sustain this process?
Maximising yield is challenging even in ideal conditions, as many factors must align. When abiotic stresses such as this year's lack of rain may limit yield potential, effective crop management becomes significantly more difficult.
This is where Liebig’s Law of the Minimum is often referred to. The principle compares yield potential to the wooden staves on a barrel, where each stave represents a factor contributing to yield. The shortest stave, the most limiting factor, determines how much the barrel can hold.
Without a doubt, it has been a challenging year and we will have to see which crops and varieties have performed the best under these conditions.