Scottish farmers praying for rain to save crops.

ARABLE: Farmers using irrigation equipment to help germination

Arable farmers in central Scotland are taking unprecedented steps to save their crops after weeks of drought have left light soils parched.

With no significant rain forecast for another 10 days, some growers have resorted to using potato irrigation equipment to drench fields of spring barley which are failing to germinate. Other growers have been forced to resow their barley crops and start from scratch.

Now fears are growing that if the situation continues it will result in compromised quality and yields at harvest time.

There has been no significant rainfall for more than a month in central Scotland, and strong winds have exacerbated the problem by drying out the soil.

Peter Grewar who farms at Ardler, Blairgowrie, said he had “cracked” earlier this week and used his irrigation gear to help his spring barley germinate.

“A lot was sown into very dry beds and there hasn’t been enough moisture to make it germinate,” he said.

“Irrigating spring barley for germination in Scotland is unheard of.”

Ian Sands, who farms 1300 acres of spring barley, winter wheat and oil seed rape at Balbeggie, Perth, said his spring crops were the worst affected by the dry weather. He said he feared the drought would affect yield at harvest time.

“It has taken its toll on the winter barley already. It has lost some of its potential,” he said. “The very light soils are badly affected.”

Scottish Agronomy managing director Andrew Gilchrist said the worst affected farms are in Perthshire, parts of Angus and Fife, East Lothian and some of the Borders.

His company oversees 50,000ha of land in Scotland and he said farmers on light soils were in “uncharted territory”.

“We’re not just looking at potentially reduced yields, but reduced quality too. Impact depends on the type of soil you have, and if it’s very light the crops have been parched and some farmers have resown their winter cereals. That’s extremely rare,” he said.

“Tattie farmers who haven’t started irrigating yet are using their equipment on their spring cereals but most arable farmers aren’t geared up for it.”

At East of Scotland Farmers at Coupar Angus, managing director Robin Barron said local readings showed there had been just 9mm of rain in April, which is the first month in 11 years that moisture has been recorded in single figures.

“I’ve been in the job for 13 years and this is the first time I’ve been praying for rain. Usually I’m praying for it to stop,” he said.

David Murdie, potato manager for Grampian Growers in Montrose, said soil conditions for planting had been “good to very good”.

“It’s dry but it hasn’t affected the potato crop yet,” he said. “But we will be looking for rain in another week or two.”

Potentially yields and quality of crops will be affected by parched soil. To counteract this, the Grewar family are using irrigation equipment on their farm at Ardler.