Warren Darling from Timaru knows a bit about growing barley, so much so he broke the Guinness World Record for the crop with 13.8 tonnes/ha in April, with crop harvested on January 23 this year.

They say good things take time, and that is certainly the case for South Canterbury arable farmers Warren and Joy Darling who were aiming to better the world record for a barley crop – which was 12.2t/ha – at harvest time this year.

Timaru farmers Warren and Joy Darling are now the Guinness World Record (GWR) holders for the highest barley yield. 

The grower of what’s probably a new world record for barley yield says a switch to a reduced tillage system five years ago laid the foundations for this summer’s success.

AGRONOMY TRIALS and aeroplanes were among the topics aired during the Foundation for Arable Research’s South Canterbury and North Otago field day late last month.