Arable News

Established bean crops have been hit with an increased chocolate spot risk this season due to cool and wet conditions throughout March, with downy mildew also threatening new leaf growth and later emerging spring beans, Syngenta technical manager Simon Jackson warned.

New modelling work indicates that the inclusion of the multi-site fungicide, folpet, can more than double the effective life of fungicide treatment programmes containing ‘at risk’ single site modes of action.

Montrose daffodil and potato farmer Willie Officer is seeing the results five years on from hosting Farming For A Better Climate (FFBC)’s pilot project. Taking a more environmental approach to some on-farm practices he has seen crop management improve and costs reduce.

A new irradiation sensor will enable all arable and vegetable producers to manage their irrigation, fieldwork and disease protection more precisely, helping to curb costs and boost productivity. The low-cost system operates with exceptional accuracy, large reach and is user-friendly.

With this spring seeing high variation in OSR growth across the country, crop production specialists Hutchinsons are advising farmers to manage the crop carefully in the season ahead and in some cases consider whether it is worth further investment.

To broaden the range of tools available to growers, crop protection company Adama has added two plant growth regulator (PGR) active ingredients – rinexapac-ethyl and chlormequat – to its expanding range of agrochemicals.

Following a mild winter that may have caused the disease to set foot in winter wheat, growers are being urged to stay alert for yellow rust alongside Septoria tritici at the upcoming leaf three (T1) spray timing.

Three cutting-edge projects relating to robotics and automation will receive a share of £9.13 million through the government’s Farming Innovation Programme, aimed at boosting agricultural productivity, sustainability and climate resilience.

Industry groups have welcomed new legislation allowing the commercial development of gene-edited food in England, but warn it is “not the end of the road”.

The Hutchinsons/CAS drill demonstration at Aston Grange Farm in Cheshire last autumn showcased the performance of different drills when drilling wheat into cover crops and the impact on subsequent crop establishment.

Farmers and growers can now choose from a variety of wildflower and environmental seed mixtures, launched by the Syngenta Operation Pollinator initiative, to boost payments from environmental schemes and unlock significant ecological and agronomic benefits.

A staple event in the farming calendar, Cereals brings some of the most cutting edge research and development, machinery and knowledge to arable farmers and agronomists.