Arable News

In the rush to prepare ground for drilling, it can be all too easy to go straight in with the cultivator or subsoiler as soon as the combine leaves the field – but that may not be best for soil health or crop establishment.

More than two decades of black-grass trials at Agrii’s Stow Longa research centre suggest that only by taking a fully integrated approach involving the full gamut of control options will growers succeed in tackling this problem weed.

Over-cultivating seedbeds, or cultivating them too soon after harvest, risks damaging soil structure and impairing following crop establishment, Hutchinsons technical manager Dick Neale has warned.

Sencrop has worked with the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) to develop an agronomic indicator for Cercospora in sugar beet which is now being widely used.

The importance of grain cooling often plays second fiddle to grain drying. Not this year, says John McArthur, managing director of McArthur Agriculture, a specialist engineering firm which designs, installs and maintains grain processing and storage systems.

Rob Jewers, fertiliser and crop nutrition specialist for Hutchinsons, offers advice on making an informed decision.

Buoyed by the best crop survival and condition for at least three years as well as the highest rapeseed prices in living memory, British winter OSR plantings are set to grow by nearly 17% this autumn, reveals Bayer’s annual Dekalb benchmarking study.

With many industry commentators predicting a significant increase in oilseed rape area being drilled this autumn, growers need to choose varieties carefully and make their buying decisions early, says DSV’s Sarah Hawthorne.

As the starting point of potato sprout suppression programmes, getting the most out of maleic hydrazide (MH) is paramount for successful, cost-effective storage. Farmers Guide finds out how crop modelling platform Crop4Sight can help.

Polysulphate, which is manufactured by ICL, has many unique traits.

The Group 3 biscuit wheat sector has become increasingly crowded in recent years as several new varieties have joined the AHDB Recommended List. But, of the new and existing options, there are two stand-out favourites for sowing this autumn, according to Ron Granger of Limagrain UK.

Speaking at the Devon County Show, environment secretary George Eustice announced a funding pot to support research into farm-based protein production to reduce reliance on imports.