AF March Front TR EP _Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:38 Page 1
ARABLE
FARMING
March 2015
Talking Agronomy Sarah Symes, Neil Buchanan, Sam Patchett Pages 20-24 www.arablefarming.com
SPRAYERS SPECIAL
Controlling booms to get closer to the crop, plus sprayer news from Lamma
Food chain
What falling consumption of some foods means for arable farmers
Spring spraying
Getting to grips with wheat growth stage identification
High horsepower tractors
Making more of rubber-tracked machines
Innovation in action for progressive arable farmers
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AF March p1 Leader TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:40 Page 1
a word from the
EDITOR
know I shouldn’t even entertain the thought in February, but I have to say as I look out on a beautiful sunny day it feels like spring might soon be with us. Soil temperatures are creeping up, the days are lengthening and yes, okay, the oilseed rape looks miserable but let’s face it, it is rare it looks anything else at this time of year. That said, I was fortunate enough to spend a few days on the wonderful Northumbrian coast at the beginning of February and we were interested (miffed?) to note oilseed rape crops in that neck of the woods looked considerably better than many of those back home in East Anglia. I am safe in the knowledge stopping and looking at other peoples’ crops is a common practice in the farming community, although I have to say we reached no firm conclusion – so if any Arable Farming readers have a view on why OSR crops in the Alnwick area look so good, I’d be delighted to hear from you. There is a busy time ahead and I hope some of the features we have assembled in this month’s issue provide some pointers to good decision-making and good practice when the pressure is on. It was interesting reading them to see a theme emerging, which I will sum up as better targeting of inputs. So whether you are looking to improve your winter wheat growth stage identification skills, thinking about upgrading the boom control on your sprayer or are scratching your head over spraying
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Contacts
logistical challenges, we’ve got it covered. Away from arable agriculture, I cannot help but be dismayed as I read, watch and listen to the current coverage of conflict around the world, shoddy behaviour in the banking sector (again) and economic uncertainties. But the truth is more often than not these events will in some way affect us – be it as a result of their impact on currency values or grain markets, or changes in the way supermarkets seek to work with their suppliers. Our feature on changing food consumption trends might seem a long way away from the farm, but the effects of falling consumption of potatoes and bread are felt much closer to home. At the end of the day news, be it international or local, will often have an influence on the decisions we make. Here at Arable Farming’s parent company Briefing Media, we are working hard to bring you the news relevant to your business and help you look behind it.
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Arable Farming, Briefing Media Ltd, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ Origination by Farmers Guardian, Briefing Media Ltd, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire PR2 9NZ. Printed by Headley Brothers, Invicta Press, Queen’s Road, Ashford, Kent TN24 8HH. No responsibility can be accepted by Arable Farming for the opinions expressed by contributors.
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p2 3 Contents TR EP _Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:41 Page 1
THIS MONTH
CONTENTS march Volume 37 Issue 3
Report Lamma
54-56 Comment
4-6 8-13 20-26
Latest news Talking Arable Talking Agronomy
Spraying, spreading and cultivating kit
Regulars 14-15 59 64
Market analysis Talking Policy BASIS news
Bowser creation
Spraying logistics
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
32-35
Bedfordshire business boosts timeliness and output of its spraying operations
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THIS MONTH
41-46
Spring spraying Special feature
Taking a more protectant approach to wheat disease control
Food consumption Business
Connected farms? Seminar
Poor compatibility is holding back farming’s use of new communications technology
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Figures give food for thought
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p4 5 6 News TR EP _Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:41 Page 1
NEWS
EU urged to see bigger picture on pesticide regulation
K farming and agrichemical organisations have urged EU policy-makers to look at the bigger picture as they determine the future availability of key pesticides in Europe. The NFU, Crop Protection Association (CPA) and Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC) presented their Healthy Harvest campaign to representatives from the European Commission and European Parliament in Brussels on February 4. Richard King, head of research at Andersons, outlined the findings of his report, commissioned by the three organisations, which showed EU policies threaten 87 out of about 250 approved pesticides in the UK. Of these, about 40 are considered to have a high likelihood of
disappearing or being restricted within the next five to seven years, with potentially serious consequences for crop yields, agricultural income and jobs.
JA scarcity of large blocks of arable land is driving up rental rates, experts claimed. Arable rents have seen wide variances in price, but a short supply of large rental holdings over the past five years has driven up average rents by 25%. This rise in rents came as arable farmers faced a sixth month of falling commodity prices and there were reports tenant farmers were being forced out of holdings due to dwindling returns. Johnny Dudgeon, director of Savills Lincoln, said: “Demand for good-sized blocks of land for cereal and oilseed rape remains strong, despite falling commodity prices. “Scarcity of available land will continue to influence rents
in the same way the limited supply to buy is affecting farmland values.” Andrew Fallows, head of rural agency at Carter Jonas, said many of the larger blocks of arable land were being taken by big tenant farming units, contributing to the scarcity of available rental land.
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Consequences The speakers highlighted other unintended consequences of banning pesticides, including displacing EU food with imports produced to lower standards and, in the case of the current neonicotinoids ban, lower OSR yields and greater application of pyrethroid sprays. NFU vice-president Guy Smith said: “We are losing the crop protection products we need to combat diseases, weeds, pests in our crop. “If we continue to see the direction of travel we have seen in the last 10 years, the ability of European farmers to produce
healthy crops, which go on to produce wholesome healthy food, will be depleted.” Mr Smith welcomed the Commission’s decision to undertake an impact assessment of changes to legislation which could remove key products classified as ‘endocrine disruptors’, following recent consultation. “If it comes down to the Commission understanding how their decision impacts on the practical farmer when it comes to producing food, then hopefully there is progress,” he said. Nick von Westenholz, CPA chief executive, said: “Good regulation is vital if we are to protect consumers and the environment while also fostering innovation in agriculture. However, bad regulation achieves neither.” He said many of 40 ‘high risk’
Potential impact of losing more key pesticides in UK
rWinter wheat yields down 12%, winter barley down 10% and winter OSR down 18% rUp to 44,000 jobs in the associated workforce could be lost rAgriculture’s contribution to the economy could drop by 36% (£1.6 billion) Source: Andersons products were threatened by the endocrine disruptor legislation. AIC chief executive David Caffall also warned of serious knock-on effects for agriculture and the whole food chain. “If regulators do not have integrity and moral courage, the future is bleak,” he said.
Demand for arable farmland driving up rental rates
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Cost focus He added the rent rises meant there was an increasing focus on costs and whether blocks of land were affordable to farm. “There is a closer eye on costs,” he said. “The ability to pay increased rent has to be thought about.” Mr Dudgeon claimed this trend was likely to continue going forward as ongoing commodity volatility could en-
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
Good demand for large plots of arable land, which is scarce in supply, is causing rental rates to increase, says Johnny Dudgeon.
courage landowners to let on longer-term Farm Business Tenancies (FBTs). But he claimed Tenant Farmers Association (TFA) plans for FBTs could reverse this trend. “If the TFA’s proposals to
only allow agricultural property relief on FBTs of more than 10 years were to gain traction, I suggest this would have the reverse effect as landowners may choose to keep land in-hand.”
AF March p4 5 6 News TR EP _Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:42 Page 2
NEWS
£2.7m boost to food grade oats
Global grain stocks to tighten in coming years
JGlobal grain and oilseed stocks will decline in the coming years as world consumption levels outstrip production. International Grains Council figures for the next five years project a fall in grain stocks as consumption rises quicker than production. The changes, which could see declining grain stocks, could lead to increased demand for arable commodities, experts claimed. Graham Redman, partner and research economist at farm business consultants Andersons, said: “If stocks decline that will be bullish for the marketplace. I suspect the change is fairly minimal at the moment.” The figures showed a small year-on-year decline in grain stocks from the 2015/16 season onward. It was a similar picture for oilseeds which will see declining stocks from the 2014/15 season onward, according to the figures. Report A report accompanying the figures concluded: “After an expected solid [grain stocks] increase following large harvests in 2014/15, combined inventories in the eight major exporters are seen modestly lower, with those in the EU and Black Sea region returning to more normal levels.” Mr Redman said the UK arable industry is well placed to compete in the global grain market going forward. He said: “We have a strong industry with strong supply and professional companies to support the farmer. We have some real gems in our industry.”
The UK industry saw retail potato sales volumes fall 8% in 2013.
Potato market remains highly oversupplied
ncreased potato supplies and falling consumption have led to a situation where the UK sector can no longer utilise all its stocks. The UK industry saw retail sales volumes fall 8% (133,000 tonnes) in 2013, but growers planted a similar area of potatoes last year, and a good growing season led to a 5.7million-tonne crop. This increased production coupled with declining consumption led to a steep increase in potato stocks, which the industry is struggling to use.
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Great pain Potato Council chair Fiona Fell said: “Two seasons of oversupply are causing great pain for our potato growers. By November, the estimated GB stock position was the equivalent to two boxes per hectare [200,000 tonnes] higher than a year before.” The industry was being put under further pressure by a
reduction in supply chain waste and a similarly large crop in north west Europe. “The result is extremely uncomfortable and very challenging for our grower base,” added Mrs Fell. The GB free-buy average for the week to February 13 was £79.54/t compared to £146.59/t at the same point last year. Mrs Fell is urging growers to work to build strong relationships with buyers. “We encourage growers who have not had contracts honoured this season to contact their farming union [NFU, NFU Scotland, NFU Cymru] for advice and legal assistance with handling disputes,” she added. The Potato Council was criticised at the end of last year by former Potato Marketing Board chairman Jim Godfrey, who claimed the body was not ‘forthcoming’ enough with information to aid the industry.
JThe award-winning oats breeding team at Aberystwyth’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (Ibers) has secured £2.76 million of new funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) for research aimed at further improving the nutritional value and economic sustainability of oats. Demand for high quality food grade oats is said to be increasing annually, driven by its proven health benefits and product innovation by the milling and cereals industries. But despite an expanding market, oat growing continues to be challenged by large investments being made in alternative crops, which intensifies competition. This new BBSRC LINK 5year project will address some of the major challenges facing UK agriculture in terms of the sustainable production of safe and nutritious food. Prof Athole Marshall, head of plant breeding at Ibers, said: “This new project is strategically important, specifically in enhancing oat crop productivity, quality and nutritional composition, increasing the sustainability of crop production and understanding and exploiting genomics and genetic diversity in crop science. Genetic tools “It will apply the latest genetic tools and resources, including genomic selection, to improve key traits which will increase the production and use of oats. “Oats are unique in composition and enhancing the desirable nutrient traits is important to both the oat value chain and to consumers who are demanding more nutritious and healthy foods.”
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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NEWS
Groceries Code Adjudicator may have been ‘set up to fail’
leading food supply chain expert has said the Groceries Code Adjudicator (GCA) may have been set up to fail from the outset. GCA Christine Tacon launched an investigation into Tesco over alleged breaches of the code in relation to payments to suppliers. Duncan Swift, head of the food advisory group at accountancy firm Moore Stephens, said Mrs Tacon had little choice other than to launch an investigation into Tesco.
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Christine Tacon has launched an investigation into Tesco over alleged breaches.
Unexpected But he claimed the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills may never have expected the GCA to get to the stage where an investigation would be launched, and therefore the
GCA did not have the teeth to effectively reprimand Tesco if needed. “I have been banging on to the Competition Commission [that] the role is designed to fail,” Mr Swift said. “Being the cynic I am, I would say the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills did not expect the GCA
JLess than a year since it was launched, the Voluntary Initiative’s (VI) Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) is now covering just under two million hectares. The IPMP, which replaced the Crop Protection Management Plan (CPMP), was developed by the NFU for the VI. It is designed to help farmers demonstrate they are adopting an integrated approach to weed, pest and disease control to UK and EU regulators and farm assurance schemes. Farmers also have the option to use the Leaf Sustainable Farming Review. Voluntary Initiative chairman
Richard Butler said: “In under a year this is a tremendous performance and shows yet again UK farmers’ preference for the voluntary approach and their willingness to follow best practice. “I urge all farmers to have a go. The online plan is easy to use and will help farmers make the most of IPM, improving their overall pest control and benefit their own business as well as the environment.” The area covered by the IPMP is 1.74m ha, of which 1.39m ha is through the VI’s IPMP, while the remaining 0.35m ha is covered by the Leaf Sustainable Farming Review.
to launch an investigation.” Mrs Tacon was recently given powers to fine retailers which breached the Groceries Supply Code of Practice, although these powers cannot be applied retrospectively and therefore cannot be used in the Tesco investigation. The investigation will cover Tesco’s conduct dating back to June 25, 2013, until February 5, 2015. The decision to launch the
investigation was taken after Mrs Tacon reviewed information submitted relating to the retailer’s profit overstatement last year. It is also being investigated by the Serious Fraud Office and the Financial Reporting Council. Speaking about the investigation, Mrs Tacon said: “I have applied the GCA published prioritisation principles to each of the practices under consideration and have evidence they were not isolated incidents, each involving a number of suppliers and significant sums of money.” A Tesco spokesman said: “An internal review we carried out and shared with the GCA identified some areas of concern. “We have taken action to strengthen compliance and, as we have announced, are changing the way we work with suppliers.”
IPM Plan set to cover two million hectares in first year HGCA funds project to
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
tackle grain skinning
JHGCA is funding research to improve the understanding of grain skinning, following reports which suggest new spring malting barley varieties are increasingly susceptible. Grain skinning is a major quality issue affecting the malting process and can lead to rejections at intake.
Concern Growers were concerned there was lack of choice in robust malting barley varieties, including those with good resistance to grain skinning, said the HGCA.
The research aims to help malting barley growers obtain market premiums, and create an industry standard laboratory procedure for scoring grain skinning. Growers were recommended to reduce risk on-farm by growing more than one variety. HGCA also recommended growers speak to maltsters in difficult years and considered changes to combine settings to reduce abrasion or handling effects on weaker varieties. HGCA plans to issue a variety guide to grain skinning at the end of the project.
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AF March p8 9 Robinson EP TR _Layout 1 19/02/2015 10:55 Page 1
TALKING ARABLE
ANDREW Robinson
Andrew Robinson is farms manager at Heathcote Farms, Bedfordshire. He is a former winner of the nabim/HGCA Milling Wheat Challenge.
We completed the purchase of a new combine this month and have gone for a bigger output machine with GPS
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e recorded the total rainfall for 2014 at 785mm, which easily surpasses our 30-year average of 624mm; this farm normally suffers in a wet time, but this year’s higher temperatures meant we have got off lightly. We completed the purchase of a new combine this month and have gone for a bigger output machine with GPS but with the same 10.5-metre header. This will help for the next couple of seasons as we have taken on 200 hectares of contract combining as well as our own 1,000ha, so this will keep the machine busy, but hopefully below the 300+ hours which we do most seasons. The purchase has been helped slightly by the fact George Osborne kindly extended the £500,000 Annual Investment Allowance to December 31, 2015, in his Budget last year, unfortunately January 1, 2016, will see it revert back to a miserly £25,000 per annum. Paul and Sam have been busy with their usual winter tasks, bringing each machine into the workshop to be thoroughly checked over and ready them for the season ahead, as well as being busy loading out more than 4,300 tonnes of grain in the first two months of this year. They both spent a day at Lamma which proved fruitful with the information they brought back. The rape looks like it always does this time of year; sad. I always feel happier when the first nitrogen has been applied. Winter barley will be the next crop to receive its nitrogen as I am a firm believer in getting the first dose on
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
early, a minimum of 70kg of N will be applied to help maintain tiller and ear survival, critical to barley yields. Spring beans have been dressed and bagged ready for sowing in early March, depending on weather of course, especially as the block they are going to be planted into is wet and heavy and will take some drying out before we even spray off the black-grass which has come through nicely. This ground will then be pulled through with a hired 10m Vaderstad NZ spring tine behind the older Quadtrac which has been stripped of all its weights to facilitate an even lighter footprint. Spring beans have played an important role here at Toddington for the last 20 years, providing us with a valuable break crop with reasonable gross margins as our seven-year yield average sits at a fraction over five
Spring beans have been dressed and bagged ready for sowing in early March, weather permitting.
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TALKING ARABLE Farm facts rHeathcote Farms, Toddington, Bedfordshire rTwo farms, eight miles apart r930ha on heavy Hanslope Clays r218ha on Greensand r200ha contract combining rCropping: Winter wheat, winter barley, oilseed rape and spring beans rFarms manager Andrew Robinson plus two full-time employees
tonnes/ha. But, perhaps, more importantly, they give us an opportunity to use the plough on a rotational basis, which has without doubt, helped with our grass-weed control. We enrolled onto the new Basic Payment Scheme after a small hiccup as the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) had decided to remove my empowerment to be the person who deals with all RPA matters; all is now sorted so we can proceed. Grain marketing may soon become even more complicated after the Greek anti-austerity party Syriza gained power at the end of January. We will have to wait and see how it will affect the value of the euro and how this then in turn effects the price of wheat, but more importantly, the oilseed rape price. The Greeks want their debt written off which I am
More than 4,300t of grain has been loaded in the first two months of 2015.
not sure the Germans will let happen. Sam has had some time off work as he has become a father again, so congratulations to him and Shelli on the birth of their baby girl Millie. May 16, 2015, will see us
host the Bedfordshire Young Farmers Rally again for the second time, so spring will see preparations ramp up for this important event. I just pray the weather gods are with us, as with any of these events the weather makes or breaks the day.
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p10 11 Bullock TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:20 Page 1
TALKING ARABLE
JIM Bullock
Jim Bullock farms in a family partnership at Guarlford, near Malvern, Worcestershire. He is a keen proponent of conservation tillage techniques and is a founder member of the conservation agriculture group BASE-UK.
I think now is the time to see just how well or otherwise our crops have come through the winter
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arly February is not a good time to be looking at crops. They probably look more stressed this winter due to some proper winter weather; frosts and subzero daytime temperatures. Locally I have seen several agronomists buzzing around my neighbours’ fields making frantic notes, which will no doubt turn into chemical deliveries once there is the slightest chance of getting a sprayer out. It is rare we do anything useful in February other than on the odd occasion applying nitrogen to backward crops or spraying off stubbles prior to spring cropping. But still one has to make plans and I think now is the time to see just how well or otherwise our crops have come through the winter. I am yet again pleased to say we have no winter oilseed rape as there are now flocks of several thousand pigeons devouring crops in the district. Our wheat falls into two distinct categories; early and late sown. The early drilled crops (first week in October – late by my old standards) now have more than 750 tillers/sq.m and the later drilled crops, planted at the end of the month, have anything between 300 and 500 tillers/sq.m. Using the ADAS/Defra advice suggests our early drilled crops contain up to 30kg N/hectare and the later ones as little as 5kg N/ha, which suggests to me we are losing 25 kg/N/ha by delayed drilling…yet another financial cost and more nitrates in our water courses. But the early sown crops are already showing gout fly symptoms. If we are going to try and farm in an energy neutral environment we cannot afford to lose that amount of N, so perhaps if we feel we are
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
going to have to plant a late crop we ought to establish a suitable cover crop much earlier in the season and then go for a spring cereal. We will have to break out of this obsession with growing winter wheat. There are alternatives but they may not seem so financially attractive. At the recent BASE-UK annual meeting we had four speakers: a professor; Adrian Newton presently working at the James Hutton Institute; two Nuffield scholars: Tom Sewell (see AF, December 2014) and Robert Richmond whose scholarship looked at building healthy soils, and to conclude Soil First for Farming’s Steve Townsend. The message which came through from all four speakers was we cannot continue with our present farming systems, we have burnt up far too much of the soil’s natural fertility and just pouring on more chemical inputs will not solve the problem. Cereal variety blends Prof Newton has, among other things, been researching growing cereal variety blends and when you hear it is possible to see yields increase by in excess of 10% by planting a blend (barley) rather than straight varieties, you wonder why we are not all doing it. But it is not too popular with the seed industry and in the case of malting barley the maltsters are not interested. But in France a number of growers plant mixed wheat varieties and can produce acceptable flour qualities. Mr Richmond is an organic dairy farmer and is obsessed with increasing his soil carbon levels because, he believes, whether you be organic or ‘conventional’ (whatever that is) we have got to rebuild the levels of soil carbon if we are going to continue productive farming in the UK.
AF March p10 11 Bullock TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:20 Page 2
TALKING ARABLE
Later drilled wheat crops planted at the end of the month have between 300 and 500 tillers/sq.m.
Early sown crops are showing gout fly symptoms.
Mr Sewell reported the UK has just another 100 harvests if we continue farming using present technology and systems. He is very much of the opinion after travelling during his scholarship, conservation agriculture and no-till is the way forward. He and his family, as was reported in Arable Farming, are practising what he preaches and have completely gone down this route. Mr Townsend, whose expertise is called upon, not only in the UK, but also in Ireland and France, hammered home the message to members increasing soil carbon was the key to solving a number of farming problems from weed control through to soil compaction.
Farm facts rMember of a family farming partnership r292 hectares part owned, part share farmed, part tenanted rCropping over the last five years includes: Wheat (winter and spring), oilseed rape (winter and spring), oats and beans, along with an area of temporary grass and permanent pasture rSoils predominantly: Silty-clay-loams (up 45% clay) rAll crops established either by direct drilling or min-till rAverage field size: 6ha rRainfall five-year average 700mm (865mm – 2014, 950mm – 2012)
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AF March p12 13 Green TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:42 Page 1
TALKING ARABLE
IAIN Green
Iain Green farms in partnership with his parents Jimmy and Nan Green at Garmouth, Morayshire. He is currently president of the council of the British Simmental Cattle Society and is a past president of the Royal Northern Agricultural Society.
It is so frustrating, travelling around the country seeing everyone else pushing on with muck spreading and ploughing
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am writing this month’s article from a pen at the Stirling Bull sales, as we sit and wait for the show and sale to commence in two day’s time. I am pleased with our entry, but will have to wait and see how they match up in the ring. It is so frustrating, travelling around the country seeing everyone else pushing on with muck spreading and ploughing, but our local area seems to have had the most rain and has never recovered from all the rain we had through August, September and October only now has the high water table started to decline. While the lightest ground has now become dry enough to allow us to get on with muck spreading and ploughing, I am holding off touching the heavy land until it dries out enough to allow us to rip it open and level the combine tracks. It will be interesting to see if I can find a machine which will do the sub-soiling and levelling in one pass and leave the land suitable for the plough. I had originally planned sub-soiling with our
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The lightest land at Corskie has at last become dry enough for muck spreading to get underway.
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
conventional two-leg subsoiler and then giving them a double deep cultivate with our pigtail cultivator, but this is going to take too much time and will be too energy consuming. I have made my final cropping plan and decided on all my Ecological Focus Areas (EFA). I have never left this so late in the season and changed my plans so many times as and when the rules have been changed or updated. My final EFA will consist of temporary grass left fallow, stubble left fallow, barley undersown and wild bird seed areas. Difficult to predict It is difficult to predict the forward price of cereals and I am unsure how much more to sell forward. All the local maltsters are reducing their contract tonnages for spring barley for this coming harvest and our nearest spirit distillery is continuing to use maize because of its better performance over wheat. Cereals don’t have a great short-term outlook, but it is a long time until harvest and a lot can happen between now and then. Most of the winter barley has come through the winter well apart from any areas which were waterlogged. The sprayer has been fitted with its floatation tyres and will apply liquid N35S nitrogen as soon after February 20 (Nitrate Vulnerable Zone regulations) as possible. The next plan will be to apply a fungicide to clean up the mildew along with manganese and herbicide. Before we get too busy drilling spring cereals I am going to experiment with the drilling tractor and the tractor doing the rolling, because last autumn we purchased Cambridge rollers to fit in with our 30-metre tramlines. Hopefully the rolling tractor can follow exactly in the tramlines by importing all its guidance lines
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TALKING ARABLE Farm facts rW.J. and J. Green is a family partnership based at Corskie, Morayshire, in the north east of Scotland r1,234 hectares of owned and contract farmed arable land and grass for livestock enterprises, which include a pedigree Simmental herd and indoor pigs rSoils: Light sandy loam through to clay loam rCropping includes 107ha winter wheat (distilling/feed), 72ha winter barley (own use for pig feed), 411ha spring barley (malting) and 10ha spring oats (own use for feed) rOne farm has been in continuous barley since the 1960s rW.J. and J. Green also runs a UK-wide haulage business
With the water table only now starting to decline, a start to ploughing has only been possible on light land.
from the drilling tractor using a USB memory stick. By using two memory sticks the drill driver can simply hand the guidance lines to the roller driver while continuing to drill the next fields. At the end of the drilling season we can then upload the guidance lines from every field into the sprayer to take full advantage of the autosteer fitted to it. In the future it will give us the option to stop tramlining, but I am not sure
if the wheelings will produce too many greens in the grain sample if there are no tramlines. Straw transportation to the livestock units continues, but as always when you start carting straw you seem to use more. After a quick count of the remaining sheds and hopefully an early spring, we will have enough to see us through until the cattle are all turned out to grass, but the pig unit will require straw through until harvest which we may have to purchase.
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AF March p14 15 Grain Market TR EP _Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:01 Page 1
BUSINESS MARKET ANALYSIS
Various political and economic factors continue to impact on the markets, say analysts ODA UK.
Political, economic and weather impact markets he most recent USDA report showed a two million-tonne increase in global wheat stocks following production increases in Argentina, the EU, Kazakhstan and Ukraine. The market reacted to these factors by falling. At the same time, US export sales are still high at more than 450,000t for the last three weeks (as of February 16), which is high given the rate needed to meet the USDA’s target is only 230,000t per week. European export certificates have also been issued at a high rate; during the first week of February certificates for a record 1.7m tonnes of wheat exports were issued. The rate is likely to fall but remain buoyant. By way of comparison, 500,000t per week are needed to meet our record export target of 29mt. European wheat is still the most competitive for North African importers, which means exports are likely to remain buoyant. Egypt may buy US wheat, taking advantage of US easy payment facilities to the tune of $100m (£65m). Wheat
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Consultant details rOffre et Demande Agricole (ODA) is a private, independent consulting firm which helps buyers and sellers of agricultural commodities manage market volatility and price risk. More information, at www.oda-groupe.com/en
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Given the good competitiveness of French maize, prices are likely to remain firm in the short-term.
Ukraine is showing it is willing to enforce exporters’ commitments not to export more than 1.2m tonnes of milling wheat. This should not affect the market because more than 80% of Ukraine’s wheat exports have been completed. With regard to prospects for the new crop, wheat ratings are improving slightly in Texas, the only state to have published any figures, due to rainfall in recent weeks. Euronext will be launching a new milling wheat contract in March with additional quality criteria, which include a minimum Hagberg falling number of 220 seconds and a minimum protein content of 11%. This contract, called the No. 3 Milling wheat, is therefore likely to take precedence over trade on the previous No. 2 contract.
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
We are still monitoring several risk factors. There is little snow in Ukraine, southern Russia and the USA. Although temperature forecasts give no cause for concern at the moment, risks remain. Tensions remain between Ukraine and Russia. Lastly, the Ukrainian hryvnia has been devalued. It has lost almost half its value over the past week. This means imports cost more and may lead to a fall in the use of inputs, thus limiting agricultural production. This was clearly the case last year; imports of phytosanitary products fell by 15% between 2013 and 2014 when the currency lost 40% of its value. After falling as a result of the USDA’s report, the market may rally, with good export activity at the moment and good competitiveness. We are not ruling
out the appearance of weather and geopolitical risks. Rapeseed Rapeseed prices have taken advantage of external factors during the last few days. The good performance of prices which remained in the €355€360/t (£262-£266/t) range on May 2015 expiry stemmed from the weakness of the euro, the relative stability of crude oil and increasing palm prices. On the European physical market, however, demand from industry remains very low. Bases are therefore still negative and buyers do not appear to have any need to increase their bases to find rapeseed. Furthermore, crushing margins are at their lowest levels for a year, which is not encouraging activity to speed up.
AF March p14 15 Grain Market TR EP _Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:02 Page 2
MARKET ANALYSIS BUSINESS In Canada, demand is relatively buoyant, but still down on our forecasts since the beginning of the campaign. Nonetheless, a recent recovery on exports and good crushing activity has joined forces with the increase on palm to support prices. Funds took advantage of these support factors to increase their net long positions. We expect rapeseed prices to adjust because we feel demand is not buoyant enough to maintain prices at their current levels. In the short-term, therefore, we may approach the lower limit of recently traded prices, around €345/t (£255/t). Maize Fundamentals in this market remain sluggish and the recent report from the USDA brought no major changes. Nonetheless, prices subsequently adjusted upwards, as we had expected. The major change at the start of the month came from Ukraine and the sharp falls on the hryvnia over the previous week, which represents a real risk of maize price increases. Ukrainian producers are thought to be trying to retain maize, which would restrict exports. This is all the more sensitive given Ukraine still has maize to export; 8.5m tonnes for February to September 15 of a 16.5m tonne potential. The
Overview rWheat: Producers should bear in mind a number of factors. Among them are the weather in the Black Sea and USA, US and EU exports, price competitiveness, the tensions between Ukraine and Russia, together with the value of the Russian rouble and Ukrainian hryvnia rRapeseed: The key factors to monitor going forward will be crushing USDA has increased its export estimate by 1.5m tonnes to 18m tonnes and, given the context, we feel this increase is premature. In South America, the forecasts are still good. In Argentina, crops are in good condition and the USDA has increased its production estimate to 23m tonnes, which is in line with our own. In Brazil, the second crop sowings (safrinha) have made slow progress in Mato Grosso, the largest state producer, because of dry weather in January. The arrival of rain is likely to allow the delays to be made up and guarantee the rotation patterns. We are keeping our production estimate of 75.5m tonnes, compared with the USDA’s 75m tonnes.
Crushing margins in Europe will be among key factors to monitor.
margins in Europe, Canadian consumption figures, together with a number of economic factors, such as crude oil, palm and the euro/dollar exchange rate rMaize: Key issues to monitor at the moment are EU maize imports, ethanol production and margins in the US sector, Ukrainian exports together with the value of the hryvnia, and weather conditions in Brazil For the USA, the USDA has increased its estimate for consumption in ethanol manufacture by almost 2m tonnes to 133.4m tonnes. We are maintaining our estimate of 134.6m tonnes and despite last week’s falls in ethanol production, the current rate of consumption remains above the weekly rate needed to meet our target. French maize is still competitive to Europe, namely northern Spain and northern Europe. Customs figures for December showed good performance levels. We are increasing sales within the EU by 400,000t to 6.7m tonnes. European imports are under control and we are maintaining our annual estimate of 8m tonnes, a figure which the USDA has adopted compared with its previous estimate of 7m tonnes. The devaluation of the hryvnia brings a risk of maize price increases, which is tempering the sluggishness of fundamentals throughout the world. We are monitoring the geopolitical situation in Ukraine so we can acquire a better understanding of the effects the devaluation of the hryvnia may have on producer behaviour. Given the good competitiveness of French maize and the support expected on wheat, maize prices are likely to remain firm in the short-term.
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p16 17 18 Biz feature TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:44 Page 1
BUSINESS FEATURE
There is increasing evidence consumers in developed markets such as the UK are buying less food, something which has profound implications for arable farmers. Cedric Porter analyses the latest figures.
Figures give food for thought
very year Defra produces figures detailing food purchases based on a representative sample of 6,000 households. Although not an exact reflection of what 60 million+ Britons buy, they give a useful guide to changing eating habits. They make fascinating, if concerning reading for farmers as the long-term trend is a decline in food consumption. There are two key sets of data, one for the amount of food to be eaten per consumer in the home going back to 1974 and one for eating per head out going back to 2001. What they show is the volume of food to be eaten in the home per head (excluding alcohol, soft drinks and confectionery) has fallen by 16% since 1974. Sales of food eaten out of the home per head
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have also fallen by a massive 37% since 2001, with sales of all food per head down 10% since 2001. Much is made of the UK’s growing population, but it has not increased by the same rate as the fall in consumption per head. United Nation estimates put the UK population growth between 1975 and 2015 at 13.5%, with population growth between 2005 and 2015 at 5.9%. These figures suggest demand for food is slowly declining in total terms. That has major implications for a farming industry which wants to sell more produce at home and repel imports.
Evidence There is also evidence the decline in consumption (see graph, below left) sped up after the financial crisis in 2007
UK food consumption per head (1974=100)
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
Source: Defra
The volume of food to be eaten in the home per head (excluding alcohol, soft drinks and confectionery) has fallen by 16% since 1974.
when incomes were squeezed. Since 1974, household food consumption per head had been falling gradually. Low commodity prices and increased incomes pushed consumption up a little in the mid-2000s, but since 2006 consumption has been falling at a much more rapid rate than before that date. In 2006 average consumption was at 93% of what it was in 1974, but in the latest year which is reported (2013) that consumption has fallen to just 84% of the level it was in 1974.
There is some good news for arable farmers within these figures (see graph, below right). Over the 40-year period, consumption of breakfast cereal and cereal products has more than doubled from 264g/head/week in 1974 to 549g/head/week. But that category includes imported products such as rice, which is up 446% to 95g/head/week, and pasta, where consumption has almost doubled to 90g/head/week. Breakfast cereals themselves have increased by
Food consumption (g/head/week)
Source: Defra
AF March p16 17 18 Biz feature TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:44 Page 2
FEATURE BUSINESS Biggest crop-based food winners 1974-2013 in grams or ml per head a week Soya and novel protein foods Cooked rice Frozen fruit/ sorbet/yoghurt Fruit juice Spreads and dressings Wholemeal and granary bread Stirfry and stew vegetables Veg ready meals Fresh quiche and flan Dried rice
1974 0 1
1984 1 2
1994
1999
3 2
5 2
2004 2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
% change 1974-2013
+967 +750
6 5
7 11
7 13
7 12
7 14
6 15
3 34
8 167
8 267
13 315
23 280
28 302
28 296
34 307
29 282
37 288
17
96
112
95
120
136
127
134
123
125
2 9
4 16
5 22
6 58
13 53
11 63
11 63
11 64
9 62
11 63
1
4 10
2
6 17
nearly two-thirds to 127g, with muesli the fastest growing product. Oat consumption is also up more than 80%. Bread The picture is not so rosy when it comes to bread, with average consumption per head down since 1974 by 40% to 607g/head/week. White bread has fallen out of favour, with average sales down 70%, while wholemeal sales are up 650%, although in total white bread sales are still twice that per week than wholemeal ones. There has also been a big increase in the variety of breads being sold as consumers look for something different. Brits have also fallen in love with
2
9 54
3
12 61
5
20 63
7
29 63
6
29 67
8
27 66
9
29 65
10
29 67
Canned peas 88 Fresh brussels sprouts 55 Sugar 458 Malt drinks 9 Tinned/bottled fruit 72 Air-dried vegetables 1 White bread 860 Frozen beans 15 Fresh potatoes 1,318 Flour 162
+703
+650
+630 +607
+589 +586 Source: Defra
Eating less rThe Defra figures show we are eating only 85% of the volume of food we were in the home in 1974. Other figures show calorie intake per day has dropped by 4.4% since 2010 and calories from eating out has tumbled by 14.7% in that time. However, average daily calorie intake is still estimated to be 5% more than is required on average, showing there is more scope for eating less rCalorie requirement has
altered as the number of manual jobs has fallen rHigher food prices have altered buying habits, with consumers trading down to cope with higher prices and squeezed incomes. Defra estimates average spend on food dropped by 3.9% between 2010 and 2013 when inflation is taken into account rFood waste is also being reduced, impacting on demand. Government agency WRAP estimates
household food waste fell by 21% between 2007 and 2012 rA move to convenience and online buying are other factors – both trends which can minimise pack size and reduce over-buying rThe UK is ageing – by 2035 23% of the population will be more than 65 years old, now it is 16%. Volume intake is lower in older people, although there is a need for more of some nutrients
the sandwich, with consumption up more than 300% in the last 40 years.
There was a small ‘British Bake off’ effect in 2011 and 2012 when flour consumption
rose from 58g/week to 73g/ week, but by 2013 it appeared to have worn off. Sales of X
Biggest crop-based food losers 1974-2013 in grams or ml per head a week
1974
+4,348 +1,604
1984 68
42 320 7 40 0 613 16 1,140 129
1994
1999
21 178 10 29 1 472 13 820 65
18 132 9 28 0 450 8 693 58
37
29
2004 2009
2010
15 99 4 22 1 353 5 570 55
12 90 3 18 0 281 3 501 58
27
21
14 90 2 17 0 297 4 514 58
19
2011
2012
2013
10 93 2 18 0 259 3 496 71
11 91 2 17 0 266 4 478 73
10 91 2 16 0 247 4 439 57
18
19
15
% change 1974-2013 -83
-81 -80 -79 -78 -73 -71 -71 -67 -65 Source: Defra
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p16 17 18 Biz feature TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:45 Page 3
BUSINESS FEATURE flour over the 40-year period have dropped by nearly twothirds and cake intake has dropped by nearly a fifth, while chocolate biscuits are the only biscuits which we are eating more of. We are also eating a third more chocolate bars than we were in 1992. Sweet teeth This increase in chocolate consumption points to a change in how we eat sugar with a shift from raw to processed products. In 1974 we were eating 535g of sugar and preserves a week, but jump forward to 2013 and that had reduced by 77% to just 123g. But our consumption of soft drinks has risen by 15% in the last 20 years to 1.7 litres/week on average. We are also boozing more at home as we neck 694ml of alcohol a week, a third more than in 1992, with a shift away from bitter to continental lagers and wine. We must think there is more to celebrate, as sparkling wine and champagne consumption is up four-fold. But publicans will not be celebrating the 55% drop in consumption of alcohol outside the home. It is that drop in alcohol consumption out of the home which has driven an overall decline in the amount of food and drink we consume in restaurants and pubs. Defra only has figures for eating out of the home which go back to 2001. They show consumption of food and drink bought and eaten out of the home in volume per head has dropped by nearly 50% since 2001, with the biggest winners Indian, Chinese and Thai food up 43% and breakfast cereals up nearly 150%. The fact out-of-home consumption of fruit and salads has increased will encourage the Government as it tries to
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The spud is still the most popular vegetable, but fresh sales are down, with earlies and bakers bearing the brunt.
persuade us to eat five fruit and veg a day. There is some more healthy news back at home too, consumption of fresh and processed fruit has jumped by 52% since 1974. Winners include grapes and soft fruit, fruit juice, easy to peel citrus fruits and bananas – all fruits which might not necessarily come from the UK. Apple consumption is down a third, while any fruit in a tin or dried is largely shunned now. But while we are happy to scoff sweet and succulent fruit, we still need persuading to eat up our veg. Consumption of vegetables, excluding potatoes, has fallen 3% over the last 40 years. The school-dinner turnip, cabbage and cauliflower-type veggies have been usurped by upstart courgettes, aubergines and stem vegetables, while veg-based takeaway meals have seen demand soar by 600%. The spud is still the most popular ‘vegetable’, with the average Brit eating 682g/ week, but that is less than
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
half of what they would have eaten when the Bay City Rollers were in the charts and Germany was beating Holland in the World Cup. Fresh potato sales are down two-thirds, with earlies and bakers bearing the brunt of the decline. In contrast, we now eat nearly 200% more home-prepared chips than we did in 1974, but 30% fewer chips from the chippie. But we still have a taste for crisps, with their consumption up 180%. Other crop-derived figures include a 160% increase in vegetable and salad oil consumption, with olive oil use up 250%, while we have moved away from margarine (along with butter, down 70%) towards low fat spreads which have risen by 600%. Diversity British people are eating a greater range of foods, with non-native foods becoming more popular at the expense of traditional British foods. The UK population is predicted to grow by 10 million
by 2037; 60% of that growth is likely to be from immigration or births from first-generation immigrants. That will mean a continuation of the evolution in diets as both immigrant and native communities develop imported tastes. The challenge for farmers is to ensure the ingredients for these more diverse foods are grown in the UK. A greater understanding of UK consumption changes among farmers would help match production and investment on their farms. Overproduction will just drive down commodity prices and lead to continued devaluing of food among consumers who have come to expect cheap products. The UK is not alone in seeing a reduction per head in the volume of food bought. The trend is the same across much of Europe, where the issue is more acute in many countries because of a declining population. It is a trend which is even evident in the home of the supersized portion, the USA.
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AF March p20 Symes EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 09:34 Page 1
TALKING AGRONOMY
SARAH Symes
Making a start on the spring workload We are starting to plan T0 applications in anticipation for the end of the month or the start of April
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pring is almost upon us, and most farmers are up-to-date with recommendations which have been made over winter. These have largely been for Fox (bifenox) or Kerb (propyzamide) on oilseed rape. Fox, combined with some cold weather, has shown good control on charlock and runch and Kerb showed good results at the start of winter. Applications can be done until flower buds visible, so some Fox applications may be going on late. Some Kerb recommendations had to be changed to Crawler (carbetamide) due to cut-off date. OSR plants are extending well, and many have received tebuconazole for light leaf spot (LLS) protectancy in February. Forecasts from Rothamstead suggested a high risk season and from incubating suspected LLS lesions to reveal white spores, we have seen plenty in the field. First applications of nitrogen or nitrogen and sulphur have been applied to get the plants moving, based on green area index and yield potential and the remaining will be applied later on before flowering. Spring barley and beans are starting to be drilled. As always, correct soil conditions are more important than calendar date; soil temperatures need to be above 5-6degC before drilling starts. Any spring barley ground with a population of black-grass will be receiving half rate Liberator (flufenacet + diflufenican) or half rate Crystal (flufenacet + pendimethalin) for a clean start. N + sulphur will be applied in the seedbed or from tramlines visible and the rest of the N will be applied at the end of March to the start of April. All our crops are destined for malting, most likely for lager export, our target grain N is 1.6-1.85%. Spring beans are also receiving a pre-em spray, product depending on expected weed emergence, more often this will be pendimethalin-based. Some growers managed to get some spring beans in at the end of February. For others waiting and using homesaved bean seed, make sure to test for stem nematode, germination and ascochyta. Winter wheat and barley appear to have
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
survived well, looking a little more green than they were at the start. The mild December and first half of January allowed weeds to continue growing, so there are a few rather large samples out there which will need dealing with as soon as temperatures warm up, most likely tank mixed with growth regulators in early April. Crops are starting to get away now, so if more tillering is still needed, for example on late-drilled wheat, or thin areas from slug damage, consider starting with a low rate of nitrogen (about 50kg N/hectare) followed up by the main dose at the end of March. Planning We are also starting to plan T0 applications in anticipation for the end of the month or the start of April, which will target final leaf 4 of the main tiller. These will include chlorothalanil to offer multi-site protectant activity mixed with a triazole to knock down any rusts if present. Septoria and mildew have been present throughout most of winter, as has chocolate spot in winter beans, so we will be checking crops closely and planning a robust disease programme for spring. Black-grass populations are relatively low coming out of winter; robust pre-em programmes on winter cereals have proved their worth and graminicides followed by Kerb or Crawler have shown good results in OSR. Some wheat fields will receive Atlantis (iodosulfuron + mesosulfuron) where there isn’t resistance present. Where there is suspected or confirmed high levels of resistance, crops had a half rate of Liberator in late-autumn after the initial pre-em mix, which has knocked the black-grass back considerably, so getting the crop up and away and competing with the black-grass will be the main priority. Keep up-to-date with what’s happening at Hampshire Arable Systems by following us on Twitter: @has_agronomy.
Agronomist facts
rSarah Symes is an independent agronomist working with the Hampshire Arable Systems partnership. Based in Hampshire, she advises clients growing cereals, oilseed rape and pulses
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AF March p22 Patchett TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:45 Page 1
TALKING AGRONOMY
SAM Patchett
Our key priority has to be smaller, more open crops with less flower cover
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Crucial canopy care
ome decent cold weather has really done our oilseed rape crops a favour, shrinking their canopies noticeably as we move into mid-February. Even so, green area indices (GAI) across all varieties in our Brotherton iFarm plots are 2 or more. Once again effective early canopy management looks like being vital for success. This is underlined by our research into the reasons for disappointingly average 2014 yields from some of the best looking, pod-rich crops of recent years. While winter water-logging and light leaf spot (LLS) infections undoubtedly played their part, excessive pod numbers were almost certainly the main culprit in most cases. Yes, more pods have historically been equated with better performance. But we know seeds/sq.m peak at about 6,000-8,000 pods/sq.m. Yet our assessments reveal many big-canopied crops had almost double this number of pods last season. Taking this on-board, our key priority has to be smaller, more open crops with less flower cover. So we’ll have to be particularly careful with both our early nitrogen and plant growth regulation. N-min sampling shows all but one of our nine northern iFarms have higher levels of available nitrogen in their OSR soils than this time last year. And we know from their GAIs many of our crops already have a good amount of N in their canopies. This means they’ll need proportionately less early applied N for the optimum 3.5 GAI canopy at flowering. However, they will still need a good early application of sulphur, posing a dilemma for those using compound fertilisers. For
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
the second year in a row this underlines the value of sulphur provided separately from N, either as polysulphate or kieserite – although generally high levels of Mg from magnesium carbonate liming over many years in our area means we need to be cautious with the latter. We’ll need to put a lot of emphasis on early plant growth regulation for our OSR too – especially for crops with GAIs of 2 or more. This season we’re able to take advantage of the newlyavailable specialist PGR, paclobutrazol, which looks like being a valuable improvement on metconazole in this role. Too forward For the greatest effect on forward crops we’ll be going in with our plant growth regulation as early as we can rather than waiting until green or yellow bud. Where LLS is evident despite good early winter control, we’ll be including prothioconazole in the mix or using tebuconazole + prochloraz. Most of our winter wheats look like coming into the spring in encouraging shape. The lateJanuary/early February cold has been equally valuable for them, although there’s still more than enough septoria about for comfort. Our fungicide strategy will be based on different modes of action, with multi-site protectants a core element to counter the triazole shift and protect the SDHIs. We’ll be including at least one SDHI in most of our programmes and doing everything we can to get timings spot on. We’ll be using a T0 in most cases to give us the insurance we need in this respect. The average 0.75 tonnes/hectare T0 response we saw across our trials last year underlines how important the right start is to securing the yields which will give us the lowest possible production cost per tonne.
Agronomist facts
rSam Patchett is an Agrii agronomist based in Yorkshire. He provides agronomy, crop nutrition and seed services to clients growing cereals, oilseed rape, maize and fodder beet across West and South Yorkshire and also helps run Agrii’s Brotherton R&D site near Selby
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14:55
AF March p24 Buchanan TR EP _Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:05 Page 1
TALKING AGRONOMY
NEIL Buchanan Time to get back into the fields
I have many fields of wheat which are too forward for my liking
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24
t last it is that time of year when my Talking Agronomy contribution reverts back to practical in-field agronomy. February is slipping away and the days are starting to lengthen and that classic harbinger of spring, the fertiliser spreader, is starting to leave the barn. Cold but dry weather has allowed some useful crop walking and I head into this season aided and accompanied by an enthusiastic young apprentice. Already, her grasp on the new technologies which are evolving in our role is helping me greatly, and I hope my teaching in other areas will give her a good foundation in the career she seeks. Field-wise, winter has created its usual problems. When the frosts start the manganese begins to bite and there are many fields out there with extremely sick patches. Latedrilled wheats are blue with cold and in some cases have really been hammered by rooks, forcing down plant counts alarmingly. These will be candidates for that early shot of nitrogen. Hungry pigeons are now starting to ravage numbers of oilseed rape crops, but their defoliation seems to be even over whole fields rather than patches, which remain awkward throughout the season. Charlock has had most of its leaves removed by the cold, but the stems look healthy enough to survive any last ditch attempts at chemical control. Danger from light leaf spot is forecast to be high and despite it being difficult to identify, we need to be vigilant. Appropriate use of diagnostic kits helps greatly. It will be a difficult call with this crop as it could mean the potential for four fungicide treatments prior to harvest and an associated increase in costs.
A
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
However, many fields show promise and the wrong call now will hold yields down to uneconomic levels. Nitrogen/sulphur strategy will be based around green area index readings and in most instances the crop is already holding enough N to avoid early applications and realistic reductions in overall usage could well be achieved. Where this is not the case, that important first dressing will have been completed by the time you read this. Too forward Six months on from drilling, and halfway through their lifespan, I have many fields of wheat which are too forward for my liking. Thick, lush growth, high levels of disease innoculum coupled with above average tiller numbers present an interesting challenge for the spring. To try and sustain all these tillers is, perhaps, unrealistic. Likewise, to reduce them will also be a tough task, and will require careful tweaking of N inputs, timing and growth regulator chemistry. And above all it still needs to be standing at harvest. Talk will soon turn to fungicide treatments in cereals and the choice of strategy for T0 applications. There are strong indications this year will give us a repeat of disease levels experienced last year. Spends not dissimilar to the price of a tonne of wheat have to deliver in order to stack up financially. Starting too early will lead to an additional spray application and treatment of leaves which have no worthwhile yield contribution. It is crucial to keep those intervals tight, increase our usage of multisite protectants, and ensure T1 timings allow coverage of leaf 3. Cutting back during these early stages will put huge pressure on the efficacy and timing of subsequent applications.
Agronomist facts
rNeil Buchanan is an Agrovista agronomist based in Shropshire. He advises clients across the West Midlands, growing cereals, oilseed rape, pulses and potatoes
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AF March p26 Roots TR EP_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:10 Page 1
TALKING AGRONOMY ROOTS
DARRYL Shailes
Plenty to think about before planting begins
Some of my Cornish colleagues have growers with crops already planted under plastic
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26
nother season is approaching and it will not be long before potatoes are going in the ground. Indeed, some of my Cornish colleagues have growers with crops already planted under plastic, making the best of the climate they have down there. In the East we have just gone through the coldest period of the winter so far, so there is currently little field activity. However, there is still plenty for growers to be considering before planting begins. Seed stocks are starting to turn up on-farm and how they are managed and handled is important from the moment they come in. Last January we held an agronomists seed management training course at Sutton Bridge, run by the Potato Council. We looked at a range of potato diseases and disorders which can be found on tubers and learned how we could best manage different seed lots. It is something I have been doing for a number of years with growers and it was good to see we had adopted best practice as far as we could. As soon as seed starts to come in on-farm it is important it is assessed as quickly as possible. Any problems can then be identified and seed suppliers informed of any issues within 48 hours. In the main we have not had that many issues over the years, with just the odd batch of seed replaced, or at least monitored in the growing crop, by the seed supplier. So what do we do? As soon as seed comes in the various different batch numbers are identified and samples taken. The first step is the ‘sniff test’. If on opening the seed batch it smells, it gives us an instant idea if there is a serious problem with rots in the bag. This is about the most important first assessment, as it gives us a clue to how the seed has been managed up until
A
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
now – and we all know how planting potato seed with just a few rots can have a dramatic effect in the field. Also, if there are any long chits, this gives us another important clue to see if seed management has been good or poor. Generally we wash up at least 100 tubers from each batch to give us a representative sample to then assess. Modern technology then comes into play and smartphones are great for this. Photographs of the seed lot ticket and sample are taken and kept for reference. These can just be logged on the phone or transferred to a computer to build up a library. They can also be sent on if there is a problem which cannot be identified or to the seed merchant if there is an issue. Piece of kit Another great piece of kit I have just started to use in the last year or so is a USB microscope; these are relatively cheap with a 500x magnification scope costing about £50. The output of the microscope goes straight onto your laptop so you see the image on-screen. It is useful in identifying any skin blemishes. However, make sure the kids don’t get hold of the microscope as you will never find it again. Finally, tubers are also cut open and sliced to check for any internal issues. Once this has all been done and recorded for later the big bags can be emptied into boxes. A further visual inspection is undertaken and then they are put into the store, with air being circulated to keep them dry and cool as you would any ware crop. Seed to be chitted is treated the same up to the point of transfer to either boxes or chitting trays. One thing to be careful about is if you use CIPC on-farm – do not put seed into stores which have been gassed in the past or use boxes which may be contaminated with CIPC as it can affect the seeds’ health. Managing this part of the process effectively can pay big dividends at a later date.
Agronomist facts
rDarryl Shailes is root crop technical manager for Hutchinsons, with a nationwide remit. He has been working in potato agronomy for more than 20 years
AF March P27 28 30 31 Sprayer Boom Control EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:26 Page 1
ADVERTISMENT
SPRAYERS FEATURE
The latest sprayer boom control systems are designed to give operators the confidence to work closer to the crop for improved coverage and spray efficacy. Jane Carley finds out more.
Confidently get closer to the crop
s sprayer booms get wider, and operators use more powerful machines to work at higher forward speeds, the ability to maintain accuracy depends increasingly on sprayer technology to deliver the right amount of chemical to the target. Factors such as weather conditions and undulating ground – especially as arable farming expands in areas more traditionally associated
A
with raising livestock – increase the challenge. The height at which the boom is carried above the target has come under the spotlight in recent years. Research at the Silsoe Spray Applications Unit showed an increase in drift of more than five times when the boom is carried at one-metre above the target compared to a height of 50cm. Even wind speed was shown to be less of a factor – the risk doubling as the wind speed doubles. Latest developments in X
Preserve Primary Azoles For Primary Positions
With 2015 looking like it could be a repeat of 2014, growers might fear the worst. Following last season there’s an ample supply of Septoria inoculum and with little in the way of a winter to check disease; crops are at risk from the combined threat of Septoria and yellow rust. That may cause some to think of beefing up early season disease control compared to previous seasons but Ben Giles of Bayer CropScience questions whether that is really necessary. “We saw last season that well-timed, robust T0 and T1 sprays performed well and I would be reluctant to move away from current recommendations,” he says. Based on data from the company’s Hinton Waldrist site, that current recommendation is an effective T0 using CTL for Septoria and a fast moving azole if yellow rust is a risk, and a second protective coating of CTL with Proline275 at T1. “Our central location means we see both diseases but across 30 varieties we still achieved Ben Giles Bayer CropScience good control, regardless of resistance rating. The T0 is a holding spray. Its purpose is to manage Septoria inoculum by reducing spore development on the lower leaves. It helps buy time if T1’s are delayed by the weather, and is a proven low-cost investment. “A fast moving azole such as tebuconazole or cyproconazole is there to manage yellow rust. Using a primary azole such as prothioconazole or epoxiconazole at the T0 timing is unnecessary and will only increase selection pressure on these key triazoles.” And the same basically applies to new-generation SDHI at T1 he says. “You only need the curative potency of a product like Aviator235Xpro at T1 if the T0 spray has been missed or the T1 timing has been delayed, otherwise save it until the more yield responsive T2.” Whilst there has been a lot of talk of CTL being used at T2, historically there has been very little used at this timing. It is important to remember that CTL is a protectant only. “Use protectants where they work best, at protective timings! This is why CTL is such an important component of well timed T1 applications. When you combine it with a broad spectrum azole such as prothiocionazole you’ve got two modes of action protecting leaf three – the primary target – and prothioconazole gives you activity against the stem complex and mildew too. If you look at our programme data we saw no difference from Proline275 + CTL v SDHI at T1. Both delivered an average yield response of over 4.5t/ha as part of our recommended four spray programme.” In a standard 4 spray programme Proline275 + CTL and Aviator235Xpro perform equally at T1 Proline275 0.55 L/ha + CTL 1.0 L/ha
Aviator235Xpro 1.0 L/ha
12.5
Yield (t/ha)
12.0
11.5
11.0
10.5
10.0
Standard program
Delayed T1
No T0
No T0 plus a delayed T1
Average of four independent trials in 2014. Average untreated yield 8.8 (t/ha) Average disease pressure across L1+ 2 = 60%. Treated programme; T0 - Folicur 0.4 L/ha + CTL 1.0 L/ha T2 - Aviator235Xpro 1.0 L/ha T3 - Proline275 0.55 L/ha.
Amazone has updated its DistanceControl automatic boom height system with the additional option of four ultrasound sensors.
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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Find more information at www.bayercropscience.co.uk Aviator235Xpro contains prothioconazole + bixafen. Proline275 contains prothioconazole. Folicur contains tebuconazole.All are registered trademarks of Bayer. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label. For further information, please visit www.bayercropscience.co.uk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 / 01223 226644. © Bayer CropScience Limited 2015
AF March P27 28 30 31 Sprayer Boom Control EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:27 Page 2
FEATURE SPRAYERS
Higher speeds and wider boom widths make it impossible to maintain the correct height above crop without an automatic system Simon Brown
and thus reduce the uniformity of distribution.” Automatic boom height control systems use sensors to monitor the boom height above the target and lift or lower it as necessary, and have become a popular option for wider booms. However, on undulating terrain, it may be necessary to control the boom at the centre pivot, as well as at the boom ends to ensure it maintains the correct height and also to control the two sides of the boom independently.
sprayer booms have focused on maintaining boom stability so the operator can confidently work with the boom at a reduced distance from the crop. Dr Clare Butler Ellis, of Silsoe Research, says: “The more stable you can make the boom, the lower it can be carried, which will give more uniform distribution and less drift. However, if the boom is too low it can affect the overlap
Additional option Amazone has updated its DistanceControl automatic boom height system with the additional option of four ultrasound sensors in place of the two standard sensors, depending on boom width. This version of DistanceControl works using a combination of tilt sensors on the tank and on the boom which measure the angle of each, a height sensor on the boom parallelo-
“
Amazone’s ultrasound sensors monitor the height of the crop.
gram and as a potentiometer to set the boom tilt. The ultrasound sensors monitor crop height and the boom contour follows using the variable geometry system of independent tilt angle on each boom half,
as well as total height and tilt. Simon Brown, Amazone’s brand manager, says: “I believe the higher speeds and wider boom widths used now make it impossible for an operator to maintain the correct height X
John Deere’s BoomTrac Pro with variable geometry is an option for its new R4040i self-propelled sprayer and is designed for work in undulating fields.
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March P27 28 30 31 Sprayer Boom Control EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:27 Page 3
FEATURE SPRAYERS
The height of the Horsch Leeb boom above the crop is individually adjusted according to prevailing conditions, simulated by ramps in this picture.
We have also found we can increase forward speed by about 50% without increasing drift Theo Leeb
“
above crop without an automatic system. DistanceControl is now one of the options on our sprayers most commonly specified by purchasers.” He suggests going lower would not suit the current nozzles used: “The target of
50cm matches ideally with the standard nozzle spacing with sufficient overlap between nozzles, especially when using 110- or 120-degree spray fans. I believe going any lower will affect the spray distribution.” Horsch Leeb uses the combination of a new boom control system to operate at a lower boom height and 25cm nozzle spacings to reduce drift and improve coverage. Theo Leeb, general manager of Horsch Leeb, suggests by using 25cm spacings boom height can be reduced theoretically to 20-25cm and still retain enough overlap between spray fans, while improving deposition and thus cutting drift.
“However, spraying at less than 50cm boom height requires excellent boom stability to retain that overlap across the boom and to avoid contact with the crop or the ground,” he adds. Horsch Leeb’s BoomControl Plus Pro sees the boom mounted on a central pivot point, hydraulically suspended and damped, using quickacting response valves for leveling/tilt. Two gyros and boom-mounted sensors feed data back to a proportional control system to counteract yaw and roll. Automatic adjustment The outer ends of the boom also use automatic height adjustment (up and down) to
maintain the pre-set height on uneven ground. “This, coupled with the 25cm nozzle spacing, allows the boom to be carried between 25cm and 40cm, depending on nozzle type,” says Mr Leeb. “Some farmers prefer 80- or 90-degree nozzles because they are less prone to drift, as their shape means they have fewer finer droplets at the edge of the fan, and because they improve crop penetration. The optimum height above the crop is 35-40cm. With 120-degree nozzles the optimum is 25-30cm.” The boom has been fitted to all Horsch Leeb sprayers since last year, and is also available as a retro-fit. “We have also found we can
This graphic shows the different conditions BoomTrac Pro can adapt to, with the sensors activating the lift frame to adjust the central section or boom ends.
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
AF March P27 28 30 31 Sprayer Boom Control EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:27 Page 4
SPRAYERS FEATURE increase forward speed by about 50% without increasing drift, and have some customers who are now spraying at 25kph, though this depends on what you are spraying for as well as field size and how level it is,” says Mr Leeb. John Deere has added BoomTrac Pro with variable geometry as an option for its new R4040i self-propelled sprayer. Designed for work in undulating fields at up to 20kph, the system uses variable boom geometry ultrasonic sensors to offer automatic and independent leftright boom height adjustment, adapting to the terrain. This system is an option to the existing BoomTrac whole width system available on trailed and self-propelled machines. Product sales specialist Andy Bates says: “BoomTrac Pro has been developed by Raven, which is part of John Deere, so we have been able to tailor the VG system specifically to the R4040i back frame. Similarly, the BoomTrac software is matched to the machine, as the requirements of a 24m selfpropelled sprayer are slightly different to a 36m machine.” Suspension system Mr Bates stresses the importance of an effective boom suspension system in order to take advantage of automatic height control. “Again, our systems vary slightly between trailed and self-propelled machines, but all are based on a pendulum, using parallelogram mounting to give better control of tilt and yaw. The height of the pendulum is important so we suspend the boom from the top of the back frame to give a long pendulum action for smooth boom ride.” He suggests the boom is therefore naturally self-levelling to remove any erratic movements which can affect
Improve productivity by getting used to the technology and trusting it Andy Bates
“
the height above the crop and thus spraying efficacy. Yaw damping is especially important at the headlands, and here John Deere uses polyurethane dampers, a material which absorbs shock and relaxes rather than returning the forces as rubber can. Mr Bates points out 50cm boom height above the target is the optimum for 110-degree nozzles, giving the best results with products such as preemergence sprays to ensure clods are covered. “Research such as that undertaken by Tom Robinson has shown there is little benefit from going lower in most situations,” he says. However, he adds many operators still work with the boom too high, and, at 75cm, risk overlapping or missed coverage which can lead to issues such as herbicide resistance. “In some situations operators will need to lift the boom, regardless of the make or colour of the sprayer. But they can improve productivity by getting used to the technology and trusting it – it is much the same with section control, where operators are always surprised by how accurate the system is. “The BoomTrac Pro VG system uses 50hz sensors which pulse 50 times a second and get crop feedback far quicker than an operator could assess the situation and react. Automated systems such as Autotrac, section control and BoomTrac Pro can cut driver fatigue and ultimately increase efficiency.”
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AF March P32 33 34 35 Spray Farm Logistics EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:33 Page 1
FEATURE SPRAYERS
Looking to improve timeliness and boost productivity with spraying, one Bedfordshire company has created a bowser using a 5,000-litre spray pack taken from a self-propelled sprayer. Geoff Ashcroft finds out more.
Bowser boosts farm’s sprayer output by 25%
ith a cropped area which extends to almost 2,400 hectares around its base at Milton Ernest, Bedfordia Farms knows how to make the most of its machinery resources as it seeks to farm more efficiently. Such scale however, often calls into question the challenge of running one machine to full capacity or opting for two similar machines to split the workload. Trainee assistant farm manager Harry Pitcher says: “We farm land in two large blocks which we refer to as north and south. And from north to south, land extends over an eight-mile area.” Cropping is predominantly a wheat/rape rotation, with a proportion of spring wheat included. It is an approach
W
From left to right: Sprayer operator Darren Bird, trainee assistant farm manager Harry Pitcher and bowser operator Steve Morris are pleased with the increased efficiency achieved when spraying on-farm in Bedfordshire.
which affords block cropping according to geographical location, which simplifies management when it comes to machinery and equipment moves, lessening their impact on the local community. In addition, the farm has recently added a further 275ha of land located six miles away. “With the additional workload for the 2014 season, there was a need to review sprayer performance and consider ways to boost efficiency,” he says. “Our choices came down to adding a second sprayer or moving to a bowser which could premix and save downtime when it came to refilling the sprayer.” When it comes to spraying
Our choices came down to adding a second sprayer or moving to a bowser which could premix and save downtime Harry Pitcher 32 ARABLE MARCH 2015
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FARMING
and liquid fertiliser applications, those tasks are carried out using one self-propelled sprayer – a Bateman RB55 equipped with a 5,000-litre tank and a 40-metre boom. As a result, the RB55 is clocking up about 1,200 hours each season. Filling times With most chemical applications at 100 litres/ha, the sprayer can see off a 50ha block with one tankful, often in less than 90 minutes. But with complex tank mixes, refilling times could easily take from 25-45 minutes. While the farm was already using a 16,000-litre tanker for water, there was further efficiency to gain by having a means of pre-mixing the next
load to improve sprayer logistics. Doing so would require the sprayer only to stop working long enough to refill its 5,000litre spray tank. “It seemed more sensible to stay with just one sprayer and keep with our existing twoman team format,” he says. “This meant all effort could be focused on getting the most from the RB55.” The farming team, led by manager Ian Rudge, came up with the concept of a highspeed bowser system which could be used behind one of Bedfordia’s Fastracs. This would give the farm a roadlegal 40mph high-speed capability to make the most of the local road network. But importantly, it meant all
AF March P32 33 34 35 Spray Farm Logistics EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:33 Page 2
concentrated pesticides could be kept safely stored at the farm’s purpose-built spray store. “The logic was simple – buy an RB55 spray pack complete with stainless steel tank, pump, induction hopper and controls, but without a boom, and mount it to one of our old high-speed trailers,” he says. “This would give an exact match in load and also familiarity for the two-man team with control systems,” he says. The controls on the bowser are identical to those of the sprayer. Spray pack A spray pack was ordered, and along with Bedfordia’s twin-axle donor trailer, was sent to local firm Merrick Loggin Trailers in Brackley, Northants, for the conversion work and necessary fabrications to take place. “Merrick stripped the trailer back to a bare chassis, refurbished the brakes, suspension and axles, fitted new LED road lighting and then mounted the spray pack,” he says. “We wanted the induction hopper on the nearside
The bowser rBase unit: High-speed chassis rTank: 5,000-litre capacity with induction hopper rStorage: Integral lockers and IBC load area rPump: Hydraulically driven 400-litres/minute rCost: About £25,000 rear, and on a slide-out frame, so it was easily accessible for filling, when back at our spray store.” Up front, the trailer has storage tubes which safely contain the transfer pipes and integral storage cabinets. These afford adequate space for PPE, spill kit and eye wash equipment for example. A separate clean water supply for hand-washing is also located on-board. And a new floor for the trailer with integral mudguards has enabled a flat load deck load area on the front part of the chassis, where a 1,000-litre IBC can be carried when applying trace elements. “By carrying IBC’s we X
n o 0% w fi av n a ai nc la e bl e
SPRAYERS FEATURE LIGHT BOOM INNOVATION
METRIS
KUHN’S METRIS trailed sprayer has the choice of 3,200 litre and 4,100 litre tank capacities and boom width options from 24 to 36 metres. Key features of the METRIS sprayer include the injected polyester tank construction, with easily cleanable inner surfaces, and anti-roll tank design for good stability. On the METRIS the 450 litre rinsing tank is positioned centrally and at the rear for optimum load distribution, and KUHN’S EQUILIBRA boom suspension system is standard on this model. With a ring-axle length of 4.35 metres the METRIS is compact and manoeuvrable in the field. With lightweight corrosion-resistant aluminium boom configurations that can allow folding within the machine dimensions (depending on boom size and format) it is also convenient for road transport. A reversible drawbar enables adaptation for various attachments. Optional equipment as offered on other KUHN sprayers includes GPS section control, automated rinsing, a following axle, and boom height control for headlands. www.kuhn.co.uk
EQUILIBRA - Essential 3D Suspension
On uneven terrain the combination of a pendulum (1) and links (2) offers sufficient freedom of movement to keep the boom steady. Shock absorbers (3) dampen and limit vertical movements to keep the boom perfectly level. In transport the boom frame is locked using two hydraulic cylinders (4). An auto - mechanical slant correction system works using two springs (5); in extreme cases a hydraulic slant adjustment cylinder (6) is used. Two hydraulic cylinders (7) work in combination with a nitrogen accumulator to protect the boom structure during acceleration and deceleration, in work and on the headland.
forage harvesting I livestock husbandry I arable I landscape maintenance
be strong, be KUHN Induction hopper, controls and pipe connections are grouped at the rear.
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AF March P32 33 34 35 Spray Farm Logistics EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 11:33 Page 3
FEATURE SPRAYERS
Bedfordia’s spraying system uses a bowser matched to the firm’s self-propelled sprayer, giving the farm the potential to spray up to 500ha/day.
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
can simply pipe trace elements straight to the bowser’s induction hopper,” he adds. The Fastrac’s compressed air supply is used to operate the Bateman induction hopper, while a spool valve provides flow for the bowser’s 400-litres/minute hydraulically-driven pump, avoiding the need for a pto drive. Final cost The entire outfit was then painted to match the RB55’s paint scheme, with the final cost coming in at about £25,000. “It is probably the simplest and most cost-effective way to increase sprayer efficiency, particularly when compared to buying a second self-propelled sprayer,” he says. At the start of each spray day, operator Darren Bird loads the RB55 at Bedfordia’s spray store and fill point. As soon as he heads out to the field, bowser operator Steve
Morris reverses the bowser into the spray store and prepares the next tankful. This gives him time to wash and triple rinse chemical containers and dispose of packaging in the confines of the bunded spray store, before heading back out to the field to link up with the sprayer. With controls conveniently located at the rear of the bowser, adjacent to the induction hopper, and a set of tank washing controls in the cab of the Fastrac, Mr Morris thinks the bowser is as user-friendly and as practical as he had hoped for. With inlet and outlet connections at the rear of the bowser chassis, the sprayer and bowser hook up on a headland tramline. But unlike most bowser systems, these two units connect using a dual pipe transfer system. Mr Morris says: “The sprayer connects and draws liquid from the bowser using
AF March P32 33 34 35 Spray Farm Logistics EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 12:31 Page 4
SPRAYERS FEATURE its own 400-litre pump, while the bowser also connects independently using a second pipe, and simultaneously pumps using its 400-litre pump. “We can transfer a 5,000-litre load in about eight minutes,” he says. “It’s just enough time for Darren to fill out his records.” With rapid transfer of liquid rewarding the team with dramatically reduced downtime, sprayer productivity is maximised and the empty bowser returns to the yard to prepare its next tankful. Experience has shown running two pumps simultaneously does not quite produce twice the output, though it does represent an impressive saving in transfer time which rewards with greater timeliness of applications. Mr Pitcher says: “There are some mixes which do need to be transferred over to the
A 5,000-litre RB55 handles a 2,400ha workload at Bedfordia Farms, comprising spray and liquid fertiliser applications.
sprayer with a bit less speed, just to avoid excessive foaming in the tank. But overall, we’ve created a useful 25% boost in sprayer output.” Over the course of a day that saving translates into at least one extra tankful, giving the
farm the potential to spray up to 500ha/day.
Key role “There is no doubt our new bowser has a key role to play in keeping the sprayer working to its full potential,” he says.
“And we probably would have struggled to accommodate the extra workload without making such an important change to spraying logistics. “We do the best we can, as simply and efficiently as we can.”
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AF March p36 37 38 40 Tech Agronomy EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:23 Page 1
TECHNICAL AGRONOMY
For the maximum possible protection from a cereal fungicide application, spot-on spray timing is as crucial as product and dose. Martin Rickatson seeks some guidance on getting it right.
Precision needed to pinpoint fungicide timings
1, T2, T3 – leaf 3, flag leaf, ear. On the surface, fungicide timings would appear easy enough to get right when spelt out in such simple terms. But knowing exactly when to get into the field and on with a fungicide can be much harder in practice. And with the latter two timings fairly self-explanatory, as long as they are fully exposed, it is at T1 in particular when exact identification of crop growth stage is especially difficult. While GS32, where the
T
second node is detectable, has long been considered a guide around which to focus the application, the aim of protecting the emerging leaf 3 from disease demands much greater timing precision, say industry advisers and agronomists. NIAB commercial technical director Bill Clark says: “The GS30-31 timing of a T0, which can provide additional early septoria tritici control by reducing inoculum levels present, isn’t as critical as the T1 timing. “As a guideline, it has a
Top tips for getting T1 on target rDrilling date is a key factor on which to begin carrying out growth stage assessments for T1 rGive priority to varieties with low disease ratings – for septoria in particular rAssess a selection of plants from different field areas
36
rEnsure it is primary and not secondary tillers you are assessing rSlit the plant through to the developing ear and peel away the leaf layers, counting them back –flag, leaf 2, leaf 3 and leaf 4 Source: Richard Cromie, Crop Management Partners
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
Careful plant dissection using a sharp blade is needed to ensure T1 fungicide timings are spot-on, say industry advisers and agronomists.
window two to three weeks in advance of the anticipated T1 timing, according to the drilling date and advancement of the crop. Reduce pressure “The target here is leaf 4, and an effective T0 can reduce pressure on the T1 spray, protecting against septoria development. A well-timed application based on chlorothalonil should control disease on leaf 4 and below, while in wet weather it should give some protection to the emerging leaf 3 above, providing some additional disease control. If rusts are a concern then the addition of a triazole may also be required. “But a T0 can’t take the place of a T1 – there is insufficient leaf 3 emergence for the
The T1 fungicide should be applied when leaf 3 is almost fully emerged on the main stems Bill Clark
“
fungicide to do enough from GS30-31 through the big gap to flag leaf. An intermediate spray applied at GS33 would be needed if T2 is delayed.” It is at T1 where application at a growth stage too early will mean insufficient protection of leaf 3, because at that stage it simply is not accessible to the spray, says Mr Clark.
AF March p36 37 38 40 Tech Agronomy EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:23 Page 2
AGRONOMY TECHNICAL “Final leaf 3 emergence often may coincide with second node development, but it needs to be identified accurately for spot-on spray timing and effective septoria tritici control. The T1 fungicide should be applied when leaf 3 is almost fully emerged on the main stems. Base your decision on these and don’t be misled by the secondary tillers, which are likely to be a little further behind in growth stage.� This means physical rather than visual identification is essential, the latter being impossible due to the leaves’ arrangement in the leaf sheath. Physical identification therefore requires dissection of plants using a sharp blade, but this needs to be done delicately and with full confidence in the ability to recognise what is revealed, says Mr Clark. “The top three leaves need to be dissected, which is not necessarily difficult but does demand care and accuracy. Because the flag leaf is at this stage, less than a centimetre long, it’s easy to miss.� Difficulty with this method of dissection and judgement means it may be necessary to back it up by assessing node stages as an alternative. “But simply feeling for nodes won’t give an accurate guide of the crop growth stage,� warns Mr Clark. “It’s necessary to split the stem to properly assess their advancement.� Timing guide Only these dissection measures will provide the timing guide necessary to protect individual leaf layers, development of which is relatively rapid, leaving a short potential protection window once the imminent emergence of the leaf has been identified. Late application means septoria will likely have already become established, and the protectant activity of chlorothalonil, the foundation of many T1 sprays, tends to decline faster the later it is applied. As a result, the programme will fall a step behind at an early stage, and disease will require ‘chasing’ for the rest of the season. “Going on too early, though, before full emergence of leaf 3, can just as easily cause problems, as any part of the leaf not emerged will not receive fungicide coverage, and so will give disease the opportunity to become established. It’s therefore essential to spray only, and X
GS32 growth stage has long been considered a guide around which to focus the T1 application.
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USE PLANT PROTECTION PRODUCTS SAFEL SAFELY. LY LY. Always read the label and product information before use. For further information including warning phrases and symbols refer to labels. Dow AgroSciences Limited, Latchmore Court, Brand Street, Hitchin, Hertfordshire SG5 1NH. 7HO Š70 7UDGHPDUN RI WKH 'RZ &KHPLFDO &RPSDQ\ 'RZ RU DQ DI¿OLDWHG FRPSDQ\ RI 'RZ 7 HO Š70 7UDGHPDUN RI WKH 'RZ &KHPLFDO &RPSDQ\ 'RZ RU DQ DI¿OLDWHG FRPSDQ\ RI 'RZ 7HFKQLFDO +RWOLQH ( PDLO 8.+RWOLQH#GRZ FRP 6SLW¿UH FRQWDLQV ÀRUDVXODP DQG ÀXUR[\S\U 7HFKQLFDO +RWOLQH ( PDLO 8.+RWOLQH#GRZ FRP 6SLW¿UH FRQWDLQV ÀRUDVXODP DQG ÀXUR[\S\U
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AF March p36 37 38 40 Tech Agronomy EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:23 Page 3
TECHNICAL AGRONOMY no later than, the point where the leaf has just fully emerged. “If this is hit accurately, a good length of protection for not only leaf 3 but also leaf 4 should be achievable from the T1 spray. Keeping these clean will in turn help prevent disease spread to the upper leaves, and provide some protectant control on leaf 2.” In reality, of course, crops rarely develop at a consistent rate, with headlands usually behind the body of the field, points out Richard Cromie, agronomist with Hampshirebased Crop Management Partners. “Beyond the actual growth stage identification, this is another of the areas which makes T1 timing judgement difficult,” he says.
Protecting the emerging leaf 3 from disease demands needs precision timing.
Proper assessment of a selection of plants from different field areas will provide a clear idea of the imminence of leaf 3 emergence Richard Cromie
“
Significant difference “Not only will different varieties and different drilling dates influence the advancement of fields as a whole, but there can be a significant difference between the stage of the crop in the main part of the field and that around the headland, where leaf emergence can be some way behind. “And with many farms expanding and asking their sprayers to cover greater areas, plus the additional time pressures on some mixed farms, and the effects of catchy weather, it becomes harder to treat all fields at the ideal time.” Drilling date is a primary factor on which to begin
carrying out growth stage assessments for T1 timing, he suggests, but, just as importantly, priority should be given to varieties with low disease ratings, for septoria in particular. “But while drilling date is a helpful starting point in prioritising crops, the weather since the beginning of the year will also have a big effect on development, with low temperatures and a lack of moisture the key issues. “Staggered emergence, like we experienced last year, causes problems when accurately assessing growth stage, but ultimately the decision on whether it’s the right time to spray needs to be based on most of the field, unless fields lend themselves to be splittreated and you are prepared to do this. Proper assessment of a selection of plants from different field areas will provide a clear idea of the imminence of leaf 3 X emergence.”
but it needs to be identified accurately for spot-on spray timing rT1 should be applied when leaf 3 is almost fully emerged on the main stems
rOnly dissection measures will provide the timing guide necessary to protect individual leaf layers Source: Bill Clark, NIABTAG
Planning points ahead of T1 rProtecting emerging leaf 3 from disease demands much greater timing precision rApplication at growth stage too early will mean
38
insufficient protection of leaf 3 – it will not be accessible to the spray rFinal leaf 3 emergence often may coincide with second node development,
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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*Source: ADAS 2013 Rosemaund. 2 spray programme 15th May and 6th June. Untreated yield 4.26t/ha. MOIC calculated using OSR at £250/t. Prices from Webprice September 2014.
Proline275 contains prothioconazole. Proline is a registered trademark of Bayer. Filan contains boscalid and is a registered trademark of BASF. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label. For further information, please visit www.bayercropscience.co.uk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 / 01223 226644. © Bayer CropScience Limited 2015.
AF March p36 37 38 40 Tech Agronomy EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:24 Page 4
TECHNICAL AGRONOMY
Stem diseases may not threaten yield potential to the same extent as septoria but they can still blunt performance Tim Nicholson
“
Ensure it is primary and not secondary tillers you are assessing, says Mr Cromie. Even on these, unrolling leaf layers at this stage is difficult to do accurately, as they are delicate, small and thin, so a
sharp knife and careful fingers are required. “Slit the plant through to the developing ear and carefully peel away the leaf layers, counting them back – the flag, leaf 2, 3 and 4. This way you will be able to fully identify whether leaf 3 is sufficiently exposed for its T1 spray. A protectant fungicide cannot protect if the leaf is not fully present. If it’s not quite there, mark the plant with some tape and a cane and return to it regularly to track its progress. “With the shifts we are seeing in activity from epoxiconazole and prothioconazole in particular, and consequent lack of kickback, we need to protect them by using robust doses at the right timing, alongside chlorothalonil. If disease pressure is similar to last year, and that’s currently looking likely, I will also be using an SDHI product at T1.
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MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
YEARS
19
7 5-2 015
Depending on disease pressure and if the weather causes crop development to slow after T1, then a simple T1.5 using one-litre/hectare of chlorothalonil and 0.5 litres/ha of a triazole may be required as a stopgap.�  Tim Nicholson, of Bayer CropScience, warns getting T1 timing wrong could not only result in poor leaf disease control, but allow the development of stem-based diseases too. “T1 is about more than just septoria and yellow rust control,� he says. “Stem diseases can also come in early. They may not threaten yield potential to the same extent as septoria, but they can still blunt performance, a severe infection cutting yields by up to 20%, even without lodging.� Vital The fact there is no real curative option makes T1 a vital timing in terms of control of the disease, he maintains. “If eyespot has penetrated the stem base by GS37 then there’s little which can be done. A well-timed T1 is therefore important in control of the disease, and also offers a good opportunity for suppressing fusarium species.� The chances of severe eyespot infection this season will depend on location and previous crop to a large degree, believes Mr Nicholson. “Despite the recent cold snap, the weather has been generally favourable for eyespot. But those – especially in the drier East – who delayed drilling to help with black-grass control will benefit from reduced risk. “Away from the key black-grass areas, though, it’s a different picture, and earlier-sown crops could be at risk. If symptoms are present at GS31/32, treatments tar-
Wheat GS32 nodal growth stage.
geting final leaf 3 fully emerged will need to cater for foliar disease and eyespot control. “At T1 that essentially means Tracker [boscalid + epoxiconazole] or Proline [prothioconazole]. But considering more stems are usually affected with fusarium than eyespot, prothioconazole’s ability to reduce inoculum of the former makes it, in my view, the safer choice, and if the weather later in the season comes humid at flowering, additional fusaria suppression has to be welcome.�
AF March p41 42 44 45 46 Spring Spraying EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:26 Page 1
SPRING SPRAYING FEATURE
Warnings of the decline in triazoles’ curative activity against septoria are becoming louder. What might this mean for this spring’s spraying, and next season’s wheat management as a whole, Martin Rickatson asks.
Triazole shifts show need for a protectant approach revention is better than cure. It is a simple mantra, but one which is becoming ever more relevant to wheat fungicide plans. After the high pressure 2013-14 season and signs of septoria’s shifting sensitivity to triazoles, the efficacy of the chemistry which forms the basic building block of programmes is under scrutiny. Relying on it to get crops out of trouble in situations where septoria is already ensconced is rapidly becoming a non-option. As a result, there would appear to be a consensus among agronomists, agchem firms and seed breeders that wheat growers should be taking a more protectant approach to disease control. But how serious is the decline in triazole activity, and what practical measures should farmers be taking to mitigate its effects? While he doesn’t dispute the need for growers to think carefully through their crop and chemical planning, Zantra technical director believes the
P
evidence of a fall-off in triazole efficacy needs to be taken in context. “While some farmers are reporting significant drop-off issues, primarily this evidence is coming from HGCA trials
which, by their nature, are based on single product applications and fixed timings. In practical on-farm situations, farmers will – should – be using structured programmes which incorporate partner X
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Chris Bean
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
41
AF March p41 42 44 45 46 Spring Spraying EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:27 Page 2
FEATURE SPRING SPRAYING
Timings “Big gaps between the four key timings (T0-T3) just cannot be risked. Assuming leaves 4, 3, the flag leaf and the ear (at early/mid flowering) are properly targeted with an appropriate fungicide treatment, there shouldn’t be a need for further applications, unless disease pressure is particularly high – if it’s a bad yellow rust season, for example.” It is ensuring the gaps between those timings do not go beyond recommendations which is crucial to ensuring product efficacy and therefore sustaining the useful life of key chemical groups over the longer term, suggests Mr Bean. “The most critical of these is the time between T1 and
Septoria: Eradicant (Four trial mean 2014) Aviator235Xpro Adexar
Vertisan + Ignite
% Septoria tritici
products and are applied according to leaf emergence. “But the evidence shouldn’t be ignored – there is a decline in curative activity. The message with septoria has to be to anticipate and not chase, to protect and not expect to cure. Therefore there is a need for greater accuracy in terms of timing. “If triazoles and complementary fungicides are to work to best effect, that means application not by calendar date or even by growth stage as such, but by accurate assessment of leaf emergence. This should ensure all of the leaf layers within the canopy are adequately protected.
% of full label rate T2. Ideally the interval should be around 21 days and certainly no longer than 28. T0 should be applied around 14 to 21 days prior to T1, and T3 around 16-18 days post-T2. “Weather and other workload will have an impact, but for yield and quality it’s important to get timing as correct as possible. The only leaf within the canopy not directly hit at early emergence will be leaf 2, but good product choice at T1 should ensure this shouldn’t become a major worry. “An additional spray at leaf 2 emerged – a T1.5 – is an option, but is likely to be of greatest benefit in high risk years when spray days are limited in any case. If there is a need to run through a high-risk variety to apply a herbicide or growth regulator at this stage then a protectant product could be added, but not if it compromises T2 timing. Focus instead on getting T2 timing right.” SDHIs have a lot to offer as partner products to triazoles, in terms of both enhancing their activity here and now, and protecting their efficacy over the longer term, says Mr Bean. But even the most X
An SDHI at T2 is now a must, but demands accurate timing Chris Bean 42 ARABLE MARCH 2015
“
FARMING
Proline275
Ignite
Imtrex
Vertisan
% of full label rate
Source: HGCA
The septoria message has to be to anticipate and not chase, says Chris Bean.
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Chemistry
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Atlantis is a registered trademark of Bayer. Atlantis WG contains mesosulfuron and iodosulfuron. Use plant protection products safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Pay attention to the risk indications and follow the safety precautions on the label. For further information, please visit www.bayercropscience.co.uk or call Bayer Assist on 0845 6092266 / 01223 226644. © Bayer CropScience Limited 2015.
AF March p41 42 44 45 46 Spring Spraying EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:27 Page 3
FEATURE SPRING SPRAYING Taking a protectant approach – key points rFor septoria control anticipate and do not chase, aim to protect and do not expect to cure rThere is a need for greater accuracy in terms of timing
Delaying the start of drilling in high-pressure areas from September 20 to October 10 can make a significant difference Melanie Wardle
“
expensive fungicide programmes will disappoint if not timed correctly, he says. “An SDHI at T2 is now a must, but demands accurate timing. This newer chemistry appears to deliver the best results when applied to a fully-emerged flag leaf, which again demands a robust approach at T1. While nothing offers the curative activity on septoria which the triazoles did back in the late 1990s, the SDHIs based on
Melanie Wardle
44
rAn SDHI at T2 is now a must, but demands accurate timing rNewer chemistry appears to deliver the best results when applied to a fullyemerged flag leaf, which deeither penthiopyrad [e.g. Vertisan, Treoris] or fluxapyroxad [Adexar] appear to be slightly more eradicant than those based on bixafen [Aviator] or isopyrazam [Seguris]. “Alongside timing, applying the correct rate is essential. Aside from being an anti-resistance measure, a robust rate will show an additional return on investment in extra yield. Trials consistently show increasing epoxiconazole rate from 0.5 litres/ hectare to 0.75 litres/ha delivers up to an additional 0.5 tonnes/ha, and an additional 0.3t/ha from a small increase in SDHI rate.” Varieties There is some scope in ensuring a farm’s spread of varieties contains differing septoria resistance scores, but a single point may not make much difference. “That said, some Group 4 wheats – Revelation, Relay, JB Diego – plus Skyfall in Group 1 looked cleaner than others last year. Prioritising spraying in order of variety scores is advisable,” says Mr Bean. With farmers in bad blackgrass areas being urged to delay drilling to give time for stale seedbeds to work properly, there is also an advantage to be gained here for septoria control, he notes. “Crops drilled by the end of the third week of September and the first week in October can be like chalk and cheese in disease development terms, with lush early
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
mands a robust approach at T1 rPrioritising spraying in order of variety scores is advisable, but a single point may not make much difference growth favouring development, especially of septoria. Early drilling may be fine for less-susceptible varieties in non-black-grass areas, but elsewhere delayed sowing can help give septoria less opportunity to gain a significant hold.” Melanie Wardle, of Keystone (isopyrazam + epoxiconazole) maker Syngenta, agrees that delayed drilling has a role to play as part of a multi-pronged septoria control strategy. “Cultural control is as important with septoria as it is with black-grass,” she says. “That is especially true if you’re in the more septoriaprone West, where mixed farms may also have a lot on at spraying time. “Delaying the start of drilling in high-pressure areas from September 20 to October 10 can make a significant difference. It can be done on more disease-prone parts of the farm as a management tool. But don’t over-inflate seed rates to compensate, as thick crops are more diseaseprone.” Like Mr Bean, she sees no likelihood of high pressure causing any widespread need for an additional application. “Product persistency and accuracy in meeting the standard timings is what matters.” Neil Paveley, crop protection lead at ADAS, also echoes the belief additional applications should, in the
rPlant breeders are working on greater septoria resistance rVariety resistance should be seen as another tool in the box, but it should not alter your spray programme
Neil Paveley
main, not be necessary with a well-timed programme, and are not the solution to declining triazole efficacy. But with increasing pesticide regulation, resistance development and the lack of a new broad-spectrum mode of action on the horizon, he says cereal growers must look at adjusting the way they approach their agronomy if the industry is to prolong the life of triazoles, and of SDHIs. Evolving “Cereal diseases are evolving and developing resistance much more quickly than, for example, the potato blight pathogen. That’s why it’s not simply a case of more frequent spraying, as with potatoes and blight, but more accurate and targeted spraying. “Fungicide resistance development, and the speed at which it occurs, is ultimately determined by on-farm treatment decisions. “Studies have shown not
AF March p41 42 44 45 46 Spring Spraying EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:29 Page 4
SPRING SPRAYING FEATURE only that adding mixture partners with different modes of action in a fungicide application has by far the biggest effect on decreasing the selection for resistance, but also that robust doses are key to limiting insensitivity development. “But it’s also essential to balance the mixture correctly to avoid increasing the selection pressure for resistance development to either group. Products with multi-site activity play a role here, particularly for early protection against septoria. “At the same time, varietal resistance forms a part of all of these, representing in itself an additional mode of action. Variety resistance makes the intensity of a spray programme less critical.” Greater septoria resistance alongside quality and yield traits is something plant breeders are working on, says John Miles, of KWS, citing the recent introduction of Group 2 type KWS Lili, which is rated 6 and has yield figures of 105% of controls. Limagrain’s Revelation and RAGT’s Skyfall, among others, also score 6, while the latter’s soft Group 4 Cougar, added to the 2015-16 Recommended List (RL), is the first on the RL to score a 7 for septoria tritici resistance. “But remember that, providing recommended fun-
John Miles
Variety resistance should be seen as another tool in the box, with a more resistant type a little like investing in a highercapacity sprayer John Miles
“
gicide programmes are followed, to both protect against resistance development and guard against the disease itself, then the investment will be returned, even on a relatively resistant variety,” he says. “Variety resistance should be seen as another tool in the box, with a more resistant type a little like investing in a higher-capacity sprayer. It shouldn’t alter your spray programme, but it can provide a level of risk management and greater flexibility, allowing weaker crops to be prioritised. “If your priority is to maximise yield and income – and yield has to remain top of the list when selecting varieties – then a more resistant variety shouldn’t be seen as a route to cutting input costs. Highscoring types still show a return on investment from a full fungicide programme, and with wheat prices as they are we’re in a time when small percentages count.” Growth habit Celia Bequain, head wheat breeder at RAGT, believes not only should Cougar’s inherent protection give farmers X
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AF March p41 42 44 45 46 Spring Spraying EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:31 Page 5
FEATURE SPRING SPRAYING
The decline in triazoles’ curative efficacy against septoria needs to be taken in context but growers should not rely on this chemistry, say experts.
Cereal diseases are evolving and developing resistance much more quickly than, for example, the potato blight pathogen Neil Paveley
“
Celia Bequain, head wheat breeder at RAGT, says Cougar’s inherent protection should give farmers some flexibility.
some flexibility, but its growth habit should also help them here, in that it does not tend to produce lush forward growth. She says: “Its growth habit means Cougar is flexible as regards sowing date. It gets off to
46
a good start, but is then a slow to intermediate developer. “The relatively small difference between its untreated and treated yields is of practical value and is an indicator of a degree of flexibility if fungicide timings are delayed by a day or
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
two because of poor weather or ground conditions.” RAGT breeders used DNA marker selection to obtain Cougar’s fungal and pest resistance traits, as well as its quality attributes, says Ms Bequain.
“Its parentage is Robigus and Tuscan, the latter being where the septoria resistance comes from. “New gene-marker technology helped us to quite quickly pinpoint the specific traits we were seeking.”
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AF March p48 49 50 51 52 HHP EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 14:18 Page 1
MACHINERY HHP TRACTORS
Growers are finding more and more applications for high horsepower rubber-tracked kit. Doing so extends their versatility and can also help to reduce costs. Geoff Ashcroft talks to users about their experiences.
Rubber tracks offer all-round solution teamwork
OVER 25% ARE EQUIPPED WITH TYRES FROM MITAS What makes a good partnership? Leading agricultural machinery producers know. Mitas is a long-time manufacturer and trusted European supplier to premium OEMs. Our reliability and our teamwork in tyre development and production has been proven by numerous supplier awards. We are proud of this and we will be working hard to make sure that this continues.
www.mitas-tyres.com
48
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
aking use of high horsepower rubbertracked machines beyond their traditional primary cultivations role is proving worthwhile for three farming businesses. For Rob Alexander, of A.J. Alexander and Son, Bush Green Farm, Diss, Norfolk, the flexibility of using his rubber-tracked John Deere on a wide variety of field duties is just too good an opportunity to overlook. While the 8360RT is frontline horsepower for Mr Alexander, where it handles sub-soiling, cultivating and drilling on the 950-hectare farming operation, the 360hp tractor has also been used to pull trailers during the sugar beet harvest. Mr Alexander says: “I was intrigued to see just how it might be able to handle a trailer. Field conditions were extremely challenging for our John Deere 6210Rs, and I thought, why struggle pulling out tractors and trailers when I have a 360hp rubbertracked machine in the shed doing nothing? “So we used it on a trailer to haul beet from the harvester and tipping on the headland ready to load lorries.”
M
Our RT is quite a versatile performer and it is proving a cost-effective tractor to own Rob Alexander
“
The 8360RT’s ability to handle fully laden 18-tonne Bailey Beeteapers with ease, in very soft and sticky conditions, convinced him choosing to use the big Deere was a logical move. “There’s no doubt it made beet harvesting much easier,” he says. “Though it did show how poor the tractor’s mudguards are. The front steps soon became plastered and the drive wheels flicked more than enough dirt up both sides of the cab, making it difficult to get the cab door open. “But it was extreme and we didn’t get stuck.” Away from trailer duties, the 8360RT clocks up about 850 hours each season as a result of a diverse rotation which includes vining peas, sugar beet and barley, in
AF March p48 49 50 51 52 HHP EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 14:19 Page 2
HHP TRACTORS MACHINERY
Rob Alexander was intrigued to see how his RT machine would handle a trailer.
addition to winter wheat and oilseed rape crops. Equipment for use with the RT includes a six-metre Vaderstad drill, 5m Topdown, five-leg sub-soiler, a Cultipress, Vaderstad Carrier and a Vaderstad NZ-A cultivator. The farm also has a 5+1 reversible plough, which can also be used on-land with the 8360RT if needed, and guided by RTK. Steady progress “We mostly plough with a 6210R and if it gets too tricky, we can drop the rear furrow off,” he says. “While the plough is a bit small for the crawler, we can make steady progress using low revs to hold back on power, so there is a useful fuel saving to be made while winter ploughing.” A John Deere 7310R has recently been ordered to replace one of the farm’s three 6201Rs. It will be able to share some of the 8360RT’s workload and maintains a flexible approach when it comes to tractor choices. With land spread around Bush Green Farm, road work is an essential part of field access – and
the 8360RT’s narrow overall width compared to dual wheels – means there is no need for an escort. “The tractor has a 40kph road speed, but its ride quality is a little compromised on the road,” he says. “Though when it comes to overall operator comfort, it is a huge improvement over the Challenger tractor we first used when we moved to tracks in 2003. “It was a brute of a tractor, noisy under load, but would pull like hell and proved to us tracks boosted productivity. “We swapped to the 8360RT in 2013 simply for operator comfort – there is no comparison. The rubber-tracked Deere offers the same level of comfort and finesse as our wheeled tractors. “Although tyre technology has closed the gap in recent years, particularly with larger diameter tyres offering a longer footprint, I don’t see a day when we will farm without a rubber-tracked tractor. “Our RT is quite a versatile performer and it is proving a cost-effective tractor to own. “I’m now looking for a secondhand 6m power harrow to X
teamwork
OVER 25% ARE EQUIPPED WITH TYRES FROM MITAS What makes a good partnership? Leading agricultural machinery producers know. Mitas is a long-time manufacturer and trusted European supplier to premium OEMs. Our reliability and our teamwork in tyre development and production has been proven by numerous supplier awards. We are proud of this and we will be working hard to make sure that this continues.
www.mitas-tyres.com
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
49
AF March p48 49 50 51 52 HHP EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 13:27 Page 3
MACHINERY HHP TRACTORS
While the 8360RT is frontline horsepower for the Alexanders, the 360hp tractor has also been used to pull trailers during the sugar beet harvest.
extend the RT’s repertoire, and it may even lead to a toolbar and a front tank so we can have a weather-proof drilling option too.” Worth Farms, at Holbeach Hurn, Lincolnshire, uses three Challenger MT765 tractors for frontline power. With a mix of B, C and now E generation MT765’s, the farm is focused on using wheeled tractors only for lighter duties and trailer work.
Simon Day is pleased with the versatility of his Challenger MT765 tractors.
50
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
Mixed cropping The business is farming about 2,000ha with a mix of cropping which includes 750ha of winter wheat, 250ha of potatoes, 220ha of sugar beet, 220ha of peas, 180ha of maize, 50ha of rye, 35ha of mustard and about 300ha let out to other growers for salad, vegetable crops and environmental stewardship options. Farm manager Simon Day says: “We have such a diverse rotation there are few months when our Challengers sit idle.”
The long footprint from each track means we can cross ruts comfortably with sub-soilers to allow surface water to get away Simon Day
“
As a result, the tractors will clock up anything from 1,000-1,500 hours per season, and will be on the fleet for about six to seven years. “Our tractors have to be versatile and they have to comfortably be on top of the job,” he says. “Timeliness and efficiency is important to ensure success with our rotation. “Our silt soils do slump, and our cropping means we have to
AF March p48 49 50 51 52 HHP EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:32 Page 4
HHP TRACTORS MACHINERY Inventory of kit JHaving three almost identical frontline tractors at Worth Farms means a sizeable inventory of kit is required. Each tractor has its own seven-furrow plough, and access to a variety of cultivations and drilling equipment. Such kit includes a 9m Preparator, AVR Miedema four-row potato planter, Simba Cultipress, seven-leg Tim Howard and Cousins sub-soilers, 4m Sumo Trio, 5m Vaderstad Topdown cultivator, 6m Vaderstad Rapid drill with system disc and a 4m power-harrow drill combination.
The Challenger MT765C has been fitted with two 100-litre saddle tanks to boost fuel capacity.
deal with deep ruts too. To restore soil condition and prepare seedbeds, rubber tracks give us the best all-round solution. “The long footprint from each track means we can cross ruts comfortably with sub-soilers to allow surface water to get away,” he explains. “And 24 hours later, we can plough and drill. You couldn’t do that quite so effortlessly with wheeled tractors.” With such a large potato area and one harvester, there is a requirement to lift crop at every available opportunity. It means the Challengers can be used to pull loaded trailers to the headland, using a workshop-built trailer hitch frame carried on the link arms. Another option “It just gives us another option to keep a smooth flow of crop coming into our grading line,” he says. “In such circumstances, wheeled tractors would be hopeless in the field.” The biggest drawback with earlier Challengers has been its small fuel tank. “Our local dealer fitted two 100-litre saddle tanks in the chassis of the MT765C to avoid having to refill with fuel at about 5pm each day,” he says. “It means an extra four hours or so of uninterrupted work, which is quite a boost to productivity when there’s no need for refuelling.” It is an issue addressed with Worths’ latest Challenger purchase – a sevencylinder, twin turbocharged MT765E packing a rated power output of 375hp, and a maximum power of 405hp. Its standard fuel tank offers a X
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p48 49 50 51 52 HHP EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 13:28 Page 5
MACHINERY HHP TRACTORS
When R. and L. Anthony’s Quadtrac is not handling cultivations, it is put to good use with a Reynolds scraper box to improve the local landscape.
more useful 773-litre capacity. It differs greatly from the other two MT765s and also has a Zuidberg front linkage, allowing a 1,500-litre fertiliser tank to be carried when potato planting. “We like to combine operations where possible, to improve efficiency,” he says. Looking for more versatility, Mr Day is also considering a front-mounted topper for the MT765E, though its lack of pto is something of a temporary stumbling block. “We mow green cover crops ahead of ploughing, which is a two-pass operation,” he says. “If I can successfully carry a 4m topper on the front of the Challenger, and a plough on the rear, we can streamline this to a one-pass operation.” Mr Day is also considering
52
building a front-mounted toolbar equipped with wheel track eradicator tines to scratch the surface where the tracks run, to guarantee more traction on greasy surfaces.
Good compromise “Twin tracks are a good compromise for what we want to achieve,” he says. “A Quadtrac would be kinder for headland turns, but it’s twice the weight of a 700series Challenger. So for cereal crops, we’ll continue to cultivate headlands to lift and smooth out any scuffing after the body of the field has been drilled.” Farmers Richard and Lyn Anthony operate a Quadtrac STX600 on their 1,200ha farm at Tythegston, Bridgend. Comprising a mix of |grassland and arable crops,
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
the south Wales Agrii Smart farm grows about 404ha of wheat, 280ha of maize, plus an area of oilseed rape and rye. When the farm’s Quadtrac isn’t taking care of mole ploughing or cultivating, it finds itself attached to a Reynolds scraper box on earthmoving duties. Mr Anthony says: “There’s a lot of farm ground which needs tidying up in the area. It could be severe dips in the landscape which are difficult to farm or soil erosion from slopes where there’s only a very thin layer of topsoil over rock. “With the scraper, we can easily move and replenish topsoil, or relocate sub-soil to fill low areas so we can carry out land reclamation which allows us to farm these
With 600hp, we have the muscle so we might as well use the tractor when it isn’t needed for cultivation work Richard Anthony
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difficult areas much more productively. “Using the Quadtrac and scraper is a lot faster and easier than using earthmoving kit, and importantly, it is a one-man job,” he says. “With 600hp, we have the muscle so we might as well use the tractor when it isn’t needed for cultivation work.”
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AF March p54 55 56 Lamma EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:33 Page 1
MACHINERY LAMMA 2015
In the concluding part of Arable Farming’s Lamma 2015 coverage, James Rickard, Jane Carley and Geoff Ashcroft look at some of the highlights. Pictures by Marcello Garbagnoli and John Eveson.
New arable equipment showcased at Lamma Agrifac Condor Endurance sprayer JDutch sprayer maker Agrifac used Lamma to show off its largest self-propelled sprayer, the 8,000-litre capacity Condor Endurance. Powered by a 320hp Volvo Penta engine, the Endurance is based on an all-new chassis which is said to be longer and stronger than the one used by
the previous flagship Condor, the 5,000-litre model. The Endurance can be fitted with a 1,000-litre/minute fast-fill pump, which is hydraulically raised and lowered beneath the cab floor. Expect boom widths of up to 52 metres and a price tag of about £300,000.
Fliegl spreader
Amazone TS
JAmazone has developed a narrow-bodied version of its ZA-TS fertiliser spreader to meet the demands of those faced with negotiating narrow lanes. With hopper capacities of 1,700 and 2,000 litres and the option of a 600-litre hopper extension, the narrower ZA-TS is said to offer all the sophistication of its larger stablemates, but without compromising on technology. Equipped with Click TS, Amazone’s mechanical adjustment system for border
spreading, the ZA-TS offers buyers the scope to down-spec where electronic
sophistication is not always required. The spreader is priced from £13,750.
JGerman trailer maker Fliegl has entered the rear-discharge muck spreader market with an ejector-bodied spreader. The hydraulically-operated ejector mechanism is said to be more reliable and more robust than traditional chain and slat floor designs. The range is available in 12, 14 and 20cu.m capacities, and with the addition of greedy boards, each model’s capacity can be boosted by a further 30%. Expect the 12cu.m model to be priced from £30,000.
Househam intelligent transmission improves fuel efficiency
JLooking to boost fuel efficiency on its Merlin range, Househam Sprayers has developed a hydrostatic transmission system which behaves like a tractor’s CVT gearbox. Called Househam Intelligent Transmission System (HITS), the innovative drive
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system uses electronic management to link the sprayer’s proportional pumps, motors and engine control together. Doing so has given the capability to vary engine speed according to load, rather than run the sprayer continuously at full throttle.
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
It means the sprayer’s road and field modes can benefit from Power, Normal and Economy modes, offering preset reduced engine revs when full power is not required. HITS is an £8,500 option on Merlin self-propelled sprayers.
AF March p54 55 56 Lamma EP TR_Layout 1 20/02/2015 09:34 Page 2
LAMMA 2015 MACHINERY
Meredith Engineering bogie system
Landquip 4536 Multidrive demount
JLandquip built its first demount sprayer for the Multidrive FC skid unit in response to a request from Scottish contractor Crop Services. The 4,500-litre capacity sprayer has been fitted with the customer’s existing 36-metre Pommier aluminium boom and features a 450 litres/minute pump and stainless steel pipework to apply
fertiliser at rates of up to 1,500 litres/hectare via umbrella jets. Spray application control is via the new Arag Delta 80 system, and the positioning of the tank gives a 50/50 weight distribution over both axles when full. The spray pack is fully demountable, allowing Crop Services to fit a lime spreader body to the Multidrive unit, and the price is from £58,000.
JIrish manufacturer Meredith Engineering has developed a bogie system for fertiliser spinners, based on farm experience. Models can be specified for spreaders up to the largest six-tonne capacity units, with options including tandem axles with flotation tyres, brakes and lighting systems. Ground pressure is reduced
and the spreader remains level as the hopper empties, maintaining spread pattern.
Finish Components include bronze bushings and 70mm heavyduty stub axles, while a shotblasted powder paint finish offers protection from abrasive fertiliser. Prices are from £3,200 to £6,450.
Perfect distribution technology With dribble bar systems from the market leaders: • Application widths from 6 to 36 m - up to 24 m for self-propelled vehicles • Totally flexible: apply liquid manure or digestate to all types of crops • Save on man-made fertiliser costs through accurate liquid manure or digestate spreading • Well-engineered components and many more advantages ...
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AF March p54 55 56 Lamma EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 13:33 Page 3
MACHINERY LAMMA 2015
Cultivating Solutions Genesis drill JContinuing its work in controlled traffic farming, with experience gained from its Rapidlift and RLM HD products, Cultivating Solutions has plans to launch its own drill, specifically designed with large working widths in mind. The modular design allows for working widths from eight metres up to 13.3m, with each module comprising a shallow working tine, two gangs of discs, paddles, single disc coul-
Sly Agri Strip Cat
ters, tyre packer and levelling tines. All elements of the module can vary its working depth, with the ability to do this automatically via the use of prescription maps.
Unlike most large drills, which either have to fold vertically or in a gull wing style for transport, Cultivating Solutions’ drill pivots through 90 degrees on the drawbar so it can be pulled from one end.
JSly Agri showed a new version of the Strip Cat strip till cultivator paired with a Kleine sugar beet drill for strip till drilling of beet. Benefits include reduced wind blow on sandy or fen soils, with the stubble protecting the emerging crop as well as the reduced cultivation costs. Sly Agri has 11 machines working in the UK, split between cultivations for maize, OSR and beet, and early customer reports include yields of 100 tonnes/hectare.
Vaderstad’s Carrier range design changes
JChanges to the design of Vaderstad’s Carrier range includes the use of larger diam-
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eter discs, with 510mm for L and 610mm for XL models. Key to the larger disc is the integra-
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
tion of a greater serration, to deal with higher volumes of trash. Available on 4.25-metre, 5.25m, 6.25m and 8.25m working widths, models can be equipped with hydraulic suspension and an accumulator on the transport axle to improve ride comfort. A revised hydraulic folding system now means the Carrier’s two halves fold vertically for transport. Prices start from £32,650 for the Carrier L 425.
This also means hopper size and shape is not compromised, allowing for a 6,000-litre capacity. To follow contours, each module is suspended giving 600mm of travel. Full availability is expected for 2016.
Opico HeVa combi
JDesigned so the depth of the tines and discs can be independently adjusted on the move, Opico launched a new three-metre mounted HeVa Combi-Disc cultivator. With the ability to subsoil, cultivate and consolidate all in one pass, the Combi-Disc is an evolution of two HeVa products – the Combi-Lift and the Disc Roller – both of which have been sold in the UK for nearly a decade and will still continue to be available separately. It comprises five hydraulic reset tines which subsoil to a 400mm depth. A large tine stagger aims to reduce soil ‘squeeze’ and power requirement, says the manufacturer. Discs Following the legs are two gangs of 510mm diameter discs cutting and mixing to a depth of 125mm. Finally, a 700mm V-profile press roller provides consolidation. The 3,600kg machine retails at £19,063 plus VAT.
**AF_03_P57_AF_03_P57 19/02/2015 14:08 Page 2
THE SIMBA X-PRESS Cultivate and consolidate at speed • High-speed shallow cultivations with effective consolidation • Two rows of Pro-Active discs with fully adjustable disc angling • Option of limited disc angling on 4.6m - 6.6m models • Easy front and rear disc depth adjustment • Rear DD roller leaves a fine weatherproof seedbed • Choice of 6 rear rollers including DD on models from 4.6m to 6.6m • Working widths from 2.5m to 10m • Models to suit tractors between 70 and 480hp
Tel: 01529 304654 www.greatplainsmfg.co.uk 1
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AF March p58 Workshop Tech TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:45 Page 1
WORKSHOP TECHNOLOGY
A seminar to explore the concept of a ‘connected farm’ through satellite communications revealed some key challenges faced by the agricultural sector. Geoff Ashcroft finds out more.
Joined up thinking required espite recent advances in precision farming hardware and software, there are major incompatibility issues which still need to be resolved if the full benefits of a ‘connected farm’ are to be realised.
D
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That was the message from a recent ‘connected farm workshop’ held by the Knowledge Transfer Network (KTN), which aimed to share communications technology and resources from industries including satellite, space and aviation, as it seeks to
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
A lack of compatibility across systems in proving a barrier to harnessing the potential offered by developments in communications technology.
develop a connected farm. Speaking at the event, Velcourt Farms’ technical director Keith Norman highlighted the challenges faced by the company’s 43 farm managers. “While we can see, and do enjoy, the benefits precision farming technology offers, there are still major compatibility issues which need to be resolved,” he said. These include incompatibility in control systems between tractors and machinery; incompatibility in file formats; black spots and a lack of 3G and GPS signal in rural areas; sporadic software updates which result in once joined up systems no longer working together; and combine yield data no longer consistent with harvester types. “There’s just not enough transparency and interaction between all those developing precision farming systems,” said Mr Norman. Clive Blacker, of the UKTi Agritech Team and Precision Decisions, believes there is not yet enough joined up thinking in the agricultural industry when it comes to precision farming packages. “It seems to be cheaper to put in alternative GPS systems rather than develop better compatibility,” he said. And while the industry had
made considerable gains with larger and more productive equipment, the level of data capture was being watered down, he suggested. “Where the industry was once yield mapping from a combine with a 15-18ft header, we’re now gathering data from 30-35ft widths, so the level of precision has actually deteriorated. This means fewer samples across a field, so the quality of data is much weaker than it was.” Developments such as individual nozzle control or variable rate applications across wide boom sections would be a step in the right direction. Moving forward KTN’s Paul Meakin was pleased with discussions which took place between different industries, despite the apparent concerns around ‘disconnection’. “At the moment, farmers are having to carry the costs of failing integration between systems,” he said. “Open standards are needed to allow better communication. “For the connected farm concept to move forward, industry priorities must include mobile communications, system accuracy and the standards being implemented.”
AF March p59 Hambly TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:46 Page 1
TALKING POLICY
MIKE Hambly
Mike Hambly farms in a family farming partnership near Callington in south east Cornwall. He is currently the chair of the NFU Combinable Crops Board and is the first Cornishman to hold the position.
Growers need access to mechanisms which allow them to manage their risk on fertiliser pricing
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Farm facts rFamily farming partnership, farming 200ha in south east Cornwall rArable and beef enterprises rArable cropping includes wheat, oilseed rape, barley, oats rFive year average rainfall is 1,407mm
y the time you read this many of you, like me, will have started your spring fertiliser programme. Fertiliser is a key input to our cropping success; I often consider nitrogen applications are the only input which actually increase yield. Everything else I apply – herbicides, fungicides, PGRs and insecticides – acts only to protect the potential and limit the downside. One thing we are all aware of is the price of fertiliser and the impact it has on our margins. Latest results from the Farm Business Survey for the South West show of all expenditure on inputs, 44.2% is spent on fertiliser for a winter wheat crop and 47.9% for rapeseed. With fertiliser accounting for 45% or more of variable input costs, the ability to plan purchases and the need for a transparent and competitive market is a critical factor in farm profitability. Fertiliser is a commodity, but unlike many other commodities, there does not appear to be any transparent price discovery mechanism in place. Last month I discussed the pressure from EU legislators to regulate agricultural commodity markets with MiFID on forward sales and purchases of grain. This is in sharp contrast to the apparent lack of willingness to disclose and publish prices for many farm inputs, including the biggest – nitrogen fertiliser. There are a number of regulations in place which act to protect fertiliser prices, often meaning we face higher prices. Anti-dumping is one such measure and DG Trade has held formal anti-dumping hearings on potash and liquid nitrogen in recent years, resulting in the abolition of duties on potash and UAN. However, when the issue of AN from Russia was considered last spring, the Commission decided to maintain tariffs, albeit at a slightly
B
reduced level, of €33-€47/tonne (£24-£34/t). This was largely because of the perceived advantage Russian producers had in access to cheap natural gas. The NFU lobbied, with other European partners, for the removal of the tariff; regrettably the timing of Mr Putin’s activities in Crimea did nothing to help our case. More encouraging is the recent news from China where taxes on the exports of both phosphate and urea have been relaxed, with some analysts predicting the initiative could cut US$35/t (£23/t) from the world market price of urea. Managing risk The NFU believes growers need access to mechanisms which allow them to manage their risk on fertiliser pricing. Forward prices for future deliveries are not readily available from EU manufacturers and yet we hear of such mechanisms being available to growers in Asia and USA. EU manufacturers have been clear they do not see any need for transparency in pricing for spot or futures prices. The NFU has asked AHDB to collate and publish data regularly on Chicago Fertiliser Swaps pricing, as they do for other commodity futures, and to publish a market analysis on information which could be available from private sources but is currently unaffordable for individual farmers. With many of these factors playing into the hands of manufacturers, it is encouraging the new DG Agri commissioner, Phil Hogan, is interested in the apparent lack of competition in fertiliser markets and plans to take the issue up with the EU Competition Commission. Let’s hope this is the start we need to give us access to a more competitive and transparent market for our key input.
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p60 61 Sugar beet TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:47 Page 1
TECHNICAL CONFERENCE
New projects on aphid monitoring and virus yellows control were among the research updates shared with sugar beet growers attending the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) conference at the East of England Showground. Heather Briggs reports.
Beet research focuses on doing more with less
ugar beet growers are having to do more with less and so the aim must be to be smarter and wiser through working with alternative strategies, said BBRO lead scientist Mark Stevens. To that end the BBRO is working closely with a number of partners, including Rothamsted Research, the British Society of Plant Breeders, NIAB, ADAS and the University of Nottingham. Current BBRO sugar beet research projects are grouped into four key areas: varieties, crop production, crop protection and harvest and storage, all underway with the aim of helping the industry increase yields. Dr Stevens underlined the importance of developing varieties for the future, with work already being done on development and improvement of sugar beet varieties,
S
Current beet projects are grouped into four areas: varieties, crop production, crop protection and harvest and storage.
with disease resistance forming an important part of the strategy. For example, development of partial resistance to rhizomania, which could potentially decrease yields by 70%, had been a major success. However, this may be shortlived as new strains capable of overcoming resistance have been identified, so new varieties able to withstand the disease need to be assessed. Another newly-commissioned piece of research is looking at the impact of the mangold fly and novel ways to control it. Early attacks by the pest are currently prevented thanks to neonicotinoid seed treatments, but two
We plan to develop varieties which have tolerance, if not partial resistance, to these viruses Dr Mark Stevens 60 ARABLE MARCH 2015
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FARMING
or three generations of the fly can occur in the year and later infestations can cause significant canopy damage, which results in a fall in sugars in the root.
Prediction “We are looking at ways to prevent later generations attacking the crop through the development of a method which will help predict the time the eggs will hatch so foliar insecticides can be used more effectively,” said Dr Stevens. Work is also being focused on sources of infection and reinfection by rust and mildew and the genetics behind these diseases. “What
we learn about them could influence fungicide use in the future,” said Dr Stevens. He went on to outline two new projects to be led by BBRO, worth more than £2.6 million over five years, which will develop real-time field monitoring systems and develop resistance to virus yellows. Virus yellows, transmitted by aphids, did not pose a particular problem last season, but this was mainly due to neonicotinoid seed treatments. Highlighting the danger of over-reliance on these, Dr Stevens said: “We plan to develop varieties which have tolerance, if not partial resistance, to these viruses.”
AF March p60 61 Sugar beet TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:47 Page 2
Recommended nitrogen application rates still apply
JCurrent recommended rates for nitrogen (N) application were still applicable, said Debbie Sparkes, associate professor in agronomy at the University of Nottingham, responding to circumstantial evidence suggesting high yielding sugar beet crops would benefit from more N. “The distribution of solar radiation is key to growth, and this peaks in June. Total dry matter, root dry matter and sugar are all produced from the light intercepted by the canopy, and as sugar beet is sown in March/April a lot of radiation is missed as the crop is still establishing. “Therefore, it is important to promote canopy expansion to maximise the leaf area index as quickly as possible –
CONFeReNCe TeCHNICal
and this is done by temperature and nitrogen. We can’t do anything about the temperature but we can apply nitrogen.”
Optimum Her recommendation, for mineral soils, was to apply N at 100-120kg/hectare early on to facilitate canopy expansion and hence maximise light interception. However, she emphasised, any further increase over the optimum rate of 120kg/ha did not bring any benefits. On the contrary, it caused a decline in the percentage of sugar in the root as the biomass was passed to the leaves, and trials showed applying N later for a delayed harvest made no impact on the crop.
Current recommended rates for N applications to sugar beet are still applicable, says Debbie Sparkes, of the University of Nottingham.
Dr Sparkes has also reviewed data differences in varieties according to harvesting dates, in response to questions from growers whether some varieties were more suited to late harvesting. She had found no trend or
indications of any change in variety ranking as harvest date was delayed, and rather than expanding variety trials to include late harvesting dates, BBRO levy would be better spent on other research priorities, she suggested.
GPS no longer an extra JWith precision farming becoming ever more normal practice for farmers in their quest to enhance efficiency, RTK Farming’s David White has found adopting the technology has led to better control over many aspects of crop establishment and applications to cereal and row crops. He told the BBRO winter conference the economics were plain to see; variable seed rates and variable fertiliser rates optimised performance and reduced expensive waste, in addition to saving valuable time. By going one step further and using geo-seeding overlapping and over-seeding could be prevented, he added. “Precision is now so great in tests the overlap was just 0.02 metres.
“If we reduce our impact on the soil by reducing tillage, the soil benefits, you save on cultivation costs and you still get good yields.” Strip-till trials carried out by RTK showed less energy was used in crop establishment, strategic nutrition placement kept fertiliser costs down and black-grass and weed beet control improved, as did moisture conservation. Damage Climate change has resulted in more heavy rainfall events causing run-off and potential loss of expensive herbicides and fertilisers. “One of the ways you can help to minimise damage is to drill crops into different patterns, particularly if you are on slopes,” he said, adding this was another advantage of geo-seeding.
MaRCH 2015 ARABLE FaRMING
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AF March p62 63 R in A TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:48 Page 1
TECHNICAL RESEARCH IN ACTION
Herbicide resistance in grass-weeds is well documented. Now new research is seeking to help limit resistance development in broad-leaved weeds. Andrew Blake finds out more.
Red explosion in trials is resistance warning he growing risk of uncontrollable infestations of poppies arising in cereal/ oilseed rape rotations has been highlighted during a HGCA and agrochemical companies-funded research project*. After only two years of a three-year programme of field trials, the build-up of poppies within a treatment receiving only acetolactate synthase (ALS) herbicide products was so great the treatment had to be abandoned. Project leader Lynn Tatnell, of ADAS, says: “It wasn’t a particularly unexpected surprise. The field chosen for the trials was within a three-year wheat/oilseed rape rotation on a peaty soil which was known to have a herbicide-resistant population. “But it does show it’s extremely difficult to manage a high seed bank of resistant poppies in fields because the seed return each year is so vast, and
T
A research project aims to prevent a wide-scale rise in ALS-resistant broad-leaved weeds, including common poppy.
the seed’s longevity is very high. Each plant can produce more than 10,000 seeds and the seed can remain viable in the soil for decades – often at least 30 years. “Resistance in poppy has already been found in the UK and is common in other EU countries, for example Italy and Spain. There’s a high risk ALS
Research project *HGCA research project 3788 rPreventing a wide-scale increase in ALS resistant broad-leaved weeds through effective management in a cereal/oilseed rotation rOctober 2012– September 2016 (extended by one year to fit in with field site change)
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rTotal cost: £187,500 (HGCA investment £120,000) rBalance of funding split evenly by steering group members: BASF, DuPont and Dow AgroSciences rLeading research organisation: ADAS rActing consultant: Stephen Moss of Rothamsted Research
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
resistance in broad-leaved weeds will increase in the UK, but the number of confirmed cases in the UK is still low.”
Limited choice Loss of herbicides under recent EU pesticide legislation has led to limited choice across arable rotations, many relying heavily on ALS products, she adds. “The problem is no new herbicide modes of action are on the horizon, choices are limited.” The current project, which began in October 2012, aims to develop practical solutions to prevent a wide-scale increase in ALS-resistant broad-leaved weeds, including common poppy (Papaver rhoeas), through effective management in such rotations, she explains. “We hope the results will help to keep herbicides available by demonstrating strategies to retain their efficacy and by giving
Lynn Tatnell
evidence of their value in resistance management.” A key part of the project is to make more people aware of the risk of resistance, she adds. “We want to provide agronomists, farmers and regulators with guidelines for use in resistance management strategies.” The work consists of both field- and container-based experiments using four herbicide treatments focusing on principles, i.e. selection pressure, rather than specific products, namely:
AF March p62 63 R in A TR EP_Layout 1 20/02/2015 11:48 Page 2
RESEARCH IN ACTION TECHNICAL Poppies research is welcomed by NIABTAG JNIABTAG’s weed biology specialist John Cussans welcomes the poppies research. “This is a timely project to really focus our minds on an emerging threat,” he says. “I think Lynn is right to point to the real difficulties they have in countries like Spain with resistant populations of this species as it highlights the potential threat. “I also suspect the problem is more widespread than the number of confirmed UK cases – 40 farms across nine counties so far. “NIABTAG members are reporting growing problems with poppy control and an increased number of specific situations where an application of an ALS inhibiting herbicide has failed. “We’re talking about herbicides such as Ally Max (metsulfuron-methyl), Harmony Max (thifensulfuron-methyl), Calibre Max (tribenuron), and Titus (rimsulfuron) which are often referred to as sulfonylureas or SUs.” However, even these herbicideresistant poppies are still controllable, stresses Mr Cussans. ■ Untreated control ■ ALS alone (high risk – not to be recommended) ■ An ALS + non-ALS mixture (moderate risk) ■ A non-ALS treatment (low/no risk) “The treatments are repeated each year on the same plots, and the products are selected each year depending on the crop, to push the resistance risk; and the poppy seeds are collected and stored for further testing at the end of each year.” The container experiments include three different poppy populations tested against the same herbicide treatments as in the field trial over a three-year period to assess how quickly resistance builds. “The key and encouraging message to date is even though we have a known highly ALS-resistant poppy population in the field we can still manage it using nonALS modes of action. In this case they include products based on pendimethalin, metazachlor and MCPA. “ALS resistance is still at a low level in the UK, but the risk of resistance increasing is extremely high.”
“In the UK resistance isn’t yet leading to uncontrollable populations or even to some as hard to tackle as a highly resistant black-grass. “Lynn’s work demonstrates as soon as you introduce an effective non-ALS herbicide component you can still achieve effective control.” For oilseed rape there are plenty of non-ALS options such as metazachlorbased herbicides, including formulations with quinmerac to improve consistency of control, he notes. “And there are newly-commercialised herbicides
from Dow containing aminopyralid.” The widespread use of SUs in cereals poses a slightly greater challenge, he accepts. “However, there are clearly effective alternatives such as preemergence pendimethalin and springapplied ioxynil, bromoxynil, MCPA and 2-4D, although some of these options can be more challenging to deploy effectively. “What this project highlights is the need to maintain our options by retaining older products like MCPA and 2-4D, and to stay vigilant to the onset of the problem on individual farms.”
MARCH 2015 ARABLE FARMING
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AF March p64 Basis EP TR_Layout 1 19/02/2015 15:21 Page 1
BASIS NEWS
BASIS news
The latest news for BASIS and FACTS-qualified farmers and advisers.
Young farmer wins Best Farmer of the Year award
JBASIS graduate and selfemployed livestock farmer James Hamilton has won the BASIS ‘Best Farmer of the Year’ award, sponsored by Bayer CropScience UK. Mr Hamilton was chosen from a pool of candidates who had completed the BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection last year. He won an all-expenses paid trip to this year’s Oxford Farming Conference (OFC), courtesy of Bayer CropScience. Mr Hamilton runs a farm of 200 commercial ewes, along with pedigree and performance-recorded flocks of Suffolk and Charollais sheep. He also works for Red Tractor Farm Assurance auditing company SAI Global. On a day-to-day basis, as
James Hamilton
well as managing the sheep flock, Mr Hamilton spends his time looking after the grassland, spreading fertiliser, spraying, and re-seeding the grassland and fodder crops, as well as hay and silagemaking. He turned to the BASIS Certificate in Crop Protection in order to deepen his understanding of arable farming and expand his career opportunities. He says: “As most of my farming experience has been with livestock I wanted to improve my knowledge and understanding of growing arable crops, while gaining a formal qualification. My ambition for the future is to take on a farm tenancy of my own and completion of the course has allowed me to become better qualified and to improve my credentials.” Mr Hamilton believes the course has made him a more confident and accomplished
I wanted to improve my knowledge and understanding of growing arable crops, while gaining a formal qualification James Hamilton 64 ARABLE MARCH 2015
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FARMING
farmer, and given him a better understanding of the daily crop protection jobs he does on-farm. This includes product selection, timing of application and the knock-on effects these have on achieving good results. He says: “I feel more confident about making decisions on-farm, not only when using plant protection products, but also when their use is less appropriate, for instance when using cultural controls might be more effective.” Eye-opener Mr Hamilton says his visit to the OFC taught him a ‘onesize fits all’ solution to farming does not work. He says: “The OFC was a real eye-opener. One of the most important things I’ll take away is farming is completely individual and you need to find a suitable system for your business.” The certificate has opened new windows of opportunity for Mr Hamilton and given him the chance to expand his career further. He will shortly be carrying out Combinable Crops audits for Red Tractor and, once he has completed the FACTS certificate (he is currently awaiting the results) he will be able to carry out Produce Audits, which will involve auditing growers of fresh produce such as
potatoes, apples and pears. Mr Hamilton believes studying for a Certificate in Crop Protection is extremely valuable, especially for young farmers like himself, who have less experience in the arable industry. He says: “If and when I start growing arable crops I think the knowledge I’ve gained will help me to understand and challenge the agronomists’ decisionmaking, to ensure my crops receive the most appropriate, efficient and cost-effective programmes.” With the arable farming industry demanding potential employees have BASIS and FACTS qualifications, Mr Hamilton believes the need to become qualified is beginning to be paramount in order to succeed. Completing the course has helped him to get closer to his goal of taking on a farm tenancy and given him a set of skills to help him further his career. He says: “BASIS has helped me increase my practical skills, made me a more wellrounded farmer, and vastly improved my credentials to prospective landlords. Essentially it has given me vital skills and knowledge to make me stand out from the crowd, and the step up which I need to succeed.”
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