Arable Farming November / December 2022

Keep up-to-date with the latest in arable technology

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Ialways get a buzz putting Arable Farming’s November / December issue together. Since the launch in 2013 of The CropTec Show, one of the events in the Agriconnect portfolio alongside this magazine, this issue has contained an event preview and a focus on all things ‘agrotechnological’.

So, if, like me, you are inquisitive as to the poten tial technology can offer on-farm and are in equal part inspired by the willingness of UK farmers to explore that potential, then I’m sure you will find plenty of interest in the pages that follow.

It now seems almost unbelievable that just a few years ago, the idea of robots working in broadacre crops on UK arable farms was a concept – some thing that a handful of agri-tech nerds were enthusi astically working on – but few truly expected to become a reality any time soon. How quickly times can change. In this issue we hear from four farm businesses across the UK who are already deploying robots in their farming operations (p54-58, p62-63)

Development

None are claiming the machines they are using provide a silver bullet; the message from the farmers involved is very much one of a need for testing and development under the conditions particular to their soils and cropping, but that is what will make the robots fit for purpose.

And in our research institutions, developments in robotics continue apace, driven by rising costs and the increasingly global challenge of finding a work force for agriculture as more of us move into cities.

In the UK, the pioneering ‘Hands Free’ technology is close to being ready for commercial use (p59-61), while in Scotland a brand new National Robotarium opened this autumn, with its agri-tech expert, Prof

Fernando Auat Cheein, focused on engaging directly with the farming industry (p42-43).

But if you are finding all this tech talk somewhat overwhelming, I recommend you turn to p10-11 and get acquainted with our new Talking Arable columnist, Herefordshire farmer Rob Beaumont, who is well into a regenerative farming ‘adventure’.

Having spent my entire farming career based in the East Midlands and East Anglia, I am certainly looking forward to hearing more about his experiences with strip-till, integrated pest management and reducing pesticide use from a more westerly perspective.

Which leaves me finally to remind you that CropTec takes place at the East of England Show ground on November 23-24. I hope to see you there.

Arable Farming, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire PR2 9NZ

Origination by Farmers Guardian, Unit 4, Fulwood Business Park, Caxton Road, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 9NZ.

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South Africa sets sights becoming global potato

An abundance of farmland, year-round growing conditions, an increasing population at home and in neighbouring countries, good quality seed and high yields all mean South Africa is in a good position to meet the growing global demand for potatoes and potato products.

South Africa produces around 2.5 million tonnes of potatoes a year, with average yields, according to Potatoes SA, at just under 50t/ hectare, putting it on a par with western European countries, the USA and New Zealand.

Eighty per cent of the country’s 121.3m hectares can be farmed, with arable land making up 10%, or 12m ha. So, despite being the country’s largest vegetable crop, potatoes still only make up less than 1% of its arable land. However, the sector accounted for 3% of South Africa’s agricultural output by value in 2020/21 at ZAR9.82 billion (£490 million).

At the heart of the country’s potato industry is a well-developed seed system. In 2021, 10,338ha of registered seed was planted producing 170,000t of certified seed. As well as supplying its own growers, almost 20,000t of South African seed potatoes were exported in 2021, up 88% on the year.

The country’s seed industry was described at its national potato conference as world-class by Dr Nigel Crump, head of the Australian Seed Potato Industry Certification Authority and

WILLIE JACOBS

leader of the organising committee for the 2024 World Potato Congress in Adelaide, Australia.

He said: “South Africa has a well-established seed certification and regulation system, backed up by well-resourced, knowledgeable inspectors and modern technology. Access to skilled labour means there is a greater ability to physically check seed than in other countries. The country’s willingness to interact with seed growers in other countries is also very important.”

Stores

Easy Greens is a seed supplier based near the country’s capital, Pretoria. On a visit, director Johan Erasmus explained that it worked with growers across the country planting 1,500ha of potatoes a year.

Much of that supply comes to the Pretoria facility, where it is processed, packed and stored in temperature-controlled stores. Those stores are rare in the country with most non-seed crops sold straight to market.

The ability to produce potatoes in different conditions is vital in South Africa. Potatoes are being lifted somewhere in the country almost every day of the year. Limpopo in the north east accounted for 22% of the national area in 2021. Its average daily high is 26degC, making it warmer than other regions. Rainfall averages less than 600mm a year, although that is wetter than East Anglia in the last year. Other regions are even drier, although there is little potato production in the wetter southern maritime provinces. Irrigation is important, with more than 80% of the potato land watered.

Fresh table potato sales still dominate the market. In 2021, 1.08mt were sold in South Africa’s fresh produce markets, with 1.02mt marketed directly to buyers. As recently as 2017, markets accounted for 60% of fresh sales.

A visit to the Johannesburg market, the largest in Africa, showed that despite going cashless a few years ago, the system still operates on traditional lines. Suppliers bring in produce six days a week before the market opens at 6am, when buyers – of-

ten those buying a small number of 10kg bags for sale in the local informal market – arrive. Sales are controlled by agents who take a commission, and a proportion goes to the market.

Daily market prices mean the price can be volatile, largely based on supply. The lowest national average price per 10kg bag this year was ZAR28 (£1.40) in January when national supply was regularly above 10,000t a day. That contrasts with a high of ZAR58 (£2.90) in the middle of April when supply was as low as 4,500t/day. Last year saw prices peaking at ZAR90 (£4.50) in September when there were shortages.

The increase in direct selling and supermarket sales has presented opportunities to packer Farmwise Marketing. It sells 16,000t direct from farm to customers, 34,000t as pre-pack for retailers and 2,000t for processing. More than 400 people are employed by the company.

Close contacts with trusted growers mean production meets international standards, including Global Gap, with programmes to improve agronomy. It has also led

Cedric Porter reports from South Africa’s national potato conference.

We can expect South African potato production will play a pivotal role in feeding Africa in the future

Daily market prices at Johannesburg market are largely based on supply, which means prices can be very volatile.

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to supplies being trucked to the plant at Centurion, near Pretoria, in 450kg plastic crates, rather than traditional 10kg bags, saving time and resources.

Along with the rest of the world, South Africa is experiencing an energy crisis, which is not just manifesting itself in higher costs, but also in lack of supply. It operates a system called loadshedding, which is the planned shutting down of electricity for a period most days.

This means there is a need for generators to keep operations going. In the case of Farmwise, this has meant using 1,000 litres of

diesel a day to make up for electricity shortfalls. Under-investment in electricity generation is blamed for the problem. Coal still accounts for 80% of power generation, but the crisis is spurring investment in renewables, especially solar.

Pressure on supplies of potatoes from Europe and North America and continued global demand for potatoes and potato products should present opportunities for South Africa’s industry in the short and longer terms. If the country were to plant the 66,000ha it did in 1991 its production could be 3.3 million tonnes – up 27% on current output.

Demand for potatoes in South Africa will continue to grow, even without increased consumption per person if UN population predictions are correct. The average South African eats 33kg

of potatoes/head/year, according to the UN FAO.

Population growth means the supply of potatoes will need to increase by 10.1% between 2020 and 2030 if demand per person remains steady. The increase from 2020 to 2050 will be 25.5%.

Consumption

Across Africa, production will have to increase by 25.9% by 2030 and 83.4% by 2050 if the rate of consumption is to be maintained. That contrasts with a decline in demand if current consumption rates are maintained in much of Europe, Japan and China as their populations decline.

South Africa is already an established potato supplier to its neighbours. In the year to July 2022, it exported 146,440t of fresh potatoes, with 60% going to Mozambique. There were

negligible imports. More than 300,000t of potatoes a year are processed in South Africa, with McCain operating a French fry plant and Pepsico a crisping plant for products sold under the Frito-Lay or local Simba brands, with other smaller crisping companies also operating.

Looking to the future of South African potatoes, Willie Jacobs, chief executive of Potatoes SA, said: “Technology was historically the key to unlocking growth and advancement in times where economic or social events threatened stagnation.

“We are now at the cusp of such technological expansion in farming and SA farmers will jump at these opportunities.

“So, we can expect that South African potato production will play a pivotal role in feeding Africa in the future.”

Population

Mycotoxins at low levels

JDON and ZON mycotoxin levels in the 2022 UK wheat crop are some of the lowest recorded, with the result that mycotoxins are ‘very unlikely’ to be a compliance risk for mills sourcing from a range of farms and blending wheat this season.

That is according to UK Flour Millers (UKFM), which has released results of its harvest mycotoxin survey conducted with the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC).

The survey gathered seven weeks of new crop testing data from UKFM and AIC member companies.

However, members have reported a high prevalence of ergot sclerotia in loads arriving at mills, with some sites rejecting multiple loads a day for this issue, says UKFM.

Ergot presence in loads arriving at mills will be surveyed to help the industry understand the scale of the issue this season, as well as help identify any regions of higher ergot risk.

act as FBTs outstrip AHAs

JFarm Business Tenancies (FBTs) now cover more agricultural land in England than Agricultural Holdings Act (AHA) agreements, official figures have revealed.

The Agricultural Land Use in England study revealed that FBTs account for 52% of all land let, with AHAs making up 48%.

Statistics also showed that the total area of land in the tenanted sector has fallen by 6% since 2018, with not all the expected loss of land from AHAs being re-let as FBTs.

This is further evidence of the extent to which the sector is now contracting as landlords seek to position themselves for alternative land uses outside of agriculture.

Winter bean seed supply secured

Winter bean seed supplies in Great Britain have been secured following a successful derogation bid led by the Agricultural Industries Confederation (AIC).

The exceptionally hot and dry conditions throughout this summer have taken a toll on germination rates, risking a depleted quantity of winter bean seed available for the 2022 drilling campaign.

Working on behalf of Britain’s certified seed sector, the AIC liaised with the industry, gathered evidence and applied to Defra and devolved partners for a temporary derogation covering England, Scotland and Wales.

The derogation, which was approved on October 17,

Defra has granted a derogation for a limited quantity of winter bean seed to be sold with a germination rate of no less than 70%.

allows for a limited quantity of winter bean seed to be sold with a germination rate of no less than 70%.

Certainty

Rose Riby, AIC arable and seed sector head, who spearheaded the derogation request, says: “This is good news for the

Farmland markets peak

JFarmland is continuing to be seen as a safe haven during turbulent economic times, with prices peaking in the third quarter of 2022.

According to the Knight Frank Farmland Index, prices for bare agricultural land rose 1% to about

£20,500/hectare in Q3, taking annual growth to 13%.

It means the average value of farmland is now back almost exactly to the peak seen in autumn 2015.

Against a backdrop of mounting global economic uncertainty,

certified seed industry and gives some much-needed certainty for British growers.

“At a time when the global supply of food and commodities can be incredibly volatile, AIC has worked to get this derogation and mitigate the potential for significant disruption to bean seed supply.”

exacerbated in the UK by the Government’s badly received mini-budget at the end of September, farmland outperformed all the other asset classes tracked by Knight Frank during the past three months, with only gold performing better over the last 12 months.

Farmland is traditionally seen as a ‘safe-haven’ in economic uncertainty, acting as a potential hedge against inflation, supported by ongoing demand from tax and environmentally driven buyers.

Andrew Shirley, head of rural research at Knight Frank, says: “Given the continued imbalance between supply and demand, which shows little sign of unwinding, I predict we will still see farmland values hit a new high, albeit by a small margin, by the end of the year.”

Drought conditions to last into 2023 for English regions

JAverage rainfall levels over winter will not be sufficient to avoid drought or drought conditions next year, the National Drought Group has advised.

Despite average rainfall in September, the first month for six months to see average figures, drought conditions remain.

This is down to soils remaining drier than usual and reservoir stocks continuing to decrease as monitored and reported by the Environment Agency.

Water companies are expecting

water resources to be in ‘recovering’ or ‘normal’ condition by spring 2023, if rainfall is at average levels.

Below average

However, if rainfall falls below average, parts of England may remain in drought conditions beyond spring 2023, including parts of the South West, South East, East, Yorkshire, and East Midlands.

According to AHDB, autumn and winter rainfall forecasts are reportedly looking to be dry.

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The Met Office reports that high pressure looks set to dominate through November and December.

Low soil moisture is a concern for farmers and dry conditions have led to reduced water availability this year.

Should there be below average rainfall this winter, winter refill of farm storage reservoirs might be constrained, suggests the National Drought Group, which is set to meet again later this autumn to discuss the latest update on conditions and if further actions are needed.

Long-lasting impact of war

JUkrainian growers are switching from grain to oilseeds with margins under pressure and the impact of the war expected to change the dynamics of Ukrainian agriculture for years to come. That was the message from Roman Slaston, of the Ukrainian Agribusiness Club, speaking at an AHDB webinar on the impact of the war.

Ukraine harvested 25% less grain in 2022, with below average maize yields and farmers also hit by high drying prices due to high gas prices and lack of storage capacity.

Looking to the future, western and central parts of Ukraine were expected to suffer financially as a result of reduced yields, but would recover within one to two years.

However, in northern and eastern areas, the impact would be longer because infrastructure, machines and fields had been destroyed.

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ROB Beaumont

Rob farms on the Worcestershire/Herefordshire border with his parents and young family, growing combinable and forage crops on a mix of owned, tenanted and contracted land. He is also an agronomist for Edaphos and an AHDB Monitor Farm host.

As I sit and write my first column for Arable Farming, the news is on in the background. The headline article is the looming nuclear winter, the final piece, Eurovision

In the words of some bloke we used to listen to in the back of our old Ford Escort – we didn’t start the fire. But it would be nice if someone would stop putting fuel on it.

Last month was our local ploughing match. It’s an important weekend for our family as my wife helps steward the cooking and home craft section. I always imagine it to be something of a passive-aggressive Bake Off. Rivalries among the entrants are fierce and there is a plot line or two that would be ripe for a BBC Radio 4 lunchtime drama.

pilgrimage to Bedfordshire we are greeted with one buried on its end. This totem to progress reminds me of the ‘End of History’ thesis that dominated western thinking at the end of the Cold War. The idea being, that western liberal capitalism had ‘won’ and the trajectory of all humanity would be certain to follow our model. Ideological wars between nation states would be a thing of the past. Yet here we are in 2022. How wrong that was.

Cultivation

ROB BEAUMONT

Farm facts

rFamily farm covering 200 hectares of mainly silty/clay loams, growing combinable and forage crops

rRob is BASIS and FACTS qualified, having also received a post graduate diploma in sustainable agriculture from Harper Adams

rCurrently in the third year of strip till establishment

rFarming operation is focused on reducing inputs and maintaining profitability

rRob is using cover crops and organic manures to build fertility

rUsing integrated pest management practices to reduce pesticide usage

In the field, the tractors and horses quietly sail up and down their plots. Turning the ground up to expose the oxide-red soil which characterises the silty clay loams of our corner of England. I have every respect for the skills displayed by these ploughmen/women. I once had a go and came dead last. This probably planted the seed of my adventures into strip-till.

I know the plough has become something of a villain these days; on our annual summer

While there are plenty of merits to reducing cultivation, many farms still have some way to go, says Rob Beaumont.

Now I fully understand the merits and reason behind reducing cultivation of the soil. I strip-till my own farm and many of my agronomy clients are at various stages of the no-till journey. It can and it does work.

But there is an uncomfortable truth on our journey away from inversion tillage and that is our reliance on one chemical molecule, glyphosate. Without it we are in big trouble. There are ever louder calls for it to be removed from use. Should public opinion shift, you can be sure those who govern us would have no qualms in taking it away. Oh, and don’t think they’d ban imports that use it. There would be lots of cheap 12-metre red drills

There is an uncomfortable truth on our journey away from inversion tillage and that is our reliance on glyphosate. Without it we are in big trouble

around for one thing. Now, I’m not saying it would be impossible without it, where there’s a will there’s a way, but it would require significant changes in farming businesses. Got black-grass? Forget winter wheat.

At a meeting recently, a farmer whose opinion I always value said ‘I don’t like regenera tive agriculture. All it is, is

farming the way our grandpar ents did it. That doesn’t seem like going forward to me’.

Well, it may come back to that. I don’t think we’ve reached the end of history. Keep those mouldboards oiled and in the shed. You never know.

Finally, as the autumn rolls on and we get into winter, across the country AHDB will be running local Cereals and Oilseeds Monitor Farm meetings. These are free to attend and refreshments are normally provided. They are a fantastic way to meet like-mind ed farmers and listen to some interesting speakers from across the industry. And for once, no-one will be trying to sell you anything. All the details can be found on the AHDB website.

Your levy fee does more than just provide Recommended Lists, so if you want to see what your money is being spent on, come and get involved. After all, what could be better than free coffee and cake in the warm on a wet winter day?

OLLIEMartin

Ollie Martin is responsible for the arable and grain business enterprise across Bedfordia Farms’ 2,450-hectare operation, with 27,000 tonnes of grain storage, near Bedford. He studied agribusiness management at Writtle University College and has had previous farm management roles in Norfolk, Hertfordshire and Fife.

As we enter November, I am reliably informed by our agronomist that in north Bedfordshire, we have so far had barely more than 50% of our average total annual rainfall.

Put another way, we would need in excess of an inch of rain per week every week for the rest of the year to bring us up to average annual rainfall, whatever ‘average’ is these days. Don’t rule it out.

While the oilseed rape and the newly sown AB15 legume fallow are struggling on in the dry soils, the lack of precipitation has at least allowed us to press on, almost uninterrupted, with autumn sowing with 1,450 hectares of Group 1 wheat and 150ha of beans sown into surprisingly good seedbeds on the whole.

In hindsight, I could have delayed drilling by another week with black-grass in mind, but I was convinced the weather was going to break. I mean how long can it last?

Pre-emergence herbicides have been broadly based around diflufenican + flufenacet and prosulfocarb with high pressure situations receiving a cinmethylin-based approach.

Ryegrass

With pendimethalin being somewhat disproportionately expensive, it has been reserved for situations where ryegrass control is priority number one. Speaking of ryegrass, where we have established wheat after two years of AB15 we have discovered that the weed seedbank has, understandably, exploded.

OLLIE MARTIN

Farm facts

rBedfordia Farms has more than 2,400 hectares of combinable crops including wheat, barley and beans

rThe business also provides grain testing in its on-site lab and has 27,000 tonnes of grain storage and processing capacity

rThere are 27 soil types across the farms, but most of the land consists of Hanslope clay, Faulkbourne and Stretham, which are classified as chalky clay, becoming waterlogged in winter

rThe farm utilises a number of precision technologies and has two pig units totalling 1,100 breeding sows

Unusually perhaps, the rolls, pre-emergence herbicide and Avadex (triallate) applications have managed to keep up in a timely fashion and, whether through good management or good luck, I can’t help but feel it has all gone rather well. No doubt we will be undone by something I failed to predict at some stage.

The lengths we will have to go to in order to control the ryegrass in particular will surely negate any good done over the previous two years, particularly with regards to soil structure and carbon sequestered.

The OSR ranges from good to bad to redrilled with wheat. We do appear to have made it past the feeding

The lengths we will have to go to in order to control the ryegrass in particular will surely negate any good done over the previous two years

The lack of rain allowed for an almost uninterrupted drilling campaign.

of the adult cabbage stem flea beetle without losing a significant area.

What damage will follow once the larvae start munching on the late sown, backward-looking crops remains to be seen, but I will be holding on to a few tonnes of Skyfall wheat seed as a plan B to be actioned before too much has been invested.

We may have been better to sow in mid-August (as opposed to early September) after all. Many of those who were brave enough to sow in the dry conditions were lucky enough to catch a shower or two to get it going and waiting until September did nothing to help us avoid the flea beetle.

We are just about on top of the slug situation, having made three applications of 7kg/ha of ferric phosphate. Most plants are just about big enough to withstand a small degree of grazing now.

The whole OSR area has had an application of Centurion Max (clethodim) and additionally the worst black-grass fields received Crawler (carbetamide) at 3kg/ha for the final time –another one bites the dust.

Judging the potential of this crop is going to be key when making agronomic decisions with input prices as they are, a return on investment needs to be realised. At this stage I expect to be at least 0.5t/ha down on harvest 2022.

At the time of writing, we have just ‘welcomed’ our fourth Chancellor in as many months, Liz Truss would appear to be on thin ice as Prime Minister and frankly who knows who will be ‘running’ the country by the time this goes to print.

While the politicians busy themselves in-fighting and plotting the next leadership toppling, they might do well to remember that farm businesses, like most other industries who really keep this country running, could really do with long-term stability if we are to be able to plan for the already challenging times ahead.

INTELLIGENT SEED BREEDING FOR FORWARD THINKING FARMERS.

This season’s OSR ranges from good to bad, to redrilled with wheat.

GREG

Cereal drilling this autumn has been almost as trouble-free as this summer’s harvesting was. Even the heaviest drills have been running well, clocking up the acres more rapidly and with less diesel, delays and ‘de-bunging’ than ever.

Soil structures and seedbeds have been good too, as have both rolling and pre-em spraying conditions. So, we should have all our wheat nicely drilled up well before you read this.

The major fly in the ointment though, has been the lack of moisture across most of our patch. While this has allowed us to get plenty of organic matter applied with minimal trafficking and made cereal drilling a real pleasure, it has dealt a serious blow to our oilseed rape and cover cropping hopes.

Agronomist facts

JGreg Taylor has been an Agrii agronomist for more than a decade, servicing around 6,000 hectares of mainly combinable cropping across a broad range of soil types in Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and Buckinghamshire.

As a Harper Adams graduate, he has worked on farms in New Zealand and the USA, and is now responsible for the trials and demonstration work on the Brackley i-Farm.

He is particularly engaged with direct drilling, soil improvement and regenerative agriculture and is an ardent rugby fan and marathon runner in his spare time.

We were all set to increase our OSR area by a good 20% this season. However, the dry August meant we only drilled about the same area as last year. And, we have already lost around 20% of this, with a lot more struggling as daylight hours and temperatures diminish.

Although staying mercifully low, flea beetle populations have proved too much for many crops that had nowhere near enough September moisture to get away as strongly as they needed to.

Providing the ‘small print’ does not get in the way, breeders’ crop establishment schemes will prove especially valuable this time around. As will our policy of holding off on as much early spend as possible.

Black-grass

On the bright side, where we have not got our planned OSR in or have written it off, the ground has had enough movement to flush a decent amount of black-grass ahead of the second wheat or winter beans we are putting in instead.

With barley volunteers so competitive, we have not held back on early graminicides for any rape with a decent chance of making it. Equally, we have been looking to our favourite biostimulant, Nutri-Phite PGA and extra trace elements to help surviving crops along.

Our big dilemma here has been the clethodim. It has been a tricky balance between taking out the black-grass before it becomes too competitive and giving sufficient support to our propyzamide programme without adding to the stress our crops have so clearly been under.

Conditions have been really challenging

for our cover crops ahead of spring barley too. Stubble turnips for sheep grazing have been a disaster and, with the possible exception of their cereal components, other covers are looking very thin and patchy.

At least they should give us space to target any black-grass with glyphosate as we remove them ahead of spring sowing, I suppose. And they should not need as much time to destroy as last year’s covers either.

In most cases, we need more moisture for the cereals as well and have not had enough to get rid of as much black-grass as we would have liked before our direct drilling. Thank fully, we now have Luximo (cinmethylin) to beef-up our pre-ems, giving us greater reliability in drier conditions and allowing us to spread our actives, saving most of the flufenacet and DFF for the peri-ems.

While the new chemistry means we need to be more careful than ever with our seed placement and slot closure, this has not been a problem with the drilling conditions we have enjoyed.

More of a challenge here have been the slug problems after OSR, despite the dryness – es pecially with the surface trash in our no-till regimes. There again, though, these have been preserving precious moisture. So, as ever, it is swings and roundabouts.

Very attractive margins with minimal fertiliser input and a good rotational bonus means we are putting in more winter beans this year. With so few fungicide options these days, we are holding off on drilling them for as long as we dare to minimise the risk of a chocolate spot disaster. We also need to make the most of the pro pyzamide, and it can only go on pre-em.

The lack of moisture has dealt a serious blow to our oilseed rape and cover cropping hopes

BEN Boothman

As the favourable conditions continue for the fifth month in a row, all I can think of is when will this fairytale eventually end? With annual rainfalls in our region generally forming a similar trend year-on-year and just the timing of deluges differing, I fear we have only 10 weeks to accumulate 40% of the total rainfall usually expected.

Saying that, most crops are now in the ground with many already up and basking in the autumnal sun, standing them in good stead for whatever the winter of 2022 will throw at us.

Winter barley crops are, for the most part, ranging from GS11 to the early sown crops already reaching early tillering (GS21).  For those latter mentioned crops, follow up sprays are being applied targeting any problematic grass-weeds or broad-leaved

Agronomist facts

weeds that may be rearing their head or are historical troublemakers.

Careful monitoring of aphids is showing unnerving evidence of populations that are at a threshold to treat, so an aphicide will be applied in those hot-bed areas, along with a tonic of manganese on lighter soils which will help keep the crop healthy heading into winter.

Winter wheats, as with barleys, are at varying stages with first wheats around GS12-13, while most are either at GS11 or just emerging. The wheat campaign still continues with drilling nearly complete, while a few stragglers following roots will be going in as soon as the current crop is lifted.

Soil

With ground conditions favouring a kind lifting period, soils are being left in great condition. I have even had one grower who while lifting had the cereal drill tight on his heels. The field was lifted, drilled, sprayed with pre-emergence and the gate shut within 24 hours. There’s not many seasons we can get away with this.

Pre-ordered showers have arrived sporadically, which have helped keep soils nice and friable while still providing sufficient moisture to hopefully get the best from the pre-emergence sprays. Spray programs have also followed suit of drilling and have gone on in good time and when requested. This makes workload a little

easier for both agronomist and farmer leading into the second half of the 2022/2023 season.

Oilseed rape crops have gone from strength to strength following October’s rainfall. With only a small handful of fields not making the cut, I am quite happy with what we have been left with, especially considering how some of the later sown crops looked at the end of September –sitting dehydrated and battered from flea beetle.

Belkar (halauxifen-methyl + picloram) applications have now all been applied and results so far are pleasing, even on some of those larger poppies.

Mealy cabbage aphids have been forming colonies in many early sown OSR crops in quite large numbers.  In some cases, this can cause plant loss as they are also thought to transmit virus.  Many varieties have resistance to virus, however there are still a handful that do not. With unusually large numbers and mild weather a treatment may be necessary.

Winter linseed crops are now up and away with crops reaching about 2-3cm in height.  Pre-emergence sprays are working well on heavier soils while lights sands have a few broad-leaved weeds slipping through, not at worrying numbers yet so I am hopeful treatment can wait until spring.  Now is time to get any Centurion Max (clethodim) applica tions on before the end of October where black-grass or small pre-tillering annual meadow grass populations are likely to be a problem.

Most crops are now in the ground, standing them in good stead for whatever the winter will throw at us

JBen Boothman is an independent agronomist and member of the Arable Advisor Group and the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC), covering Yorkshire and the North East. He is BASIS, FACTS and BETA qualified and studied for a degree in agriculture and crop management at Harper Adams University.

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DARRYLShailes

We live on the Waveney flood plain which means the ditches need clearing out intermittently. They haven’t been done for a while, but were cleared out earlier this month. At least we don’t have to dig them by hand as they would have been done years ago when the marsh was drained - now it only takes a 3.5 tonne digger a day.

When the drains were first dug, the spoils were piled up, upon which a few houses were built to protect them from flooding.

We’ve been told our house was built at the end of the 1600s and the oak was from Spanish galleons that were sailed up the Waveney then the Dove and dismantled at Hoxne. While the digger was with us, we also had the pond dug out as that had silted up, but the ground was so dry the digger hardly made a mark.

The River Waveney is still very low. Generally, the low levels of the rivers around East Anglia are of concern for growers who soon need to be filling up reservoirs with winter

Growers must start budgeting for higher water requirement per day for the crop’s life

DARRYL SHAILES

fill, or hope the ground water is replenished to allow abstraction from the chalk via boreholes or rivers next summer.

We’ve seen this year what a huge effect water availability has had with potato fields that struggled to be kept wet. The wide joins and wind affected areas are showing up with a big effect on yield and size of the crop in the same field due to lack of water.

Budgeting

In this changing climate, growers must start budgeting for higher water requirement per day for the crop’s life. I have heard of figures of up to 4mm per day, and areas of irrigata ble land may need to be adjusted to enable the crop to be grown. With the cost of growing potatoes now, it’s not economical to put them in the ground if water can’t be guaranteed. It may rain all of next summer, but with the numbers being so high who can afford the risk?

Some growers on the Lincolnshire silts that had good rains six weeks ago are in the 120t/hectare region. However some fields in other areas will be very poor where the rain hasn’t come in time. I’ve still got

customers who haven’t recorded more than 10mm of rain since May.

At least its proving to be a relatively easy potato harvest so far, but there’s still a long way to go for some.

We’re looking to have a silt potato demo site in 2023, similar to our fen site which we ran for five years. This would look at various different aspects of the crop agronomy specific to silt soils, so something to talk about over the coming months.

The beet factories have opened and again water and soil type are having an effect on yields.

Rust is the dominating disease in beet this season and our in-house trials have some good differences between the treatments. The old standards are definitely being superseded by newer products and some others not yet approved are also showing good disease control, which should result in strong yield differences.

Cercospora hasn’t started to be a signifi cant issue yet, but it was late developing last season and what I have seen is worse on the virus-affected plants. I wonder if it will continue to develop as the weather is still very mild –  we’ll have to wait and see.

We’ve seen this year what a huge effect water availability has had

JDarryl Shailes is root crop technical manager for Hutchinsons, with a nationwide remit. He has been working in potato agronomy for more than 20 years.

facts

CLAAS

– Geared for Growth.

This year’s award winners announced

As the British

Sponsored by Morrisons and organised by Agriconnect, Arable Farming’s parent company, the awards evening saw farmers from across the UK gathered at The Vox in Birmingham,

all battling it out for the 18 categories up for grabs.

Alongside farming’s core sectors, including arable, contracting, dairy and sheep, there was also recognition for students, family farms, sustainable businesses

and new entrants coming into the industry.

Record number

The ever-increasing sophistication around developments within agri-technology were also re-

cognised, with the category welcoming a record number of entries.

Host Patrick Kielty praised the audience for their innovation and extraordinary commitment as food producers, innovators and custodians of the countryside.

REGENERATIVE agriculture is at the heart of this Leaf demonstration farm, with the family owning 160 hectares and the remaining land formed from six contract/share farming agreements.

James Loder-Symonds is an agronomist, while his wife Emma heads up the farm’s education programme, offering farm visits to thousands of people each year.

Soil health is a strong focus, with direct drilling, cover crops, manures and herbal leys used to improve organic matter and soil fertility.

Crop health has improved noticeably as a result, dramatically reducing the spend per hectare on growing the crops.

More crops have been added to the rotation, including oats and quinoa, creating different income streams and spreading risk, reducing reliance on artificial fertilisers and chemicals.

To further boost soil health, he is also experimenting with intercropping and a carbon source is added to all sprayer applications.

Milling wheat is sold locally to bakers, as well as donated to a local charity which helps vulnerable groups learn how to bake bread.

Silver award winner

NEW company Muddy Machines has produced a field robot to ease the threat of major labour shortages in the UK vegetable sector.

During Covid-19, the company teamed up with Cobrey Farms, Herefordshire, to produce small, lightweight electronically powered harvest robots named Sprouts. The robot drives itself into the field and follows rows to carefully lift asparagus spears, placing them into boxes. It can operate for up to 12 hours and is the equivalent

of up to three workers, achieving up to 20% better yields and avoiding soil compaction.

The harvester can measure every single spear, cutting the ripe ones delicately and leaving the immature ones for another day. Yields can be predicted and reported to growers as it measures everything it sees through the use of 3D cameras and other sensors and algorithms.

Silver award winner

ARABLE FARMER OF THE YEAR

Gold award winner: James and Emma Loder-Symonds, Nonington Farms, Kent

SPONSORED BY

SPONSORED BY

AGRI-TECH INNOVATOR OF THE YEAR Gold award winner: Florian Richter and Christopher Chavasse, Cobrey Farms and Muddy Machines, London and Gloucestershire

celebrated its milestone 10th anniversary on October 20, more than 800 farmers and fellow professionals gathered to honour the dedication and achievements of this year’s finalists.

XJonathan Hodgson, I.M. Hodgson and Son, Yorkshire

XWill Dunn, Ag-Drive, Yorkshire

Florian Richter (left), with Farmdeals director Chris Hollingworth.

Hugo Dwerryhouse, assistant farm manager at Nonington Farms (left), with Matt Ryan, head of sales at Oxbury.

TIM Russon provides year-round contracting services to try and level out work peaks and troughs and to provide a steady income stream.

This includes specialist miscanthus grass cutting and harvesting in January to April, utilising the forage equipment which would normally be redundant at that time of year.

The business has grown from one person to 10 full-time staff, expanding up to 30 when the business is most busy with maize harvest.

This year, the business harvested about 3,237 hectares of maize, with two forage harvesters fitted

with telematics to help with machine management and costs.

There are also a number of rewilding projects to help increase biodiversity, which are presenting the business with the opportunity to provide alternative services, such as habitat creation and management.

Tim is proactive by looking at new technology to help increase productivity for their customers, while also reducing the impact on the environment.

Silver award winner

PETER and Zoe Mee run their 283-hectare enterprise alongside contract farming 243ha under various arrangements for four nearby farmers.

The couple have also operated third-party storage and drying facilities for Frontier Agriculture to accommodate harvested commodities from other suppliers who do not have enough on-site storage.

Daughter Emily manages the weighbridge facility and has initiated the recent diversification into blueberry production. Son Charlie manages the farm’s arable and contracting, while his girlfriend Charlotte is employed

full-time as the packhouse manager.

A range of blueberry products has been introduced, with more to come, and fresh fruit is also sold into major retailers, with a small number exported to Dubai and Oman.

With a huge focus on sustainable farming, the family is also changing its process to regenerative farming to help make the farm environmentally and financially sustainable in the long-term.

Silver award winner

XThe Davis family, Rivermead Dairy, Devon

CONTRACTOR OF THE YEAR Gold award winner: Tim Russon, P. Russon and Sons, Lincolnshire

SPONSORED BY SPONSORED BY

FAMILY FARMING BUSINESS OF THE YEAR Gold award winner: The Mee family, Mee Farmers, Northamptonshire

XTim Carter, Tim Carter Cattle Foot Trimming Services, Dorset

All of this year’s award winners celebrating after their victories.

Left to right: Host Patrick Kielty, Tim Russon and Kuhn feeding and bedding sales specialist James Hutchinson.

Left to right: Peter, Zoe, Charlotte, Charlie and Emily Mee, with Morrisons’ Sophie Throup.

Industry ready to face

Here is a date for your diary: November 23-24, The CropTec Show, East of England Showground, Peterborough.

Now in its 10th year, the show will stay true to the proven CropTec formula of combining an industry-leading exhibition with an informative and thought-provoking seminar

Specialist hubs

JThis year’s specialist hubs (see p28) will explore issues around water availability, use and protection (sponsored by Anglian Water), integrated pest management (sponsored by AHDB), natural capital

programme, accompanied by specialist hubs and zones.

Event manager Gareth Jones says: “CropTec’s seminar programme is renowned for bringing together the industry’s top experts, policymakers and most successful farmers and this year is no exception. In our 10th year we were particularly keen to deliver a schedule providing insight into controlling costs and cultivating resilience.”

Exhibition

JFind more than 130 exhibitors showcasing the latest products and services in crop nutrition, crop protection, precision farming, agri-tech and much more in The CropTec Show exhibition.

(sponsored by Trinity AgTech) and digital farming (sponsored by Bayer). Each hub has its own speaker schedule as well as experts on hand for one-to-one discussion and questions.

The VI at 21

JA special session at this year’s show will celebrate 21 years of the Voluntary Initiative (VI) - The Voluntary Initiative at 21: Past, Present and Future.

The session will include a panel discussion on the VI’s past achievements, current activities and the role of an integrated pest managementbased approach to the future of sustainable farming.

VI chair and Albanwise head of environment Phil Jarvis

will chair a panel comprising Hampshire farmer and chair of the NFU crops board chair Matt Culley; Hazel Doonan, head of agronomy and crop protection sector, Agricultural Industries Confederation; AHDB monitor farm host, contractor and VI champion Matt Redman; current Farm Sprayer Operator of the Year champion and Northamptonshire Beekeepers’ Association chair Steve May, and a Defra representative.

Essential information

JThe CropTec Show takes place on November 23-24 at the East of England Showground, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire. For satnav, use PE2 6HE.

Seminars

JThe seminar sessions (see p24) get underway with a look at ways to tackle some of the most pressing questions around cost management in the arable sector.

Further sessions explore how new technology and data can

Entry is free, but registration is required.

rFollow the CropTec Show on social media: Twitter: @CropTecShow Facebook: CropTec Show

help control fertiliser costs and how environmental deliverables can be monetised on-farm.

The afternoon session explores strategies to help farmers reduce chemical inputs, while also asking ‘where next for disease control?’

Sprayer demonstration

JSprayer technology continues to evolve and the Sprayer Demonstration Area will once again give farmers and operators the opportunity to experience a working

demo of some of the latest sprayers.

Visitors simply need to speak with manufacturers on the day to organise a time slot for their in-cab experience.

farming. A visit to The CropTec Show this of the sector’s

Charity partner

The CropTec Show

find

visit croptecshow.com

The Training Zone

JThe Training Zone, organised by BASIS, aims to highlight the importance of training for those in the arable sector and provide information on the training opportunities available. The focus will be on training in three main areas: soil, environment and crop protection.

Speakers in the soil session include Vaderstad’s Michael Alsop and Dr Elizabeth Stockdale of NIAB.

In the environment session, Joe Stanley of the Allerton Project (day 1) and his

JThe CropTec Show is delighted to announce Yana as its charity partner for 2022.

Yana offers specific help for those in agriculture and rural communities in East Anglia, raising mental health awareness to reduce stigma associated with stress and depression.

Its confidential helpline (see below) can offer fasttrack access to funded counselling to those who need it.

For more information, contact Yana on 0300 323 0400 or visit yanahelp.org

colleague Saya Harvey (day 2) will provide an insight into the project and the training available, while the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ Georgia Bray will look at farm conservation and how training can help.

Crop protection

Opportunities for training in crop protection will be examined by Unium Bioscience’s John Haywood; Jon Williams and Rob Suckling of De Sangosse; and the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC).

Bringing together science, practice and policy, this year’s CropTec Show seminars are designed to help growers future-proof their businesses in the following areas:

rCoping with change: Costs, environmental regulation and cultivating resilience

rTrusting data: How tech adoption could be key to controlling fertiliser costs

rMaximising natural capital revenue opportunities

rStrategies for disease control in a changing climate: Where next?

Leading farming politics journalist and head of news for Arable Farming’s sister publication Farmers Guardian Abi Kay is chairing the ‘Coping with Change’ session.

She says: “As farmers grapple with soaring input prices, whether energy, fertiliser or diesel, there has never been a better time to discuss cost management. We have a great set of guests on the panel at

Signposting the way forward

CropTec to explore the implications of the current crisis.”

Another pressure point being addressed is the ongoing loss of plant protection products.

Andrew Watson, east region agronomist at NIAB and a panel member in the ‘Strategies for disease control in a changing climate: Where next?’ session, says: “It looks highly likely that tebuconazole and some other related ingredients will be banned in the UK within two years.

“Teb is really the only pesticide that can quickly eradicate yellow

and brown rust already established in a wheat crop. If it is banned, around a third of the current Recommended List winter wheat varieties may be too risky to grow. Integrated control of yellow rust is possible, however planning and risk management are key.”

Data

As the cost of inputs continues to rise, farmers are under increasing pressure to improve efficiencies. Matt Culley, Hampshire farmer and NFU crops board chair, hopes the ‘Trusting Data: How tech adoption could be key to controlling fertiliser costs’ session he is chairing, sponsored by Yara, will provide plenty of practical advice.

He says: “It has never been more important to get crop nutrition right, which means not just focusing on nitrogen, but also potassium, phosphorus, and sulphur. My aim is to help growers learn a bit more about the technologies available and ways they can get the best out of the fertiliser they will use next spring.”

Rounding off the seminars, the ‘Maximising natural capital opportunities’ session aims to help

J

more information

the CropTec

programme, go to croptecshow.com

farmers understand how they can make the most of new opportunities. Session chair Dr Liz LewisReddy, director of ADAS policy and economics, hopes the discussion will start to shift mindsets over environmental markets.

She says: “My goal for this session is to break down some barriers and help others overcome their resistance to environmental markets and natural capital and instead see them as an opportunity for the long-term viability of the agricultural sector.

“Every farm has natural capital and is generating environmental goods and services, so this is not necessarily about fundamental change. This is about revealing that existing value, maximising its production potential and turning it into something that works for farming businesses.”

With input and commodity prices rising, making sensible decisions backed by data will be key to cultivating yield resilience and getting fertiliser costs under control. Mollie Leach reports.

Cultivating yield resilience to control costs

In a high-risk farming world, marginal gains will be centred around ‘smart agricultural practice’ to help build a more robust crop nutrition programme, says Natalie Wood, agronomy operations manager with Yara, who are sponsoring the crop nutrition seminar at this year’s CropTec Show.

“When thinking about effective fertiliser management we must be aware of the risks, including the impact drier springs are having on crop resilience,” she says.

But the good news is there are options to help farmers produce healthy crops and mitigate overall yield fragility, adds Ms Wood.

“Crucially, by making smarter choices when it comes to product choice, drilling date and application

Word from the sponsor

JThe quality of inputs is important if you want to get quality outputs too.

We need to think about making management decisions that bring in yield resilience rather than fragility and this can include several things. Minimising nutrient loss and application costs while maximising application accuracy is the ideal, all while bearing in mind environmental costs.

Yara can help with

timing, for example, we can avoid delaying crop growth in spring and see a valuable return on effort.”

Choosing a good quality product from the offset is paramount, says Ms Wood.

“Opting for a nitrate-based fertiliser helps to build crop biomass in spring because nitrates are immediately available to the crop.

“When using urea products, you are only applying nitrogen to the crop, which can build in risks because you are neglecting key nutri ents, such as phosphate, potassium and sulphur, adding extra cost.”

Emissions

Pointing to the environmental issues surrounding urea, Ms Wood adds: “Even if you opt for inhibited urea products, we are still looking at twice as many greenhouse gas emissions, as opposed to using ammonium nitrate fertilisers.”

Making smart decisions around

application timing is also crucial to building yield resilience and reducing costs, especially when it comes to nitrogen rates for forward or backward crops, says Ms Wood.

“The earlier you drill, the more chance the crop can put on some biomass before it shuts down in winter.

“If you are faced with having to delay drilling to November or December due to black-grass, for example, the key is to manipulate the number of tillers in spring by putting on earlier, higher rates of nitrogen.

“If you have a very forward crop, you need to cut back slightly on the rate of nitrogen at the first timing. But if you have a backward crop,

In the field Tom Hawthorne, Nottingham

JTom Hawthorne, managing partner of family-run Flawborough Farms, says a combination of good agricultural practice and use of technology is crucial to keeping fertiliser costs in check.

minimising these risks through their products, tools and services – while having a low environmental impact.

Come and visit the crop nutrition seminar and Yara stand at CropTec to find out how Yara can help your crop resilience this season.

He says: “Alongside good soil husbandry, we run zero N trials where we have five or six plots which are not treated with nitrogen for around 12 weeks, allowing us to closely monitor the impact of nitrogen levels on yield and tailor how much we are applying.

“We also choose to use good quality liquid fertiliser to improve nutrient use efficiency as it enables us to apply the product more evenly and accurately, which is more important than ever when we consider the rising costs, with fertiliser coming in at around £800 per tonne.”

Early application of around 60-70kg nitrogen in spring, is also important, but Mr Hawthorne adds this is the “only rate he decides himself.”

Growing winter barley, winter

Natalie Wood

you need to go in with a higher rate of nitrogen to give it the best chance of building that root system.

“In terms of rates, with a forward crop, we are looking at 40-50kg N at first timing compared to a backward crop, which needs around 70-100kg in spring.”

When it comes to phosphate application, being dynamic enough to adapt input decisions according to weather conditions is key, says Ms Wood, pointing to the role of foliar phosphate in building root systems.

“Soil phosphate is not available in cold temperatures, therefore, adding fresh PK in spring will allow the crop to immediately access it when it cannot get it from the soil.”

And she advises growers planning a PK holiday to apply a small amount in spring.

“If you are choosing to make use of a PK holiday, you should still apply fresh PK in spring, even if it is 30-35kg. If you have planted that crop, you need to deliver yield.”

In terms of sulphur, making ‘calculated and flexible’ choices around its application is crucial to avoid negatively impacting yield in the long term, she adds.

“You cannot get away with not applying sulphur. Certain forms of sulphur take a while to break down, so it is about planning your timing carefully to ensure this nutrient is available when necessary.”

With rising costs resulting in

mounting pressure to deliver yield, Ms Wood says now is not the time to take a chance with products.

Yara products spread further because they are heavier and do not smash on impact because of the strength of granules. There is no segregation, which makes it harder to produce an uneven spread pattern, she says.

Good practice

Data can support decision-making, so that good agricultural practice is aided by technology to create a ‘sweet spot’, says Ms Wood.

“In order to manage a farm, we need to measure some aspects of it first. For example, soil analysis needs to be backed up by tissue analysis come spring to address any micronutrient deficiencies – you need to catch them before they become an issue.”

Crucially, this allows farmers to better target fertiliser applications.

“The data provides a more in-depth analysis of which

micronutrients are needed at specific times, highlighting deficiencies before they start to impact on yield, which is an effective way of keeping fertiliser costs in check.”

When thinking about nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), micronutrients are important because they make “such a big difference” to crop health overall, including efficient nitrogen uptake, she adds.

And the use of decision-making tools can help growers target their nitrogen application and boost overall efficiency.

“We have several options to help growers, such as AtFarm, which allows growers to monitor biomass and produce variable nitrogen maps, increasing NUE. We have found growers are able to achieve a 4% yield increase by utilising variable rate nitrogen.

“The N-Sensor also allows for real-time crop monitoring, tailoring application exactly in line with what the crop needs and with no time delays,” she says.

wheat, spring oats and oilseed rape over 300 hectares, the N-Sensor helps him to precisely target rates of application.

“We have been using the N-Sensor for five years now and it has allowed us to apply less fertiliser each year while still achieving good yields.

“Protein analysis from the feed wheat has typically been between 10.7-11.5%, which we know is the sweet spot, meaning we are producing quality crops.

“What the N-Sensor does is

take out the human emotion of wanting to apply more fertiliser,” he says.

Instead applications are more targeted and overall cost is reduced.

Using the N-Sensor alongside N-Tester has been a gamechanger, adds Mr Hawthorne.

“The software picks up changes in circumstance. For example, if I follow a bean crop or a linseed crop with wheat, the N-Tester will apply N, but it will not for an oat crop given that it is naturally higher in N.”

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The N-Sensor allows application rates to be tailored exactly in line with what the crop needs, says Yara.

From water quality to data-led decisions, The CropTec Show’s hubs and zones will deliver concise intelligence on some of the industry’s most pressing issues.

Key issues in focus at CropTec

Where to start with natural capital

JWith farmers looking to new income streams, interest in trading natural capital continues at pace. But with the concept still in its infancy, there is understandably caution.

The Leveraging Natural Capital Knowledge Hub, sponsored by Trinity AgTech, will discuss carbon and biodiversity

Finding the balance between food and environment

In association with

JWith the industry waiting for Defra’s National Action Plan for the sustainable use of pesticides, which will lay out a five-year strategy to increase the sustainability of pesticide use, the CropTec IPM Hub will explore the balance between profitable

Keeping clued up

JThe Training Zone, supported by Basis, will focus on keeping farming clued up and ready to face agronomic and environmental challenges.

There will be three seminars each day, encompassing soil training for agronomic advisers and machinery manufacturers; an environmental focus with speakers from the Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust

food production, responsible input use and enhancing soils and the wider environment.

In association with

and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds; and a crop protection discussion highlighting the importance of staying up to date with new developments in the crop protection sphere.

Are you wasting your data?

In association with

JData is increasingly influencing the way we farm, but with such huge amounts being generated, utilising it all can seem daunting.

The Digital Farming Hub, sponsored by Bayer’s Climate FieldView, will explore how technology can assist with variety choice, optimise nitrogen use, evaluate disease

management and streamline data collection. The hub talks will be full of advice that can be implemented on-farm and show how farmers can reap the benefits of digital farming to unlock their data’s potential.

Hub sponsor AHDB has tools, independent research-based information and services to guide growers looking to reduce soil movement, review the return on inputs and get more from varieties to make the best decision for the farm and crop.

In association with

net gain, all the way from auditing to product marketing.

It will also chart the evolution of carbon audits to explain why calculators provide different answers.

Ag-Tech Zone

JAs the destination to hear about the latest tech developments in agriculture, CropTec’s Ag-Tech Zone will display some of the exciting new advances which are set to carry crop production forward.

What the future holds for water

JAfter one of the driest summers on record, farmers received a stark reminder this year that water can’t be taken for granted.

In this year’s Water Hub, sponsored by Anglian Water, farmers and growers will be able to join the conversation about the impact water will have on their business over the next five years.

From water quality, quantity and security, the hub promises to debate what the next five years might hold for water in agriculture and visitors are

In association with

being asked to come armed with questions for the Anglian Water team, to inform how land managers and water companies can work together to achieve the same goals.

Speakers will include representatives of Holkham Estate, Dyson Farming, the British Beet Research Organisation, Harper Adams, Syngenta, Oakbank Game and Conservation and Anglian Water.

Sprayer Demonstration Area

JBack for another year, the Sprayer Demonstration Area will allow visitors to put the latest sprayer technology through its paces.

Those looking to invest in

new kit can test drive sprayers, quiz the experts, get up close to check out all the key features of the machines on display and compare all of them in one place.

Bon appétit

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What to see at CropTec

Precision farming Digital crop walks, benchmarking and data

rInteractive digital demonstrations and event offers will be available from Frontier, which will be presenting its latest developments alongside Kings Crops and Soyl precision farming. Experts will be on-site to demonstrate digital farm management tool MyFarm and explain how it can be used to meet individual business goals.

The Frontier digital team will be available at CropTec to give live demonstrations of the two latest additions to the MyFarm suite of applications.

The MySoyl mobile app syncs to the MyFarm desktop app and provides functions including biomass imagery and map layers, available in the field. This enables real-time crop walking

observations, points of interest, measurements and photos to be logged from a mobile phone.

Planning

rMyFarm Analytics, powered by Yagro, is a farm performance benchmarking tool designed to aid decision-making.

The software can help growers minimise costs

Markets Transparent online grain trading

rOnline grain trading marketplace Graindex is celebrating its fifth anniversary. Claiming to be the leading online trader in the UK, the company says it has achieved 100% growth on the year and it is hoping to reach half a million tonnes of listed grain by the end of 2022.

Co-founder Andrew Huxham says: “Throughout our four, busy, daily trading periods, farmers receive an average of three bids on their grain listing and, depending on market conditions, occasionally receive five, six, or seven. We set out

to enable a transparent, simple and intuitive way to trade grain online from out on the farm to inside the office.

“We give farmers the option to sell at the fairest price on

the day and buyers the chance to source the product they need with the market clarity essential for a competitive edge. We have certainly accomplished that mission.”

associated with rotational planning, variety selection, soil husbandry, cultivations, weed control and wider crop inputs.

Farm performance metrics are compared anonymously to other growers in a secure, digital environment, allowing growers to draw comparisons and achieve a greater understanding of business positioning.

Chief executive and fellow co-founder Jamie McInnes adds: “Within the space of five years, Graindex has amassed an community of farmers and buyers which trust in us and support our vision.

Community

“Our growth and achievements would not have been possible without them.

“We will continue to deliver for our community by providing them with the best grain trading platform and services, to enable their own businesses to go from strength to strength.”

Ash Burbidge finds out what some of the agronomy and technical exhibitors are preparing to showcase at this year’s CropTec Show.

MyFarm Analytics can help growers minimise costs associated with weed control.

Growers receive an average of three bids on each grain listing, says Graindex.

Markets Natural capital assessment service

rScience research institute Fera will be at CropTec, showcasing one of its most recent launches.

Land360 is a new service that measures, monitors and assesses natural capital utilising existing land map habitat features and models biodiversity offerings to help farmers, landowners and managers make informed land use decisions.

Guy Thallon, Fera strategic business development manager, says: “With the introduction of the Environmental Land Management (ELM) scheme and the drive to manage land in a way that recognises ‘public money for the public good’, it’s clear that landowners need to understand the extent of the natural capital they have.”

Based on three levels of service, Land360 uses the expertise of Fera’s scientists, alongside the latest software and scientific assessment techniques to map alternative land use scenarios bespoke to each business.

Satellite

“Land360 Mapping+ involves the analysis and interpretation of high-resolution satellite imagery to create a detailed baseline of natural capital resources,” says Mr Thallon.

“Scoring+ takes this a step further and uses proven methods to assess the quality of natural capital using the insight gained through Mapping+, combined with more detailed ecological and biodiversity scoring.

“Finally, Ecosystem+ is a

A new service from Fera measures, monitors and assesses natural capital.

WORKING TOGETHER FOR HEALTHY SOIL, HEALTHY AGRICULTURE & HEALTHY LIVES

HORSCH has already developed intelligent systems that help farmers meet current and future challenges more easily. Through technological developments and innovation, we can improve soil health and together we can help secure the future for the next generation.

bespoke consultancy service where land use proposals are developed in conjunction with land managers, Fera scientists and ecologists to identify opportunities for future land use

and revenue streams. These recommendations are based on scientific data gathered on available natural capital, business performance and market options,” he adds.

Continues over the page.

Crop nutrition Seed treatment optimising nutrient use

rTrial results collated from summer 2022 reveal the seed treatment Kick-Off returned yield improvements of 7.3% when compared with untreated areas of winter wheat, says supplier Fielder

The seed treatment is a blend of phosphites, manganese, micronutrients and biostimulants.

According to Fielder, the results show growers can achieve a return on investment of 19:1. Across 50 hectares, this equates to a £9,300 profit (using an August 2022 wheat price of £285 per tonne).

Trial work demonstrated

no yield loss when applying 50kg less of N/ha. The firm adds that trials conducted by

Trials with winter wheat show no yield loss when applying less nitrogen, says Fielder.

results than other selected biostimulant treatments.

rUnium Bioscience will be on-site to offer advice on how its products and approaches can help farmers achieve the best out of their production. Unium will also launch three new products at CropTec: Tarbis, Twoxo and Luxor.

Treatment

Tarbis is a foliar equivalent of a biological endophyte seed treatment.

the University of York showed Kick-Off delivered higher germination and root biomass

Crop nutrition Boosting fertiliser efficiencies

rTailoring fertiliser applications to match soil and crop nutrients to requirements can help increase nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and maximise farms’ investments in fertiliser and nutrition products.

This is according to Origin Fertilisers which will be discussing recent trial work highlighting the importance of understanding how different nutrients interact to increase fertiliser availability to the plant.

Trials applying molybdenum as a fertiliser coating show significant improvements to NUE, says Origin.

Using molybdenum in this way has helped improve the sustainability of nitrogen by helping the crop take nitrogen up quicker, rather than losing it to the environment.

This increases the return on investment as growers achieve more from the same inputs.

Peter Scott, technical director at Origin Fertilisers, says: “Making current

fertiliser strategies go further and being more efficient with applications will be essential this year and targeted nutrition can play a big role in this.”

Strategies

Origin NUE-Trition products are aimed at helping users increase NUE, providing opportunity to measure it more effectively and to see where gains can be made.

Origin will also be displaying

the latest results from a trial involving Digest-It, a single application biological treatment that has been used in digestate for the first time. Results included a 20.3% increase in ammonium nitrogen and a 29% reduction in oven dry solids.

Digest-It also improved the workability of the digestate, making it easier to pump and apply, reducing fuel use and wear on machinery. Origin claims

Twoxo assimilates nitrogen, maximising its use efficiency, and Luxor is a soil and foliar phosphorus fertiliser designed to optimise P uptake.

the results show that a given area of land can have 13% more digestate spread on it before NVZ limits are reached.

“If farmers are looking carefully at fertiliser spend, we want to be helping them apply the right product, in the right place, at the right time and the right rate and not leave the soil and crop lacking in nutrients that will have a detrimental effect on yield and quality,” says Mr Scott.

Applying molybdenum as a fertiliser coating can improve nitrogen use efficiency.

Varieties New Descriptive Lists

rThe 2023 Descriptive List (DL) for combining peas, winter and spring beans will be launched by the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO) at The CropTec Show this year.

Visitors to the show will have the opportunity to discuss the new list with the staff that prepared it, using data from varieties harvested this summer.

Experts from PGRO will be on hand to discuss important trial work that the organisation has undertaken; this includes looking at the key pests and diseases which affect pulse production.

PGRO chief executive Roger Vickers says: “It’s important for any pulse grower to be up to date with the latest research and advice, be it around establishment techniques, crop protection or the strengths and weaknesses of any variety.

“Since the last event, a huge amount has changed which may alter some growers’ thinking, perhaps most notably the soaring cost of artificial fertiliser.

“Coupled with challenges around growing other break crops, there is significant interest in pulse production and we are looking forward to talking

to growers about their plans for the future.

“As usual, we expect a lot of interest in our Descriptive List, which is essential in helping growers make the right choice for their farms, be it in spring or next autumn.”

rLS Plant Breeding (LSPB) is confident it will maintain its top position on the DL with

Crop protection Improved black-grass control

rMicrogranule applicators fitted to seed drills or sets of Cambridge rolls are allowing growers to boost their grassweed control substantially without the need for an extra pass or a contractor, says Gowan Crop Protection Avadex Excel 15G is providing this additional control but even application is critical to success with this pre-emergence foundation.

Gowan Crop Protection UK manager Hank King says: “Extensive comparative trials over the past seven seasons show Avadex 15G improving black-grass control by an average of 18 percentage points across a range of pre-em programmes – including those based on the newest chemistry.

“The improvement is almost

Growers are boosting grass-weed control without needing an extra pass for an Avadex application.

identical for sterile brome and averages 14 percentage points with ryegrass. Add to this

the fact autumn Avadex can frequently eliminate the need for spring wild oat spraying and

established spring bean, Lynx.

LSPB will be at CropTec to discuss the varieties that it has on offer this year. These include a low vicine/convicine (LVC) bean Victus, spring bean Yukon, its first winter bean Pantani, winter pea Orchestra, green pea varieties Carrington and Stroma and marrowfat pea variety, Akooma.

it’s not surprising the granules have been so widely appreciated for so long. Having said that, the need for an extra pass or contract application continues to be a bugbear for many.”

“Increasing numbers of growers are finding our widely pre-em compatible 450g/litre liquid formulation Avadex Factor a good solution here,” he says.

Effective

“For those wanting the full 2,250g/ha triallate rate, fitting applicators to the drill or rolls is an effective option.

“Providing, of course, the right equipment is fitted and operated in a way which allows the granules to form the most consistent herbicide layer above the sown seed,” says Mr King.

The 2023 Descriptive Lists for peas and beans will be announced at The CropTec Show.

A range of the latest tech solutions to increase precision and help manage inputs and data will be showcased at CropTec. Jane Carley reports.

What to see at CropTecmachinery and technology

Concept robot

JArwac has recently been awarded a second round of Innovate UK funding for the development of an autonomous weeding robot specifically designed to target grass-weeds in cereal crops and avoid costly yield penalties from weed competition.

Using mapping and GPS technology to geolocate weeds in the growing crop,

the battery-powered robot is moving from the proof of concept to the prototype field trials stage, with a range of mechanical weeding tools being evaluated.

The company says its goal is to develop a lightweight, autonomous alternative to tractor hoeing that saves labour and diesel, and is currently seeking out farmers to test the prototypes.

Soil scanning technology

JPES Technologies is developing a soil scanning system which uses a handheld sensor to test soil for gas ‘fingerprints’ left by soil biological life and help to analyse soil health.

Data from a 100g sample collected at 15cm deep is processed using machine learning software to link to a database of indicators for microbial biomass, organic matter percentage, fungal/ bacterial ratio and pH. This is uploaded to a smartphone app and will ultimately be

able to link to third party farm management software where it can be layered with other management data.

Advantages are said to be speed and immediacy of the process which does not rely on lab tests, and the user-friendly nature of the equipment.

Accessible soil health analysis can help not only diagnose issues in the field but can also assess how well various remediations are working before the crop is taken to yield. Field trials have been underway this autumn.

the data at

ngertips.

More highlights over the page.

Variable rate applications

JPinpoint Consultants are precision technology specialists who can offer advice on choosing the right solution for individual farming businesses.

MyDataPlant software produces user-friendly, variable rate maps which allows the farm to analyse its own data on a ‘pay as you go’ basis for as

little as one field and add detail as required. Pinpoint is offering a free 14-day trial for up to five boundaries to help businesses decide if it is the right solution for them.

The company can also supply various hardware options, such as the Tersus retrofit GNSS system which offers a

low cost, flexible RTK solution and Hexagon Agriculture’s machine control hardware, plus telematics solutions from Exatrek.

Consultants can also advise on routes to getting the best RTK service tailored to the needs of the fleet of machines which will connect to it.

Soil sensor

JRH3S has developed the Optimizer soil sensor which measures soil texture and nutrients upfront and controls the implement on the rear linkage, offering variable application in real time without an application map. Developed specifically for the agricultural sector, the system can be used at speeds of up to 20kph.

The sensor is attached to the machine above the

ground and contact with soil is not necessary. The system is connected to the GPS receiver in the tractor via serial ports, giving site specific positioning and allowing control of the implement. Operation is via a virtual terminal with software known as ‘Debbie’ which logs the scanned values of the

sensor and uses an algorithm to simultaneously provide variable rate task data to the task controller for sowing, planting or fertilising.

Sensor data is automatically transferred to and stored in the cloud and can be further processed into soil and task maps.

Data management

JPure Farming, part of the Map of Ag group, has developed a platform to connect data sources such as farm software, Government services and machine data and then allow farmers or growers to permission it to the supply chain under agreed Ts and Cs.

All data permissions can be managed in one platform, giving the user complete control over who uses their data while reducing the time spent on

admin by avoiding duplication of data entry.

Connecting farm data via Pure Farming can help streamline the audit processes for farm assurance schemes or better meet the data requirements of farm environmental planning obligations or other rural schemes, says the firm.

Pure Farming also connects the permissioned data and provides analytics through its FarmMetrics software.

Drip irrigation developments

JIrrigation specialist

Howseman Agriculture will join forces with Planttape at CropTec to show how drip tape can be integrated into an automated transplanter system with the plant tape material, cutting labour and costs and offering immediate access to irrigation for the young plants.

The Planttape transplanter holds trays of seedlings which have been planted into the tape

for rapid and precise sowing. Howseman Agriculture has trialled the system in onions, with a significant yield bonus.

Another development sees a ‘greener’ solution for the drip tape process. Used irrigation tape is traditionally a waste product, but the latest product, dubbed ‘Regen tape’ contains 60% recyclable material so can be used as a more sustainable alternative.

Business Development Manager

Agriconnect is a business unit within the Arc network, a global events, data, and media platform. Arc is a fast-growing global events, data, and media platform with a varied portfolio content led portals, magazines, and events. Agriconnect’s mission is to empower, inspire, and connect people and business in agriculture by creating trusted content and connections that help the industry thrive.

Since 1844, the brands of Agriconnect have been the trusted source of information for farmers and with brands like Farmers Guardian, events, like LAMMA and Farm Business Innovation, and digital platforms, like FG Insights, Agriconnect continues to bring together the British farming community.

THE ROLE:

• We are now looking for a motivated and driven salesperson to join our Sales team.

• The main function of the role is to develop business through growth in revenue, yield, and to increase customer numbers. You will be required to identify new opportunities and in uence companies’ media buying habits within the agricultural sector.

Due to the ever-changing nature of the industry, this person will have the ability to spot new avenues and exploit market trends.

• Hours: 35 hours per week – Mon – Fri

• Location: Preston – temporary hybrid remote

• Salary: Competitive, dependant on experience.

SKILLS & EXPERIENCE:

• Own, support and fully develop speci c market sectors

• Conduct sales presentations by telephone, email or face to face to existing and prospective clients in order to develop existing business and generate new business wherever possible.

• Advise existing and new customers on the most e ective solution to meet client needs within the Agriconnect portfolio.

• Continually seek and develop new sales & opportunities.

• Ability to accurately forecast future sales

• Keep abreast of all current trends, activities and relevant news within agriculture and speci c sector

• An interest in agriculture

• Highly motivated & driven, with an ability to meet ambitious performance goals

• Be enthusiastic and motivated to continually explore new opportunities, whilst possessing a natural inquisitive nature

• Excellent communication written and interpersonal skills

We o er an excellent package including:

• A competitive basic salary

• 25 days holiday increasing to 27 after two years

• An extra day o on your birthday

• Free life assurance Contributory pension scheme

• Employee assistance programme

Arc has ambitious plans for growth, and this is an opportunity to be part of our continuing success story whilst enjoying a fabulous work/ life balance.

We strive to create a culture that is open and respectful, where di erences are valued and celebrated. We want everyone to be able to reach their full potential, so we are committed to cultivating a company that promotes inclusion and belonging.

To apply for this role, please email amber.tabiner@agriconnect.com

Taking vertical agriculture up a level

A‘turnkey’ solution to vertical farming has been launched by agricultural technology company Innovation Agri-Tech Group (IAG), in its GrowFrame 360 model.

Ash Singh, chief executive of the company, has been develop ing the technology with a team of experts over five years to create what he claims is the most optimised vertical farming system in the world.

With a vision to continue the legacy of his grandfather, who farmed in the Punjab, Mr Singh hopes the system will help produce nutritious food in parts of the world struggling with food security or water scarcity, but also act as an enterprise that can be implemented on UK farms or in urban populations with limited space.

The soil-less system uses aero ponic irrigation and closed loop water recycling to provide water and highly precise nutrients with no pesticides. Up to 98% less water is required and the

company claims up to five times more harvests per year can be achieved than if the crop was grown in a field. One Grow Frame 360 model equates to 0.8 hectares of crop, meaning the 5,000sq.ft development room at IAG’s facility in Berkshire is equivalent to a 16ha field.

Rather than crops being grown on shelves, as in many vertical farms, the true upright style of the system means taller plants, such as spring onions and chard, can be produced without height restrictions, while each frame’s nutrients and water rates can be tailored at the push of a button

We can help growers move away from the seasonality of certain high value products

ASH SINGH

with pre-programmed routines for each individual crop.

Mr Singh says: “We have grown a massive array of crops at our own R&D farm. The scope is broad,

although the system is particularly well-suited to higher value, niche crops for sale into top-end retail, restaurants, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and vertically-integrated food manufacturers.

Market

“Regarding scale, the main limiting factors are the size of your building or market outlet, but the modular nature of the system means it could be assembled relatively quickly within any pre-existing agricultural building.”

One thing he is sure of is the system is not set to compete with existing producers.

The only way is up

JCurrently, just 10% of UK horticulture businesses are classed as controlled environment, but Government hopes to see this rise.

Plans to boost home-grown fruit and vegetable production and drive the growth of hightech horticulture were set out in October by Environment Secretary Ranil Jayawardena as part of the Government’s work to ‘unleash the potential of British farming’.

Defra says glasshouse growing has multiple economic,

food security and sustainability benefits and businesses operating with this model are reaping benefits – from extended growing seasons, efficient water usage and higher yields.

To kickstart efforts to grow the horticulture sector and boost domestic production, Mr Jayawardena committed a further £12.5 million investment into automation and robotics through the Farming Innovation Programme. This is a top-up of more than £70m spent so far.

The fund opens in January

“We don’t want to compare ourselves to conventional farming in anyway – we feel we complement traditional farming. Vertical farming is not the solution to grow what our farmers are growing, like root vegetables. But we’re confident we can help growers move away from the seasonality of certain high-value products.”

With this in mind he sees main markets in the UK as businesses looking for a lower volume of produce than supermarkets, such as high-end restaurants.

This will be helped by the model’s sustainability credentials which, alongside its research

partners including NIAB, CHAP, Agri-TechE and the University of Essex, IAG plans to build on.

Process

Although produce from the system cannot be marketed as organic because of the lack of soil in the growing process, the company’s R&D farm was one of the first UK vertical farms to become Red Tractor and Global GAP assured.

However, despite the exciting potential of the technology, the energy crisis is putting a dampener on protected horticultural businesses.

Mr Singh says: “We need support

from all areas - from the industry, Government and from supporting businesses that are growing. We are keen to engage with farming businesses where a complementary renewables system could be established on the farm’s land base to power the technology directly, providing an environmentally and financially sustainable system.

“Renewable energy plays a massive part in this – it comes with a capex cost, but payback is much faster with the current energy prices. However, if you’re renewing your energy contract this year it doesn’t make commercial sense to start growing at this time.”

Robots present new challenges

JA Rabobank report released in October concluded that growers will not produce food more cheaply because of robotisation and digitalisation like the GrowFrame system, but differently.

Thanks to high intelligence technology, managing larger, more international companies will become easier, management skills will change, and the co-operation with suppliers and customers will become closer, it found.

Value

Pests can also be dealt with earlier, more sustainably and more precisely, and the quality of the final product may also improve. However, the potential value of this is difficult to estimate.

There are also potential drawbacks to robotisation and digitalisation, it found, including the growing dependence on large software companies, cyber risks, less flexibility, negative consumer perception, and less diversity of companies and products.

with UK Research and Innovation and will match fund projects that will drive economic growth, food security and deliver on environmental commitments.

Mr Jayawardena says: “While we have a high degree of food security, we can boost it further.

“We can increase home-grown fruit and vegetable production, which is why I am bringing in expert advice and matchfunding robotics and automation projects.”

Ahead of the announcement, the Environment Secretary

visited the Netherlands to learn more about high-tech greenhouse and vertical growing approaches, touring a robotics institute and a glasshouse business which uses artificial intelligence, robotics, renewable energy and water neutral systems to grow produce.

He also announced he would appoint an industry expert to work with him and colleagues across the edible and ornamental sectors to build a clearer picture of the barriers

and opportunities in controlled environment horticulture.

The Government says the expert will provide a set of recommendations and policy interventions that it can implement both immediately and longer term.

Expansion

Mr Jayawardena has also written to a number of major controlled environment horticulture growers to seek the industry’s views on how Government can best support its expansion and

ensure its policies best reflect industry needs.

In its food strategy, Government signalled a commitment to including industrial horticulture in decisions on industrial energy policy and reviewing the planning permission process to support new developments.

Plans to incentivise the sector to make use of surplus heat and CO2 from industrial processes, and renewable sources of energy are also being considered, says Defra.

The R&D farm produces a wide array of different crops including spring onions, basil and strawberries.

Engineering trust in data

Farmers must have trust in their data being used fairly if the potential benefits of digital agriculture are to be realised, says

Prof Tina Barsby, of the British Farm Data Council.

Many farmers say they would be interested in getting into digital agriculture, but they don’t trust people with their data.

This has been a frequent response when farmers are asked why they aren’t using the huge variety of data-inspired decisions available to them.

There are a multitude of digital tools available to farms, all built to aid farmers in one way or another.

Despite the clearly demonstrated value that this type of technology can provide, uptake remains stubbornly low on farms.

Given the potential to reduce costs, better target inputs, increase productivity and promote on-farm profitability, I believe this low uptake is holding UK agriculture back. Defra policy-makers must have these objectives in mind too.

Trust is therefore key. The potential benefits of digital agriculture will be better realised if farmers and growers can trust that their farm data is used fairly and with integrity.

They need to believe it is

taken, stored, profited from and potentially shared with others, with their agreement and under a set of principles which they buy in to.

This is why we set up the British Farm Data Council, to do something about this data governance and engineer trust in farm data sharing.

Supply chain

Before we started, we discussed the subject with people from across the food supply chain from farmers to researchers, from agronomists to breeders, and from input distribution to retailers.

Interestingly, everyone agreed it was important to understand the source of the data, how it is collected, where it is stored and what organisations can and cannot do with it, without the express permission of the data owner.

Most concerning was that people from all parts of the supply chain had different slants on what the term ‘data governance’ meant, were uneasy that things were not being done properly, and were

PROF TINA BARSBY

conflicted on ‘what good looks like’, especially outside of the area of the rules and regulations associated with GDPR and whatever personal data restrictions will replace it in the UK.

Given there is no consistent view, let alone standards of governance, on how data should be collected and shared, why should we be surprised that there is a lack of trust in the process?

Putting standards in place that are accepted by the wider food supply chain could make a

significant improvement in transitioning to a system where farmers and growers believe their concerns are being addressed, while taking some of the guesswork out of the process for those in the food chain who feel exposed to the damaging risk of doing something wrong.

The British Farm Data Council is starting by surveying what work in this area has already been carried out in the UK and as far afield as North America and New Zealand, and then sketching out a draft of guiding principles of that elusive ‘what good looks like’.

We are already talking to those in academia and other industries to ensure those principles are robust and make sense, recognising that other sectors in the UK are also facing data trust and governance issues, especially in the health sector.

Digital tools

Where this takes us depends on the council members who have be drawn from all walks of agriculture; while most of them are not data experts, you are likely to recognise at least one of them; all interact with data and are aware of the role digital tools have in the future of farming.

Trust is the key to unlocking the digital revolution in agriculture here in the UK, to the benefit of all involved

Low uptake of digital tools is holding back UK agriculture, believes Prof Tina Barsby (right)

sharing on farms

Most importantly, they are passionate in putting farmers and growers at the centre of their thinking; something I felt was critically important.

How far do we go? In other

sectors, accreditation is being proposed or enacted, for those organisations who achieve the ‘gold standard’. If such a standard were in place for digital agricultural tools, then farmers and growers

might feel more comfortable with working with those organisations and companies which have demonstrated they have achieved such a standard.

One way or another, the

British Farm Data Council is committed to increasing the confidence of farmers and growers to the point where more farmers are prepared to take another look at how digital tools can help them.

Trust is the key to unlocking the digital revolution in agriculture here in the UK, to the benefit of all involved.

Designing robots for local

Farmers will have the opportunity to work alongside scientists to develop robots for agriculture as part of a new industry-focused initiative. Emma Penny reports.

Few people will have heard of the UK National Robotarium – and you might wonder what on earth it is and does.

Launched this autumn at Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, it’s a 10,000sq.m, £22.4 million centre aiming to develop practical robotic solutions for industry, including agriculture.

Explaining how it will work, Dr Fernando Auat Cheein, the specialist heading up its approach to agriculture, says he is keen to hear from people involved in farming. In his role as associate professor in robotics and autonomous systems, his mission is to engage directly with the agricultural sector to understand the problems facing farmers and to share knowledge on the benefits of adopting sensing technology and robotics.

“Our work [across all sectors] will be informed by industry needs and by collaborating we can help solve problems. I’ve worked with many universities around the world and this is the first one I am aware of where there is a specialist link with industry and where people in the sector can be here working with us.”

Dr Auat has a long history of

Dr Auat’s career

JDr Fernando Auat Cheein is an associate professor in robotics and autonomous systems at the UK National Robotarium, HeriotWatt University, Edinburgh.

He has published more than 100 journal articles, two books, several conference papers and has applied for (and been granted) several patents.

involvement in robotics in agriculture (see panel), having worked with growers around the world to develop technology which has helped address various issues. However, he believes there is scope to do far more with robots and to help solve some of the issues facing agriculture.

“The world is facing an urgent need to develop technology for agriculture. It is one of the oldest industries but technology [for it] evolves really slowly. Now there is an urgent need to have sustainable processes and to take care of land, crops, livestock, biodiversity, forestry and emissions – many factors which, 30 years ago, we were not aware of.

“Robots can be used to reduce waste, to increase the amount of

farmable space and to optimise the use of available space, and they can work 24/7.”

Increasing farmable land is possible as robots are likely to require less working space than tractors and other machinery, he says.

“Instead of fields with 60 crop rows, you could have 120 or more, making much better use of available land.”

However, he adds robots will not replace people, which is a concern that some may have.

Sustainable

“The idea is to have a sustainable industry – and we don’t currently have enough labour for our needs, especially as people across all countries and cultures continue to migrate to cities.”

So far, he believes drones have been one of the biggest successes in terms of robots in agriculture, but most are just gathering data, which then requires software, and often a PhD, for detailed analysis.

His first development, based on discussions so far, is to design a robot which will carry out automated harvesting of any crop which is grown in ‘walls’ or rows, such as apples, oranges, pears and potentially cherries.

The National Robotarium at Heriot Watt University, Edinburgh, is a £22.4m facility aiming to develop robotic solutions for industry.

“This will be the first fully automated harvesting robot in the UK which will interact with almost any type of crop grown in this way.”

The base vehicle for the machine is expected to arrive soon – this is the only part of the robot which will be purchased as it is much cheaper to do this than to develop one from scratch. After its arrival, work will start to develop and build the harvesting robot. He says it has been a challenging time to consider building due to the global computer chip shortage, but he expects it to be complete and ready for work by spring.

However, he believes it will be three to five years before robots which do more than very specific tasks are available and he is also interested in the business models for running robots in agriculture.

He is associate editor of four journals, including Computers and Electronics in Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering

His graduates are academics or researchers at universities around the world, including the University of Lincoln, Carnegie Mellon University and UC Davis in the United States of America,

plus several universities in Chile and Ecuador.

His research interests are robotics/mechatronics and perception in agriculture, electrically powered machinery, motion control systems and remote sensing applied to biosystems. He is currently recruiting new PhD students.

Contact Dr Auat

JTo contact Dr Auat and enquire about visiting the UK National Robotarium to discuss ideas for development and see what the centre’s capabilities are, email f.auat@hw.ac.uk

Dr Fernando Auat Cheein

local requirements

JThe National Robotarium, supported by £21 million from the UK Government and £1.4m from the Scottish Government, describes itself as a ‘world-leading centre for robotics and artificial intelligence, creating

“The business model for robots in agriculture is not clear – they are very expensive.”

When asked what success would look like for robots in agriculture, Dr Auat says affordability is key.

“The technology has to be affordable by farmers.”

Minimising environmental impacts is also important and he says their productivity is critical. Sectors where one crop is grown in consistent environmental

innovative solutions to global challenges, with pioneering research which moves rapidly from laboratory to market’.

It is a partnership between Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh which combines Heriot-

conditions, such as vertical farming, are likely to reap the benefits first, he adds.

“Farmers are likely to want robots which will do every task from drilling to harvesting, and so far there have been prototypes which do only one thing.

“Currently, ground robots are expensive and usually need a PhD to operate. But if we look at drones, they only need an operator permit plus some software and skills to look

Watt’s engineering heritage and strengths in robotics for hazardous environments, manufacturing, healthcare and human-robot interaction with the University of Edinburgh’s expertise in space, construction and humanoid robotics.

at the data they generate. I believe that in three to five years’ time, we will have robots which are as easy to use as drones – the technology needs to be farmer-friendly.”

Like drones, the robots will be collecting data and will be driven by it too. For crops such as fruit, he believes robots will know how much there is to harvest and where, so will be able to plan harvest in a much more efficient way.

“I think they will be having a

positive impact and will benefit society. People will be monitoring them and making decisions, managing the high-level work, but robots will be doing a lot of the work such as planting, monitoring, spraying and harvesting crops.”

And while he acknowledges crops such as fruit are a good opportunity for robot use, other crops will benefit from their ability to monitor health and harvest potential among other things.

“They will allow you to use sensors to make data-driven decisions.”

The key will be to design robots for local requirements, he says.

“This is why conversations are so important. We need to speak to farmers and the agricultural industry – talking is the first and mandatory step in everything we do. I need to understand the problems and to then think about the appropriate solution.

Opinions

“We really want to show farmers what we can do and they are welcome to come to see us at the National Robotarium. It is always better to be able show how things work, rather than do just a Powerpoint presentation, and it can sometimes change people’s opinions and views about robots.

“The idea of the Robotarium is to provide solutions to industry and I want to invite farmers to have conversations with us so we can think about and design appropriate solutions for their problems.”

About the National Robotarium

A group of farmers has been using the FieldView system to evaluate on-farm variable rate nitrogen trials. Arable Farming caught up with two of them.

Digital farming platform underpins farmer N trials

The last 12 months has provided another reminder, if one were needed, of how quickly farm economics can change; further proof of the need to react and refine to optimise farm performance in the face of continuing market and climate volatility.

And that is what a number of farmers have been doing with a series of variable rate nitrogen trials in winter oilseed rape (WOSR) and winter wheat. The aim is to evaluate optimum nutrient use efficiency (NUE) and margin over input cost (MOIC). But escalating N costs have brought that more into focus, with many farmers wondering just how low they can go.

The group is using Bayer’s FieldView to evaluate the trials, with last season’s results throwing up some surprises when it comes N rates.

Certainly, that is how Robert Burden, of Chilbridge Farm, Dorset, sees it. In the past adjusting N rates to crop biomass has always paid dividends, but last season the work threw up a different result.

He compared rates ranging from 20% below to 10% above his typical winter wheat treatment of 230kg N/ hectare. He applied four programmes with total volumes of 180/200/230 and 250kg N/ha, the second application being the one where rate was varied. The result surprised him as the higher the loading of N, generally the better the result.

In the wheat trial – three different fields and varieties – the higher N loading delivered the greater the yield in every case and with Mr Burden shrewd enough to anticipate rising N prices and lock in fertiliser prices at £1/kg, the improved yield delivered the best return on investment.

But recalculate those figures on the current fertiliser price of £2/kg and that investment score shifts depending on field and variety. In one field, the best return remained with the highest loading, but in others 230kg N/ha produced the best MOIC, and in yet another field the 250kg N/ha and 200kg/N/ha applications came out equal.

The WOSR result is probably best described as ‘neutral’ – the higher rates and resulting yield being cancelled out by increased input costs, although in the highest biomass areas the lower rates did deliver a small improvement in yield and MOIC.

Mr Burden is a little puzzled by both results and his conclusion is ‘more work is needed’. With the rape he suspects the variability in results is down to the drought. Research has shown that WOSR is more sensitive to drought than winter wheat. With

the wheat trials, he feels a season of lower disease pressure may have had some influence. Higher N rates usually fuel disease pressure resulting in higher fungicide rates to preserve crop potential.

Useful

Some might see this as a wasted exercise, but Mr Burden does not. It is another piece of data in the library that might be useful in the future.

He says: “Rarely are two seasons alike. I’m building up data over several seasons which I can use to refine future decision making. It’s not just about improving NUE and MOIC but also our farm footprint.”

And he still made savings across some parts of the farm. In one WOSR field FieldView satellite imagery showed areas of low crop biomass.

Mr Burden decided to drop the final N application, and that paid off as although yield was impaired the crop returned a respectable margin.

Interestingly, his results from the 2021/22 season reflect those seen by others in the group. The results from Stockbridge, Hampshire-based Simon Gent’s WOSR trials also show no real gain last season from varying fertiliser rates to reflect crop biomass.

On his farm, although the variable rate areas brought input savings, the overall result was a 0.1 tonnes/ha yield loss, and with rapeseed priced at £508/t Mr Gent was worse off to the tune of £20/ha.

But caution is needed. For the purpose of the trial, the group decided to continually cut back on the higher areas of biomass and divert more nitrogen to the thinner areas.

This goes against the standard convention of loading final N rates to higher biomass areas where the crop

Robert Burden’s WOSR N trial showing biomass plus N prescription.

has the greater yield potential. Interestingly, where higher rates were used on the low biomass areas, there was an additional return of £91.51/ha compared to the standard flat rate.

Shropshire farmer Andrew Williamson also saw higher N rates deliver last season. He has been adjusting N rates on the back of N-Min tests, with volumes typically ranging between 200-240kg N/ha. But he wondered whether rates could be tweaked a little lower. Using a field of first wheat Graham, he compared his ‘typical’ rate of 220kg N/ha to a rate of 160kg N/ha.

FieldView analysis showed a significant yield difference between the two treatments, with the higher rates of N delivering the higher yields.

Mr Burden says FieldView opened his eyes as to what was possible on-farm. He feels it takes farm trials to almost academic standard.

He considers that even with combine yield monitoring, accurately overlaying yield data with variable rate mapping was not really

possible. But FieldView has changed that and allows him to do this even with small or irregular field areas.

Quality

More important is the quality of that data. He wants comprehensive stats before coming to any firm conclusions.

He says: “I’m able to pull out data precisely from any plot area regardless of size or shape. It means there’s no ambiguity with the data I’m evaluating – important if I’m to make exacting decisions. And I can review that data real-time if needed giving me more time to think about my options.”

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Oilseeds

Mr Williamson shares this view. He is looking to refine all parts of his farming operation and is a keen advocate of farm trials, combining his data with other independent sources. FieldView offers significant benefits, key of which is the ease with which field performance data can be accessed and evaluated as he is able to pull data from any ‘as planted’ or ‘as applied’ pass.

But it also simplifies monitoring trial field areas or tramlines. Mr Williamson does not need canes to know where he is in the field – the FieldView cab app does it for him.

“I know precisely the moment I enter or exit any plot or trial area. It’s perfect for anyone who likes to do their own trials,” he says.

Bayer’s Max Dafforn says: “Building up layers of data can only help farmers plan better to manage risk, whether that is market, inputs or weather driven. FieldView users will have a bank of historic data they can call upon combined with up-todate in-field monitoring from the Field Health images. This can be used to better inform in-season decision making based on the particular conditions for that season.”

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A field yield map from Andrew Williamson’s Shropshire farm in 2022.

EU boost for crop decision-making

How can you tell whether there is a need to treat crops against pests, diseases and weeds?

Developers of decision support systems (DSS) maintain that the research and trials behind them supply the answers. While plenty of farmers appreciate that, a relatively recent survey found rather more remain to be convinced.

“Farming must address the key challenge of increasing production of affordable food to meet global demand, while minimising environmental impacts.”

So says Dr Mark Ramsden of ADAS, which leads the five-year, 28-partner project under which

Project details

r*Stepping-up IPM decision support for crop protection rJune 2019 – May 2024, but platform is continually accessible

rFunding: €5 million (£4.4m) Horizon Europe programme –grant number 817617 – plus

the UK has received the most funding from the EU.

He continues: “Crops affected by invertebrate pests, weeds, or diseases – collectively ‘pests’ –are less productive, and plant protection products pose an environmental hazard.

Decisions

“Integrated pest management [IPM] DSS are accelerating uptake of computer-based systems to support decisions by farmers and advisers.

“Increased DSS uptake should lead to improved decisionmaking on-farm, offering better timing and targeting of plant protection products and their

integration with non-chemical methods of pest control.

“This should ultimately lead to less use of pesticides – and, potentially, fertilisers – with consequent benefits for society in terms of reduced diffuse pollution and reduced environmental harm.”

Sixteen workshops across 12 European countries in winter 2019/2020 drew 380 survey responses showing 56% of farmers had never used a DSS.

users and wider IPM stakeholders, to provide access to DSS.”

rBarrier: DSS are not user friendly

Action: “The platform is farmer-led in design and consistent across DSS to ensure user-friendly simple access.”

rBarrier: DSS are insufficiently risk averse

in-kind contributions rPartners: In UK – RSK ADAS; AHDB; Rothamsted Research; HSE; Fera; BASF; Corteva

rFor more information, visit cordis.europa.eu/project/ id/817617

“This project aims to better understand why DSS aren’t being used and address those barriers,” says Dr Ramsden. He lists the following barriers and explains how they are being addressed: rBarrier: Farmers/advisers are unaware of available DSS Action taken to tackle it: “We are creating an online platform, as a community of DSS developers,

Economics set to spur wider DSS use

JThe IPM Decisions Platform could mark a turning point, believes Neal Evans, Voluntary Initiative operations director.

He says: “Decision support systems [DSS] have been around for years. Some are more useful than others and, let’s be honest, some are also more trusted.

“Having worked on the Oilseed Rape Disease DSS

during my time at Rothamsted Research, the light leaf spot and phoma leaf spot forecasts, and having spoken at length with members of the farming community over the years, I consider there are four crucial elements to DSS uptake.”

He lists them as:

rKeep it simple

rFree (or ideally incentivised)

rReliable

rCan it help with assurance, inspection or gain earned recognition?

“Farmers are busy, practical people who often have limited time in front of a PC, laptop or even their smartphone to enter data or other farm-relevant information,” says Dr Evans.

“There’s also duplication of

Action: “DSS on the platform will be transparent in how the models work, what assumptions have been made and where they were developed and validated.”

r

Barrier: The benefits of DSSs are unclear

Action: “We are developing methods for quantifying the economic and environmental benefits of DSS use.”

rBarrier: Individual DSS presented in isolation do not reflect the multi-pest pressure farmers experience

information across platforms. Unfortunately, I believe this is the major disconnect between the academic world of models, systems and ‘doing the right thing’ and the farmer wondering if they can justify the cost of, for example, a fungicide spray.

“However, I also think this is where DSS will come into their own. Financially, farming is

A five-year €5 million (£4.4m) EU-funded project* to encourage wider use of decision support systems to control pests on farms went live in September. Andrew Blake examines what is behind it.

Decision support systems can help improve timing and targeting of plant protection products, says Dr Mark Ramsden.

decision-making

assess the reliability and suitability of various DSS so they can choose those most suited to their needs.

“The project is using insights from the interactions with stakeholders to guide platform design so as to encourage the behavioural changes needed for IPM to be implemented more fully,” adds Dr Ramsden.

The priorities for integrating current DSS into the platform have focused on the most urgent cases of pest/crop combinations based on:

DSS available September 19, 2022

rBarley yellow dwarf virus in winter wheat and winter barley

rCarrot rust fly in carrots

Codling moth in apples

Cabbage moth in several cabbage crops

Cutworm in various crops

Downy mildew in lettuce

rFungal leaf diseases in winter and spring wheat (septoria tritici, septoria nodorum, tan spot)

rPotato late blight in potatoes, three different DSS

Saddle gall midge in spring wheat

‘Comparison’ dashboard, while the ‘Adaptation’ dashboard enables researchers and DSS providers to adapt systems to their local circumstances.

outweigh many small gains from true predictions.”

Action: “The platform allows multiple pest risks to be presented together.”

rBarrier: Farmers and advisers do not trust DSS outputs

Action: “Working with user groups we’re improving our understanding of what improves trust in systems by developing demonstration trials across Europe through a complementary EU project ‘IPM Works’.”

rBarrier: Lack of ongoing support for DSS

Action: “Once developed, DSS often get released and then the researchers move on. The platform is designed to facilitate a wider network of users and developers, growing over time to ensure ongoing support.”

The overall aim is to give farmers, advisers and researchers a free ‘one-stop shop’ to

rIntensity of pesticide use and treated crop area

rEnvironmental and human health concerns

rDegree of threat to production

rRisk of loss of control by pesticide withdrawal and resistance in target organisms

rDemand from farmers, advisers, and other potential users

“The DSS addressing these urgent cases are technically diverse,” says Dr Ramsden. A catalogue of DSS from across Europe has already been created.

To ensure the platform delivers what users, be they farmers, advisers, or researchers need, specific ‘dashboards’ have been designed.

The ‘Use’ dashboard enables farmers and advisers to find and run IPM DSS relevant to their crops and pest pressures. Risk outputs from two or more DSS can be compared using the

Testing DSS usually involves comparing predictions of pest risk against observed data of pest prevalence, says Dr Ramsden.

“However, predictive value doesn’t necessarily translate into economic return and farmers are more likely to use a DSS if there is evidence for improved economics.

“Large losses for a low frequency of false negative predictions can

Methods have been developed for the economic analyses of DSS and are being applied to a set of contrasting pest/crop systems, he adds.

“To enable this, data sets of pest observations and weather across many sites and seasons have been obtained. Papers have been published from early stages of the work and observational data has been made open access.”

Find the platform at ipmdecisions.net MORE ONLINE

tough and recently got tougher.

“DSS could be targeted at agronomists to help farmers become more efficient, save money, and better protect the environment.”

From the outset of the project, there have been workshops for organisations such as the Voluntary Initiative, he adds.

“More importantly, there

have been farmer/adviser-led workshops across Europe, so the system is designed with farmers in mind.

“A well-structured, simple to use support system relaying information from agronomist to grower would be welcome. If it can help with compliance and assurance schemes, it should be applauded.”

Birds-eye view of pollinator

A study by Hutchin

sons-sponsored PhD student

Sarah Barnsley has revealed it is possible to use multispectral images collected from a manned aircraft to assess the availability of important flower species within hedgerow and wildflower margins.

Being able to make such assessments remotely could be much quicker and more cost-ef fective than commissioning a full botanical survey on the ground, yet still provide valuable informa tion to help manage resources that enhance the biodiversity and productivity of arable enterprises, says Ms Barnsley.

“Pollinators are really important from an arable perspective. Three-quarters of crops globally rely on pollina tors, yet in Great Britain there was a 33% decline in numbers between 1980 and 2013.

“Increasing the proportion of

SARAH BARNSLEY

flower and nectar availability is a relatively simple measure, which means, at the very least, we can prevent lack of food being a factor limiting the pollinator community.”

The research, conducted at the National Helix Technology Development Farm in North amptonshire, involved taking aerial images in March, May and July 2019, to coincide with the flowering periods of five key species: blackthorn, hawthorn,

red campion, bramble, and common knapweed.

Ms Barnsley says: “We focused on early spring, because that is a time of year known to be particularly poor for nectar availability for pollinators. June is also a nectar gap.”

Two image resolutions were tested – 7cm and 3cm per pixel – with all results ‘ground truthed’ against field assessments.

Flowering plants

At both resolutions the research found areas of flowering plants were clearly visible and, in some cases, it was possible to distinguish individual species, notably blackthorn and bramble.

Identifying other species proved more challenging though, especially where flowering occurred at the same time, with species sharing a similar appear ance or colour. Hawthorn accuracy, for example, was lower because cow parsley was flowering in the margins at the same time.

Follow-up research is therefore building on this first phase of the project by investi gating which flower species superficially appearing as similar colours could be classified separately from one another and assess how the area classified as a particular flower species translates into numbers of flowers on the ground.

JBiodiversity net gain (BNG) legislation could greatly increase the importance of being able to accurately assess and monitor resources, such as nectar-rich floral habitats, as there may be exciting opportunities for farmers and landowners, says Hannah Joy.

The legislation, set out in the 2021 Environment Act, requires new property or infrastructure developments in England to offset the loss of natural habitat by delivering an overall 10% biodiversity net gain for at least

30 years. This can be achieved on-site or elsewhere via the exchange of ‘biodiversity credits’ with landowners who either have existing habitat resources that can be claimed against or can create new habitats.

Improvements

Having a system to record and monitor improvements in biodiversity on-farm will therefore provide valuable supportive evidence for gaining any potential private sector funding through BNG, she says.

“The private sector will always want to be able to demonstrate to their shareholders the benefits to the environment and there’s now environmental legislation that insists on doing it.”

Going forward, BNG opportunities could potentially become as important to farmers as government agrienvironmental schemes, if not more so, and they are likely to require robust systems for recording and monitoring results, she says.

Within this, drone imagery with 3cm resolution has been trialled to see if oxeye daisy and common knapweed flowers can be accurately distinguished from control species with similar flower colours, namely yarrow and rose bay willow herb.

The final report findings are due to be submitted for publication later this year before the next steps for the project are defined.

Ms Barnsley says research such as this could theoretically pave the way to one day developing digital mapping systems that

Biodiversity legislation may create opportunities

Farmers could soon be using digital mapping to assess the flower resources available for key pollinator species and help plan stewardship management. Arable Farming finds out more.

If you increase flower abundance, that’s good for pollinators and for crop pest predators

pollinator potential

can accurately identify the type and approximate number of key nectar-rich species in any given area.

She acknowledges that mapping to this level of detail is still some way off, although aerial imaging, particularly higher resolution satellite imagery, is developing very quickly.

Satellite images

California-based Planet satellite labs, for example, is already gathering daily satellite images to 50cm resolution, and even finer resolutions could become publicly available in the next few years, she says.

“We’re starting to head towards resolutions from satellite imagery that would be feasible to do this kind of [pollinator mapping] work over larger areas at a sensible cost. Accuracy levels are not quite there yet, but I do think that in the next five to 10 years they probably will be.”

In the meantime, Ms Barnsley believes simpler assessments of flower availability still offer very valuable information for farmers.

One option being investigated is to group flower species by colour, giving a simple measure of the diversity of flower and pollinator communities and potentially allowing the abundance of pollinator species to be estimated, she explains.

“Flowers develop different traits that attract different pollinators, so a diversity of flower colours is potentially providing a diversity of resources for different species in the pollinator community.

Hoverflies, for example, like yellow flowers, and bees are known to like purple flowers.”

Previous research has shown that across Britain, 22 flowering plant species provide 90% of the nectar supply.

Hutchinsons environmental services specialist, Hannah Joy, says: “If you know there are a lot

of flowers, there is a good chance you’ll be supporting many of those 22 species.

“The research may not yet be absolute, but it doesn’t need to be.”

Indeed, resampling imagery from phase one of the project to lower 10cm and 15cm resolutions suggests it is still possible to accurately identify clusters of similarly coloured flowers on the ground, potentially providing a more cost-effective way of delivering useful information for farmers in the future, Ms Barnsley adds.

Monitoring images taken at different stages through the season and over multiple years will help identify gaps in pollinator resources across the farm and show how existing resources are changing over time.

This may help decisions, such as when to reseed flower-rich margins, where to place new stewardship options, or help tailor species selection to fill

Key points

rMultispectral airborne imagery can be used to map pollinator resources

rIdentifying some individual species is difficult and time consuming

rLower-resolution assessments may provide sufficient information to target management

rFuture advances in technology could make cost-effective precision mapping possible

rBNG legislation will create opportunities for farmers to monetise biodiversity improvements

gaps in nectar availability early or late in the season.

Ms Joy says: “If you want to make the biggest impact on your farm, you could target measures where there is currently nothing.”

While the current research has focused on pollinator resources, Ms Barnsley says mapping such as this could be equally useful in the future for assessing other biodiversity groups, such as species that support beneficial insects in field margins, or trees that provide food for birds through the year.

Pollinators

Ms Barnsley says: “If you increase flower abundance, that’s good for pollinators and for crop pest predators and other wildlife.

“If growers or land managers are already using crop monitoring via drone or airborne imagery, then it makes sense to extend this into the adjacent habitat to see what is already being provided.

“This will help farmers make management decisions around how to improve what is available at particular times of the year.

“The research is still at an early stage, but it’s a starting point that sets a really good foundation to show what we can potentially achieve.”

The research involved taking aerial images of five key species: blackthorn, hawthorn, red campion, bramble and common knapweed.

to improve food

A vision of sustainability

During the 2022 Sustainable Farming International Press Event held in Germany,

of the media gathered for an introductory demonstration of what John Deere described as its goals for sustainable food security.

manufacturer’s sustainable farming ideology revolves around the process of ‘connective planning’.

process utilises a combination of existing John Deere data technology and equipment which many UK farmers will already be familiar with.

The formula for this ideology can be divided into three steps.

include: harvesting and crop data collection; precision manure placement and seed planting; precision mechanical weed control and spot spraying technology.

Data

The idea, said John Deere, was not to tell farmers how to farm, but instead to encourage them to use the data they have at their disposal every day to help them farm more efficiently.

starts with the production of combinable crops.

Strip tillage

JEffective fertilisation requires the application of nitrogen within the field to suit the crop and delivering it directly to plant roots.

this effectively with minimal impact on the soil requires the adoption of strip tillage, says John Deere.

firm has developed new software technology for strip tillage manure application, which requires both the tractor and tanker to be equipped with GPS receivers.

sustainable farming formula introduced

Deere’s

revolves

Using RTK guidance to ensure optimum accuracy, once the manure has been applied at a depth of 10-12cm, the seed is immediately planted using a precision seeder.

Precise placement is assured using the manufacturer’s AutoPath system which records the position of the slurry belts as it is injected and stores the data in the cloud.

During the planting process the GPS data from the tanker is used to control the drill. This is made possible by data

connectivity, which John Deere claims is now more accurate than ever thanks to modern data cloud technology.

Cornering

Like the slurry tanker, the seed drill is also equipped with an additional GPS receiver, which works in unison with the receiver on the tractor.

At work, even if the seed drill is following an irregular line or is cornering, the seed is always

John Deere’s new software for strip tillage manure application requires both the tractor and tanker to be equipped with Starfire receivers.

SUSTAINABILITY MACHINERY

placed exactly above the slurry belt, usually about 7cm above the depth of the slurry.

It also records the exact position of every seed planted.

Despite the benefits of optimised slurry fertilisation, crops will still require additional nutrients.

When required, nutrient data from the slurry can be used to determine the further need for mineral fertilisers. Additional support can also be provided

by analysis of the crop itself.

Using software-specific satellite or drone images, the recorded data and application maps can be imported into the manufacturer’s PC software and then used when applying mineral fertiliser.

Using drones to formulate a map of the field can also identify areas of weed infestation and crop disease for the controlled application of pesticides.

Seed is placed directly above the slurry belt and the exact position of every seed planted is recorded.

More from the event over the page.

When planting, GPS data from the tanker is used to control a precision seed drill.

HarvestLab

JThe John Deere HarvestLab 3000 Near Infra-Red (NIR) sensor was introduced in 2007 for use on self-propelled forage harvesters.

The HarvestLab NIR can determine the moisture, protein, sugar, fibre, starch, acid detergent fibre and neutral detergent fibre content of grass and maize crops for silage. It can also be fitted to slurry tankers for manure constituent testing in variable rate slurry application and for performing bench top crop nutrient analysis.

John Deere started testing HarvestLab on its combines back in 2016, with the introduction of the HarvestLab 3000 on the S700 and T-Series combines. It now offers analysis of crop quality and nutrient content in threshed crops.

By determining moisture, starch, protein and oil

content, farmers not only benefit from a marketing standpoint, but they can now optimise the use of fertiliser, seed, pesticides and fuel for producing a crop the following year.

The data collected by HarvestLab on the combine is recorded in the John Deere Operations Centre, which is accessed through a computer or tablet.

This information is a focus point from which connective planning begins.

So how does it work? Taking wheat as an example, the idea is to use a combination of yield monitoring and protein mapping as an indication of where protein is limited in the field in relation to the crop yield.

Optimise

The idea is to potentially eliminate the need for chemical fertilisers.

By understanding where yield is at a maximum in a field in relation to the crop’s protein content, John Deere claims the data can be used to optimise the application of readily available liquid manures, such as slurry and digestate, to ensure nitrogen levels are sustained and the soil is not left depleted.

Once the crop’s N requirement has been established using mapping data from the combine, the manure is injected into the soil.

The application is controlled by the manure sensing technology, which measures the nutrient value of the slurry and applies it at the required quantity needed to meet a target application rate, according to the nutrient requirements for specific areas of the field.

Weed control

JConnective planning requires two strategies for weed control.

The first is mechanical weed control, which uses data gathered by the AutoPath system on the seed drill to guide a hoe or cultivator between the emerging rows to remove weeds competing with the growing crop.

John Deere demonstrated this using integrated active implement guidance, which operated a hydraulic steering ram on a rear linkage-mounted hoe. Because it knows exactly where the seeds are, it can steer the implement between the crop rows at speeds of up to 16kph.

The second strategy is controlled chemical pesticide application using spot or precision spraying, by utilising

precision GPS-controlled systems, such as AutoTrac, in combination with existing section and single nozzle control. This was demonstrated

Mechanical weed control uses data gathered by the AutoPath system to guide a hoe or cultivator between the emerging crop rows.

The sample bottle is used for performing HarvestLab calibration.

Using integrated active implement guidance to operate a hydraulic steering ram on a rear linkage-mounted hoe, mechanical weeding can be performed at speeds of up to 16kph.

Machinery and farm technology reporter

Farmers Guardian

Location: Preston or home-based (flexible) Salary: Competitive

Have you got a passion for agricultural machinery and emerging technology in the farming sector? Do you want to provide great written, video and audio content for some of the leading brands in UK agricultural publishing and events? If so, then this is the job for you.

John Deere demonstrated its precision spot spraying technology using a trailed 36m R952i sprayer.

Farmers Guardian and parent company Agriconnect are on the hunt for a high calibre candidate to work for its machinery and farm technology team across prominent brands such as Farmers Guardian, Arable Farming and Dairy Farmer as well as involvement in thriving events such as LAMMA Show and the British Farming Awards.

With modern agricultural machinery and emerging technology changing the face of contemporary agriculture, the right person would work alongside the Head of Machinery and Farm Technology to produce the best coverage in the sector.

You would play a key role in generating both written and video content for this part of the portfolio, with travel opportunities across the UK and abroad. As part of the team you would have a keen focus on contributing content ideas for Arable Farming, Dairy Farmer and Farmers Guardian.

using a trailed 36m R952i trailed sprayer.

Chemicals remain a necessity for conventional crop production and are

required to support mechanical weeding solutions. However, by adopting changes including drone mapping for weeds, utilising precision band and spot spraying technology, the manufacturer claimed a reduction in chemical use was observed, giving environmental and cost-reduction benefits.

Technology

An interesting aspect of John Deere’s sustainable farming formula is that it uses equipment and technology to collect data which is already available and in use on farms. John Deere said it aims to have complete connectivity between its machines by 2026.

We offer an excellent package including 25 days holiday increasing to 27 after two years, an extra day off on your birthday, free life assurance, free parking, flexible working, contributory pension scheme and a 35-hour working week.

We believe that creating a culture of diversity will help to maximise everybody’s potential and achieve superior business results. We aim to harness differences to create a productive environment in which everybody feels valued, where their talents are being fully utilised and in which organisational goals are met.

If you are interested in this role please send your CV and a brief cover note to the Head of Machinery and Farm Technology, Toby Whatley, at toby.whatley@agriconnect.com

Closing dates for applications is November 18, 2022.

UK farm businesses are turning to field robots to undertake planting and weeding tasks. Jane Carley reports.

Growing the robot workforce

While many developments in autonomous farming are

still at the concept or testing stage, Farmdroids have been quietly working away this year.

Developed in Denmark and

now available in the UK through Opico and a dealer network which includes a farming business that first imported the robot for its own crops, the Farmdroid FD 20 is an autonomous, electrically-powered seeding and weeding machine.

With the collaborative ethos

that is a key strand of how tech start-ups are bringing their products to market, Farmdroid has unveiled several updates made in collaboration with operators this year to increase functionality and versatility.

Shropshire organic farmers F.S. Brettell and Son came across Farmdroid when looking

CHRIS BRETTELL

for a weed control solution for their fodder beet crop.

Alternative Farmer Chris Brettell says:

“We wanted an alternative to using a weed burner. I looked at other routes, such as using electrification, but there was nothing suitable. We’ve used

Continues over the page.

We made five passes in the fodder beet crop and expect yield increases of 10-15t/acre

Farmdroid has been in use on a number of UK farms, with Shropshire organic growers F.S. Brettell and Son looking to use it for a wide range of crops.

New developments include a power pack option, which adds two batteries to allow 24-hour working.

Mr Brettell can operate or monitor his own or customers’ Farmdroids from the farm office.

tractor-mounted, inter-row hoes but they are not sufficiently accurate and in-row designs offer a short working window.” Farmdroid uses a large solar panel to top up its batteries and RTK GPS to precision sow the

crop according to a planting map. It then uses this map to guide its weeding pattern, allowing hoeing to take place even before the crop has emerged.

“This means the weeds never get a chance to take hold. Frequent

passes, with the possibility for 24-hour working, give a clean crop that maximises yield.

Yield increases

“We made five passes in the fodder beet crop and expect

yield increases of 10-15t/acre,” says Mr Brettell.

This autumn, the business has also established seven hectares of trial plots for oilseed rape. A modified five-hole disc was used to plant clumps of eight seeds to

In the field Jim Bubb, Shropshire Petals and Andrew Williams, Home Farm Nacton,

JShropshire Petals grows a wide range of flowers to make natural confetti and director Jim Bubb has invested in the Farmdroid FD 20 for its ability to plant and then return to the field as soon as possible to perform in-row hoeing.

“Larkspur and delphinium are very slow to germinate, taking 20-30 days. We’ve tried a Garford in-row hoe and Micron sprayer, but they can’t be used until the crop is well emerged. With the Farmdroid, the weeds don’t get goingits autonomous operation is actually a bonus.”

Mr Bubb says that using two machines improves timing, as flower seeds drilled in autumn are hoed into spring but by this time, he needs to be drilling again.

“Fortunately, the unit cost is low enough to purchase two machines, and we may have more in the future.”

Labour requirement

The low labour requirement is an attraction, he adds, suggesting that while the machines still need interaction, once or twice a day is usually sufficient.

“One person could operate

Delphiniums planted with Farmdroid in full bloom.

up to five machines, but going forward we’d like to have all of them working at once in the same field and operating as a swarm, rather than dotted around.”

Other possibilities include using Farmdroid as a platform for a wider range of implements, including a weedwiper. Mr Bubb is also looking at deploying the robot for more crops, including oilseed rape.

Home Farm Nacton saw a role for the Farmdroid in hoeing crops drilled from seed, working alongside a Robotti autonomous machine which works in transplanted crops, explains farms director Andrew Williams.

“It has allowed us to revisit growing drilled crops organically as we can tackle the weeds before the crop emerges. We can also weed the stale seedbed pre-drilling. In 2023 we will start in January as soon as the Farmdroid can travel and take out weeds as they emerge.”

The robot was used first to

Drilling onions for organic grower Home Farm Nacton.

JIM BUBB

establish onions and fodder beet and Mr Williams adds this showed its capacity limits.

“We tried to do too much in the first year, but there will always be teething problems.”

Onion seeds were placed in ‘stations’ on the seeding disc, with three seeds in one hole to give the population of plants needed while still allowing in-row weeding, and the angular seeds did lead to blockages.

“The communication system

With the Farmdroid, the weeds don’t get going - its autonomous operation is actually a bonus

maximise the chance of survival at spacings of 25-30cm. Crops, such as parsley and onions, can be planted with a more conventional disc placing one or two seeds every 10mm, with weeder knives removed

Continues

Nacton, Suffolk

Precision TODAY

came in useful – the drilling units try to clear themselves and then alert the operator. It took time to drill because of the blockages, although it wasn’t an issue on the fodder beet’s pelleted seed.”

Later in the year, red beet for juicing was established with the FD 20, extending the working season.

“We were very pleased with it – we learned a lot and the back-up from Opico and Farmdroid was excellent.

Monitoring

“We’ve considered a second Farmdroid but are monitoring the demand for organic food in the current economic situation before investing. It would make operations easier – with the fodder beet crop in rows and onions in a 1.83-metre bed, there’s a lot of work swapping the row widths over. We’ve also considered other crops, such as oilseed rape, to extend the season further.”

And while he expects organic growers to be the early adopters, he can see value for conventional crops in the future.

“It’s an affordable machine – payback on high value crops is one or two years.”

Amazone is leading the way with a range of innovative machines for soil tillage, sowing, fertilisation and plant protection.

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The

organically.

TECHNICAL ROBOTICS

to hoe inter-row only, which he suggests would give higher work rates of around 6ha in 24 hours.

“We’re hoping the oilseed rape will be successful so we can see the capabilities for autumn work. It would extend the season from the spring crops where we know it works. Flea beetle is obviously an issue and as we are organic the only treatment we’ve been able to use is to spray with garlic.”

Maximum working speed in autonomous mode is 950 metres per hour, which advantageously means the Farmdroid can legally operate unsupervised. The slow speed also means large obstructions, such as stones, flow through, rather than causing damage.

“I can check the set-up first thing, activate it from the field or from an app, and then go to another job,” says Mr Brettell.

“An on-board camera livestreams so it is easy to monitor field conditions and the FD 20 provides a text alert if rain means it needs to stop.”

Sensors alert to low seed hopper levels and malfunctions, such as blockages.

“The seeding unit will try to unblock and send an alert if not successful. It’s also possible to access the seeding disc remotely and ‘shake’ it to try to clear a blockage,” he adds.

The weeding tools comprise a rotating knife for in-row hoeing and wire shares to remove small weeds between the rows. A disc

CHRIS BRETTELL

unit can also now be added to cut through soil capping, allowing the tines through without the risk of pulling crop out. Mr Brettell is also looking to develop a ‘winter’ tine to work on soft or capped ground.

Range

A new power bank has been added to the FD 20 which gives extra range. The pair of lithium batteries can be charged up in the farm office during the day, while solar power is topping up the main battery, and fitted in the evening to allow working through the night.

“Field size is important of course, but we suggest one robot is sufficient for 20ha in its original format, and this would increase the capacity significantly as it can work round the clock,” he says.

Using multiple robots offers more capacity or additional flexibility. The control platform can be used to specify a working

The oilseed rape trials will be used to assess the robot’s capabilities for autumn work.

The Farmdroid can be controlled via an app, which shows the unit’s position, progress and status.

path for each robot, so if two or more are working in the same field, they are restricted to their specific path, avoiding the risk of collision or working the same ground. Future developments will see the capability to recognise and avoid other robots in the field.

“A boundary rope prevents damage in the event of meeting an obstruction,” says Mr Brettell.

“The working path is devised to avoid field obstacles, such as pits or telegraph poles, but also to work around them in an efficient way to avoid unneces-

OSR has been established across seven hectares this autumn using Farmdroid.

sary lifting out the weeding or seeding tools.”

Support is an essential element for high-tech equipment and Farmdroid offers a service monitoring robots remotely from Denmark for 18 hours a day; even taking over control of the operation to remedy a problem in instances such as a blockage.

Solution

The business will add a second robot for 2023 and this could allow one to be equipped for seeding and the other for weeding, reducing downtime for crops or varieties that are planted in sequence.

“We see this as a good solution for businesses such as vegetable growers,“ Mr Brettell says.

A four-wheel layout is also being developed alongside the existing three-wheel format for use in beds.

The family is now a distributor for Farmdroid alongside importer Opico under the business name Agri-Droid, also offering a monitoring and diagnostics service for their customers.

I can check the set-up first thing, activate it from the field or from an app, and then go to another job

autonomy gains for small farm businesses

Hands Free Hectare

successor Hands

Farm

nearly

view of

who has

the

on the speed manufacturers develop machines and systems that farmers can use in

operations.

Mr Franklin suggests the system could be of greatest

reverse the ‘bigger is more

model that

in recent decades and help it improve its commercial and environmental records, he says.

modelling based on the project suggests autonomous machines could help reduce the cost of crop production significantly, especially on smaller farms and fields.

Schemes

Switching back to smaller machines could encourage farmers to reinstate hedges and other features to take advantage of the various environmental schemes now available.

Since its launch in 2016, Hands Free Hectare has made considerable progress. In the first year its drilling of a single, level hectare of land was inaccurate, but the team still managed to grow and harvest the crop autonomously.

The accuracy and control of machines quickly improved and – despite the disruption caused by Covid-19 – the project has continued to progress.

In 2021 and 2022 the team drilled wheat, barley and beans on 34.6 hectares of Harper Adams University’s farm and harvested them autonomously.

This year, the team additionally drilled spring beans on the Yorkshire farm of David Blacker in a trial to compare Hands Free Farm’s systems with standard farm practice, often with two drills working in the same field and communicating with each other to avoid accidents.

When the project moved to

KIT FRANKLIN

the open field site there was a need to prepare the machines appropriately and geofence the whole site before starting work.

Machines had to work uneven shaped and sloping fields – one of which includes a low-lying area of peaty land that often lies wet and was flooded for part of the trial.

Obstructions

In some fields, the autonomous system had to work around fixed obstructions, such as telegraph poles and manhole covers, and it also needed to sense and avoid mobile obstructions, such as walkers, using the 1.5km of footpaths that cross the site.

The level of control and communication has improved beyond recognition, with the 2021 and 2022 harvests both seeing the combine and grain trailer working autonomously alongside each other.

That included ensuring the combine ceased grain offload as

it approached the headland so the trailer could pull ahead and move out of its way to enable it to complete an unobstructed turn.

When the combine resumed harvesting the trailer automatically pulled back alongside the combine in the new pass so grain offloading could resume.

In some instances, the level of control is almost too good, because the trailer always pulled into exactly the same position relative to the combine, says Mr Franklin.

“Because the unloading auger always stayed in exactly the same spot the grain piled up there, rather than being spread along the trailer. We were actually too precise.”

Developing a simple and easily understood control system has

been key to the project.

The Hands Free Hectare team started with a simple system based on open-source technology, which was operable only by the team that designed it. Now control is via a simple app that can be used by anyone using a suitable tablet or mobile device – something the team says is essential if the system is to be adopted widely.

Economics

Any doubt that autonomous systems might struggle to achieve decent crop yields have been dispelled in the last two years.

In 2021 the two main fields produced an average of 9.27 tonnes/ha of wheat, with spring oats yielding 5.7t/ha and winter beans 4.6t/ha.

This harvest’s wheat yields were 9.56t/ha, but spring barley only achieved 4.03t/ha due to the dry conditions throughout the growing season. Winter beans were expected to yield around 3.6t/ha.

The economics of the system will change according to the machines’ capability and the extent to which they need to be monitored, Mr Franklin adds.

“The ideal situation would be if machines could detect problems like blockages and

Because the unloading auger stayed in the same spot the grain piled up. We were actually too precise

Autonomous systems could reverse the ‘bigger is more economic’ model, says Kit Franklin.

In the last two years the Hands Free Farm team has drilled wheat, barley and beans in trials.

clear them before restarting work without human intervention. The more outside intervention required, the lower the potential cost savings.”

James Lowenberg-DeBoer, professor of agri-tech economics at Harper Adams University, says automation may benefit smaller farmers most.

“At the smaller end, this kind of equipment would allow the [smaller] farmer to produce competitively, although if they are all-arable running the farm might not be a full-time job.”

As an example of the potential benefits, he offers a cost comparison of a conventional farm versus an autonomous one, working up from 50 hectares.

He suggests that, at the smaller end, a conventional farm might produce wheat for around £170/t, while an autonomous one could achieve a cost closer to £140/t, both using one small tractor.

As unit size grows the conventional farm would use larger machines, whereas the autonomous one would add extra sets of smaller ones.

The model suggests the gap between the production costs of the two units would narrow and be reduced to around £13/t –£118/t compared to £131/t –by the time farm size reached

450ha, and remain broadly stable thereafter.

Prof Lowenberg-DeBoer expects producers of high value crops – especially organic ones – to be among the early adopters of autonomous systems because the machinery can help do routine, necessary work, such as mechanical weeding.

While robots are already deployed in livestock, these tend to be fixed – such as milking stations and feeding systems –or restricted to defined areas, such as automatic scrapers.

Adoption

Key to widespread adoption will be that farmers are convinced of systems’ value and vehicles become available – via hiring, lease or purchase – at what farmers believe is an affordable price.

And he sees a clear parallel with very recent history.

“They could be widely adopted, in the way that auto-steer was. At first farmers might have thought they didn’t need it, but once they realised its value it quickly became standard equipment”.

Protocols for the use of autonomous vehicles on public roads still need to be agreed, he adds, and the vehicles themselves need to be protected against cyber attacks.

Robot scanning maps the to targeted herbicide applications

The first of three field scans to be performed by robots has been completed on land farmed by a Hampshire farm business signed up to a new ‘Per Plant Farming’ service. Ash Burbidge reports.

There will be robots at work in broadacre arable fields in Hampshire this season. Wheatsheaf Farming manager David Miller has signed up the business to the Small Robot Company (SRC) Per Plant Farming Service. Wheatsheaf Farming is one of 50 farms to join the scheme following a pilot study which demonstrated the service can reduce herbicide applications up to 77% and fertiliser applica tions up to 15%, according to SRC.

Wheatsheaf Farming is a contract farming company comprising four privately owned farms totalling 728 hectares and located between Basingstoke and Winchester. The farms are managed as one business, with the percentage of land each farm contributes defining the percentage of profit received.

The farm has been managed under a regenerative system for the last 13 years and has fully utilised cover crops and a no-till system since 2015.

Cropping comprises mainly conventional spring and winter crops, including oilseed rape, barley, wheat and beans. The predominant soil type is a light loam over chalk with a clay cap and lots of flints.

Mr Miller has always tried to be open-minded about developments in agricultural technology and has been following SRC developments for several years.

“The main thing that convinced me to sign up for the service was

the ability of the robot to scan the field and then have that informa tion passed directly to the sprayer.

Our sprayer has GPS shut-off capabilities, so when spraying the field, the robot can tell the sprayer where the weeds are and where it needs to spot spray,” says Mr Miller.

“From an environmental perspective, if we can spot spray where the robot recommends, we won’t need to spray the whole field.

We are then able to adopt a more targeted approach in what weeds we are trying to control. Environ mental considerations are particularly important to us here.”

Mr Miller signed up for the scheme this year and robots have been on the farm for the first time this autumn to conduct the first scan. The field is planted to winter spelt wheat, with the planted area totalling 20 hectares.

The service includes three scans throughout the growing season, gathering per plant data which farmers can then use on an informed basis to ensure inputs are applied exactly where they are required.

Targeted

The Small Robot Company has recently completed the first ‘green on brown’ scan ,which is conducted prior to drilling, detecting plants for targeted treatment with a non-selec tive herbicide such as glyphosate James Vining, business develop

ment manager at SRC, describes how the first scan targets the glyphosate application.

He says: “We detect areas of green plant life and create a treatment map that allows targeted glyphosate application using existing farm machinery, rather than treating the whole field in a broadacre approach.

“This means we don’t necessari ly have to spray the whole field with glyphosate, but target only the areas with weeds.”

Currently, the service only runs commercially for

Pre-season plant density survey for reduced glyphosate use.

Three scans are conducted during the growing season under the ‘Per Plant Farming’ service.

route

“This means we can get a robot to any farm, even if they want to start small. Speaking to farmers, 20ha was felt to be a good area for an initial trial, which increased their confidence in trialling the service,” says Mr Vining.

Winter wheat

are using and the data they can collect and interpret have moved so fast over the last five years.

broadleaved weed detection, but the SRC is making ‘significant’ progress with grass-weed detection, adds Mr Vining.

The second survey identifies, geolocates and counts crop plants and broadleaved weeds to provide a targeted autumn herbicide application map, for use with contact herbicides.

Mr Vining says a density map of the field can be created by collating plant count data. This can then be used to feed into a variable rate fertiliser application model.

The third and final scan does a similar survey in the spring,

focusing

broadleaved weeds

nutrient uptake.

“The

Mr Vining.

Growers then have the option

do a second

ity

achieve a higher yield.

The Per Plant Farming service is still in its infancy and the SRC had a choice of two fields at Wheatsheaf

Its standard operating area under the service is 20 hectares, but farm businesses can opt to have up to 120ha

by the robots.

The robots cover 2.2ha per hour and operate currently in pairs. This service is currently only offered for winter cererals, with a range of crops being added to the robot’s inventory over the next few years.

The robot is designed to operate up to growth stage 31, with the SRC currently assessing what action could be informed if they deployed a solution which could operate past GS31.

According to Mr Miller, one of the most exciting things about being involved with the service is knowing that what the SRC is developing is just the beginning.

“The technology, cameras they

“The SRC is finding new things that they may have been unaware of before the commercial stage, but it is great to be at the beginning of this learning curve and have an impact on the future development of this technology,” he says.

Future services currently in development or on trial include robotic non-chemical weeding; disease identification and fungicide treatment sprayer export; soil sampling and insights; and grass-weed classification, including black-grass.

“Precision monitoring alone can provide immediate value, optimising existing sprayers for herbicide and fertiliser applications. But we believe that’s just the tip of the iceberg in terms of the potential for what per-plant farming can deliver, both in input cost savings and yield enhancement,” says Mr Vining.

Applying with accuracy for best use of N

Amazone

JHaving individual hydraulic disc drive to provide independent speed control of each spinning disc opens up a host of possibilities with variable rate applications, says Amazone UK managing director Simon Brown.

“Independent disc speed and an adjustable drop-on point helps to make the most of application accuracy when following variable rate maps,” he says.

“Weigh cells also monitor flow control for left and right sides of the spreader, to create our rate variation control. And with powerful computing power in a universal terminal, we can also accommodate up to 128 sections.”

Variable rate across the

spread width has been made possible with the adoption of Amazone’s MultiBin technology – a system already in use on its multi-hopper seed drills.

“MultiBin enables each spinning disc to be managed as a separate machine. So we can run two application maps on spreaders with this capability.

Accuracy

“With separate application maps for the left and right side of the spreader, this has increased overall accuracy by halving the area over which each map functions.

“If a customer is working on 24-metre tramlines, for example, MultiBin provides rate control for each 12m of working

width and this halves the zone size to improve application accuracy per sq.m.”

And recognising wind can have an impact on spread pattern, Amazone’s WindControl is able to adjust the spread pattern automatically, while on the move. It does this with information gathered from a high-frequency wind sensor mounted high on the spreader, that records wind speed and direction.

“A head- or tail-wind can stretch or compress a spread pattern, generating more of an impact on spreading than a crosswind. Knowing what’s happening behind you could soon influence the decision to change field for one where the tramlines are

Bogballe

JBogballe’s Dynamic Section Control uses GPS to adjust and control the spread pattern according to the shape of the field, for example in angled headlands or wedges. The system automatically closes the shutters of the spreader in areas where fertiliser is already applied, such as on the headland.

Dynamic shutters create an asymmetric spread pattern by displacing the pattern and at the same time reducing the quantity in an angled or wedged area. The gradual transition is said to ensure even application in overlapping areas, minimising the risk of over or under application and ensuring the correct application quantity over the total field area.

The outlet is designed

on a different geographical heading, changing the driving direction,” says Mr Brown.

In addition, Amazone offers the ArgusTwin radar-based monitoring system that uses 14 sensors positioned directly above the spinning discs to watch the spread pattern as it leaves the machine.

If ArgusTwin picks up any deviation, it automatically corrects the delivery system.

Variable rate application has done much to improve fertiliser spreader accuracy for those using spinning disc machines.

how

Geoff Ashcroft and Jane Carley report.

WindControl can help inform decisions on managing the effect of wind direction on fertiliser spreading.

Wind speed and direction are displayed on the in-cab terminal.

to correct the

an

independent

Bogballe also offers Dynamic Differential Control which controls the application quantity and shape of the spread pattern according to an application map.

Transitions

Shutters then control and modify the application of fertiliser across the working width and the planned application is applied in gradual transitions.

Dynamic Differential Control combines with Dynamic Section Control to give independent rate control on the left and the right discs.

Mike Britton, of Bogballe importer KRM, says: “During the application of granular

fertiliser, the line of spread tapers off towards the tramline in a triangular shape and the Bogballe overlap always smooths the transition between two application rates.”

When used for variable rate application, this reflects the nature of variability in the field, he says.

“Software systems see the field as small individual and sharply separated areas. But in reality, the shift from one rate area to another is more gradual, with smooth changes. Dynamic Differential Control adapts the quantity and spread gradually to match the actual conditions in the field.”

Spreading can be controlled in a number of ways using Bogballe’s Calibrator terminal or an IsoBus controller. Bogballe’s NAVI app runs on an Android

tablet and calculates the quantity across the working width to automatically correct the distribution behind the spreader.

Navigation

The Navi app is now fully integrated with Google Drive, allowing the download of application maps, automatic upload of log files securely to the cloud and offering improved navigation.

“You can easily transfer the map to the spreader, load up and spread, and then send an as-applied map back to the farm office,” says Mr Britton.

“Danish farmers are finding it especially useful for compliance requirements as they can overlay the maps on Google Earth and accurately show exactly the rate applied in a specific area. It’s something we may have to think about in the future in the UK.”

over the page.

POWERFUL TO RUN. SIMPLE

Bogballe spreaders use shutter control to vary application rates according to variable rate maps.

Kuhn

JPrecision spreading capabilities from Kuhn include high-speed section control from its Varispread Pro and the use of EMC – electronic mass controlto regulate fertiliser flow on both sides of the machine.

Available on Axis models, these technologies have evolved, with IsoBus capability opening up the possibility for advanced task control through Kuhn’s CCI terminal and the use of spreader-specific apps.

Doing so has steered the Axis towards importing application maps in ISO-XML or Shapefile formats using CCI Task Control app – but not just a single map.

The firm says it can run two separate application maps to provide variable rate on both sides of the Axis spreader, across the chosen working width. Operated through the CCI 1200, a 12.1-inch double-screen terminal, the operator can see application maps and spreader performance side by side. And

data can be transferred remotely by Agrirouter.

Optipoint is another Kuhn feature aimed at improving application precision with spinning disc spreaders when running in and out of headlands.

Having identified that different fertilisers have individual ballistic properties, the firm says speed and trajectory of products can vary considerably.

With Optipoint, the spreader automatically determines the optimum point of opening and closing the dosing system, taking away the risk of operator error when choosing when to

start and stop the spreader.

Manual control of the start and stop point is largely guesswork, says the company, and that actuation will occur at the same place in the field in most instances.

Timing

Kuhn says the consequences of poor timing can easily lead to over or underdosing, but with Optipoint, the guesswork is replaced by a system that delivers improved accuracy at the start and end of every tramline run.

Trailed boom spreaders have not escaped the advances of

technology. And Kuhn’s next generation of Aero GT models from Rausch will have the ability to apply variable rates per section.

Called Multirate 6, the Aero GT 60.1 model will provide the ability to run six individual application rates on each of its six boom sections.

This is achieved using individual hydraulic metering control and IsoBus to run a variable rate map. For the 36-metre boom, this means six 6m sections supplied by six metering units, with each section carrying five outlets at 1.2m spacings.

JKverneland Geospread twindisc machines can now deliver variable rate applications independently on both sides of the machine.

Called Multirate, this advanced rate control system uses higher resolution variable rate application (VRA) maps. As a result, the application control system can provide up to eight sections of variable rate capability across the full spreading width.

Multirate makes the most of advanced spreading accuracy through the use of tighter grid sampling and higher resolution maps. This is said to deliver better distribution of fertiliser at the prescribed rate.

Graham Owen, product

manager at the manufacturer, says: “The process uses field maps in ISO-XML format which are displayed as a task map on the Tellus Pro terminal.

“By activating a licence key, operators can launch Multirate on spreaders, allowing left and right application rates to be adjusted using multiple inputs.”

On a conventional Geospread machine with the input rate determined at the central point at which fertiliser drops in the field, the map provides a value of 170kg/ha, but when the spreader covers an area on the map with 150-195kg/ha input rates, the deviation from the VRA map ranges

from -25kg/ha to +20kg/ha.

Multirate can provide up to eight sections, where the input rates are determined at eight points at the spreader ‘boom’.

The VRA map provides different values (192kg/ha and 160kg/ha) for the left and right disc, which can deliver these rates independently.

Kverneland

Kuhn says certain Axis spreaders can operate two separate application maps, creating variable rates on each side of the spreader.

Kverneland’s Geospread-equipped fertiliser spreaders can apply fertiliser according to variable rate maps (left).

Central tyre inflation systems can adjust trailer tyre pressure to spread load as the trailer is filled.

Manage tyre pressures to cut operating costs

Protecting soil health and increasing the efficiency of cropping operations by using less fuel is on every farmer’s mind. Recent advances in tyre technology mean that, even in today’s unpredictable climatic conditions, it is possible to minimise the impact of fieldwork.

Using the right tyre for the job at the correct inflation pressure means machines travel more easily through the field, reducing their impact on soil and using less fuel to do so. Further cost savings can be made if the need for repair works – especially those that are costly in terms of time and fuel, such as subsoiling – is reduced.

But there is also a requirement for travel between fields, often at higher forward speeds. Correct inflation pressures for the field may not be appropriate for this.

Central tyre inflation allows tyre pressures to be more easily tailored to the operation and several systems are now available on the market.

Defining the correct pressure is, however, a highly individual requirement, as every farmer operates differently, says Michelin’s Gordon Brookes.

“A tractor pulling a high-capacity drill may work over a large area with different soils and may not always be run full.

Profiles

“Terrain can have an impact, as can soil type – inflation profiles are different for the fens than when on a clay soil. The amount of road

work being done by a particular outfit also has an influence.

“By being able to tailor the pressures precisely to the work being done, tractor performance can be optimised in addition to the benefits for soil condition.”

This extends beyond the operation being carried out, he adds, as there is less need to

Working at the correct tyre pressures and using the right tyre for the job could help save money and increase efficiency, reports Jane Carley.

The same outfit as pictured above. The trailer tyre pressure was raised as the driver left the field, to give safe operation at road speeds.

rectify damage done, further saving fuel and time.

“Using the correct tyre pressure on the road also reduces rolling resistance and improves efficiency for transport.”

Mr Brookes says this is relevant not just to tractors, but to sprayers and other trailed implements too.

“With a sprayer you can use central tyre inflation to cater for the diminishing load and ensure the tyre pressure is correct for the load at that point in the operation.

“It’s an advantage to be able to alter tyre pressure on trailers as

they are the equipment most commonly used both on the road and in the field and working at the correct pressure makes them easier to pull.”

Impact

Research by trailer manufacturer Richard Larrington showed a trailer that previously required 180hp could be towed by a 150hp tractor when its tyres were inflated to the correct pressure.”

The impact of trailers in the field should not be overlooked, especially where multiple crops are grown during one season

GORDON BROOKES

and there is little opportunity to rectify damage.

R22.5 Trailxbib at one bar or less, the reduction in tractive effort is considerable as is the reduction in fuel consumption.

Michelin acquired PTG, a specialist in tyre pressure control systems, in 2017 and it supplies retrofit and OEM solutions in the UK via Tractair.

Faster

Most are fitted to tractors, either from new or within a few months of purchase, explains Tractair director Nick Constantine.

Research has shown that when pulling a 16-tonne trailer shod with Michelin VF560/60

In the field Squab Hall Farms, Warwickshire

VarioGrip is fully integrated into the tractor using a modified compressor for inflation and deflation and dedicated valve technology.

Fendt claims up to 10% more tractive power and a reduction in fuel consumption by up to 8%, along with 8% extra area output.

Tyre pressures can be set via the Varioterminal in the cab and, on the 900 and 1000 ranges, Grip Assistant advises of the correct pressure and ballasting for a defined speed. Ballast mode can also recommend the ideal working speed and optimal tyre pressure for a defined ballast.

Priority

VarioGrip has an RRP of £15,329. Part-funding may be available in some circumstances – for example it is eligible for a Steps grant for farmers in Severn Trent’s

priority catchments, under the ‘Farm innovation’ category.

This was the route taken by Squab Hall Farms, Warwickshire, which had Fendt 828 and 942 Vario tractors and Stewart GX 18-23 trailers equipped with central tyre inflation for the 2022 harvest season (pictured).

Farm manager Martin Downes says: “The time saving alone compared to swapping pressures with an airline persuaded me to invest in the system and it was useful to get the funding for VarioGrip from Severn Trent.”

Third-party CTIS systems can often be controlled via an IsoBus terminal or via a separate box.

“We work closely with Michelin and the PTG system has evolved since the partnership began to give faster inflation and deflation times. Outboard systems can also be JFendt was one of the first manufacturers to offer a central tyre inflation system as an option on its tractors and more than 80% of the Fendt 800/900/1000 series tractors sold last year were specified with this option.

With a sprayer you can use central tyre inflation to cater for the diminishing load

Heavy machinery, such as harvesters, used in variable conditions can benefit from CTIS, says Michelin’s Gordon Brookes.

used to inflate and deflate on the move for even less downtime.”

Mr Brookes adds: “There’s considerable versatility with a PTG system – you can even use them with water ballast in the tyre to work at lower pressures without having to account for its weight, as would be the case with solid ballast.”

There is also a diverse range of applications for the technology.

He says: “One early adopter was Flawborough Farms which fitted a PTG system to a Fendt 724 [which is not offered with the manufacturer’s own Vario Grip system] to work with a Horsch trailed sprayer.”

Other machines which could benefit include forage harvesters

and trailed potato and carrot harvesters.

“But you also have to think about the whole of the harvesting system to get the most benefit. We have heard of trailers sinking during the maize harvest and needing a 350hp tractor to pull them out.”

The PTG system can be controlled via IsoBus or a standalone control box and operators can set inflation profiles, such as tyre pressures that adapt to account for the changing weight of the implement when fully loaded, half full and empty.

Convenience

“For example, on a high capacity sprayer with a 12,000-litre tank, you would set three or four steps,” says Mr Brookes.

Speed and convenience compared with using an airline to swap pressures manually are a major benefit.

“For a tractor and trailer it takes around two minutes to inflate or deflate. By the time you’ve opened the field gate and checked round the outfit to see it is ready for the road, the tyres are done.”

Michelin area managers are all equipped with weigh cell kits to help set up CT systems in the field and recommend the ideal pressures for the jobs in hand, Mr Brookes adds.

Not all tyres are equal

JIncreased flexion (IF) and very high flexion (VF) tyres have been developed improve tyre performance. However, not all IF or VF tyre manufacturers achieve these standards in the same way.

The VF standard dictates that when comparing two tyres of the same dimension on the same rim, a VF tyre is capable of carrying 40% more load at the same pressure as a standard tyre, or the same load at 40% less pressure.

Gordon Brookes says: “This load increase can be achieved by simply making the casing stiffer.”

He says buyers should check the credentials of IF and VF tyres as they are not all necessarily more flexible.

“Michelin’s Ultraflex

technology increases the dynamic flexibility of the tyre while maintaining the best possible handling on the road. It also uses a special casing which isolates heat by dissipating it, to achieve 40% more tyre performance on VF and 20% more on IF tyres.

Footprint

“By lowering its inflation pressure, the tyre deflection increases, thus the footprint is enlarged, which increases traction and cuts fuel use, while reducing compaction. In some circumstances a ‘narrower’ VF tyre can give a bigger footprint than its wider equivalent, useful for applications such as the larger diameter tyres used on self-propelled sprayers.”

A retrofit tyre pressure system was fitted to this drill, which is designed for use as a direct drill in all conditions.

Tyre technology can also be of benefit in cutting compaction and fuel use while boosting traction.

UK debuts for latest

Vaderstad Carrier XT

JPresented alongside the Swedish manufacturer’s existing Carrier range, the XT offers a greater range of frontworking tools including cross boards, crop cutters and a straw harrow.

Horsch Pronto DC drill

JThe recently updated Pronto from Horsch was shown to UK customers for the first time since its launch earlier this year.

Changes to the drill have been focused on a new tank design and operating platform for the control system.

The new tank shares design features with the manufacturer’s other drills and can be supplied as a single or

split tank with a full-width LED lighting array across the rear.

Growers looking for greater establishment diversity can add a third tank through the addition of a MiniDrill fitted to the drawbar.

The disc coulter assembly can be specified with individual coulter shut-off operated through the new HorschConnect operating system.

The disc assembly is operated on an arc, allowing a claimed greater variation

in soil engagement and movement.

The XT is offered in working widths of 4.25-6.25 metres and folds vertically for transport, unlike the three-way roll fold of its predecessor.

The manufacturer says both versions of the Carrier will continue to be offered.

JPreviewed ahead of its launch in 2023, the on-land shallow plough introduces the brand into a growing market as some growers look for lower draft implements which allow full-inversion on shallower working.

Offered in working depths of 60-180mm, the design is claimed to allow high-speed

operation, achieving outputs to match a similar sized cultivator. Furrow widths are mechanically adjusted from 300 to 500mm.

The demonstrated model was operated with 10 bodies and was fitted with plastic mouldboards, which are claimed to offer improved cleaning in wet conditions.

Amazone Ceus 3000 TX cultivator

JAligning with a trend from other manufacturers to now offer smaller versions of established wider cultivators, Amazone demonstrated a three-metre version of its Ceus disc and tine combination cultivator.

Using an opening pair of 510mm discs followed by deeper working legs spaced

at 400mm, levelling discs at the rear of the chassis can be followed by 11 different roller and rear harrow combinations depending on customer preference and on-farm conditions.

The up-front power requirement is a claimed 80hp per metre. A rigid 4m version is also available.

Held in East Lothian, Scotland, Tillage Live gave visitors the chance to see some new kit working in the UK for the first time. Toby Whatley reports from the event.

Kverneland Ecomat shallow plough

tillage kit

Kuhn Vari-Master Smart Plough

JPresented in the UK for the first time, the Smart Plough uses an IsoBus-linked controller to individually raise and lower each body to achieve a uniform headland start and finish.

Supplied with four to six bodies and in on-land or in-furrow configurations, the

implement can automatically adjust the beam position using GPS to achieve a consistently straight furrow.

All plough adjustments are handled through the control interface, with individual plough settings being saved for specific crops or particular soil types.

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Lemken Variopack furrow press

JAn upgrade to Lemken’s existing furrow press range, the Variopack has been redesigned so the press is now pulled from an overarching chassis.

The pivoting and steering press is hydraulically controlled from an integrated

cylinder and accumulator.

Pressurised from the tractor spool, this allows the implement to steer as the tractor moves around field contours, improving pass-topass accuracy when operating across slopes, says the manufacturer.

MATTCulley

Government must recognise the economic pressures our industry currently faces

The ever-changing government administration has caused somewhat of a debate about the future of the Agricultural Transition Plan (ATP) and there has been a degree of misrepresentation with regards to the NFU and its position. The Government has challenged its departments to review policy - ATP and Environmental Land Management included - and to commit to growth and increased productivity.

How these reviews will develop is anyone’s guess, but there are some things I’d definitely like to see it cover.  We all believe that growth and productivity are important and global events have brought the nation’s food security to the forefront of policymakers’ thinking.

As farmers, we know we can help with boosting growth and domestic productivity while also continuing to enhance the environment. But

About the author

rNFU crops board chairman Matt Culley is a fourth-generation farmer from Hampshire working in partnership with his parents and brother

rThe 720-hectare enterprise produces wheat, barley, oilseed rape, forage maize and rye for anaerobic digestion across varying soil types, from chalk and chalk loam to clay cap. This includes 170ha of owned and rented land and 540ha of contract farming agreements

rThe family also runs a pick-your-own soft fruit and summer vegetables business

the Government must also recognise the deepening economic pressures and challenging regulatory context our industry currently faces. Taking all these factors into account, it feels only right that the Government should review the ATP.

Accelerate

I’d like to see Defra and Government consider the following key points: They could accelerate and boost funding within the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). SFI should be attracting more of the total budget and should provide a secure and profitable platform for growers to focus business models on and plan for the future. This will also require a wider range of standards and options to be readily available. Overall, this scheme should be simple and easy to access - helping accelerate grower uptake and their ability to access recycled Basic Payment Scheme monies.

While they are reviewing things, it’s important they look at the development of the Local Nature Recovery and Land Recovery schemes.

The current lack of detail and over-ambitious narrative around these schemes give little confidence or substantial information on which growers can make informed decisions on whether these are viable business options.

The proposed launch date of 2024 seems ambitious, so it would be better to see Defra and stakeholders refocus their efforts on SFI to get the foundation right for any future advanced scheme development first and foremost.

Countryside Stewardship and Higher Level Stewardship agreements should also remain competitive to new and existing agreement holders. Defra has agreed to rolling forward these

and capital item expenditures given the current inflationary pressures. Competitive payment rates will support and protect existing environmental capital and help plug the gap between schemes.

We’d also like to see the Government ensure that well-funded and effective productivity grants remain available throughout and beyond the current timeline of 2025, to make certain that infrastructure investment effectively fits in with regulatory requirements and SFI options, helping farmers to build resilience into their businesses through actions to improve productivity.

However, I hope the review they undertake isn’t just about the specific policies within the ATP. There should be an immediate and updated economic impact assessment of the ATP and the effect this will have on all farming sectors, across the transition period and beyond. Given the current economic uncertainty it is vital to analyse and understand the range of potential outcomes for farm businesses and incomes across all sectors and regions.

However, to do this all of the necessary infrastructure and support must first be in place for farm businesses to remain profitable and continue producing the food, fibre and energy that our consumers need.

With growers already feeling the impacts of cuts to direct payments, the above asks are critical to moving towards the future schemes and agricultural transition. Boosting growth and productivity are admirable and ambitious goals and can be delivered while continuing to improve the environment.

Perks and perils of trading natural capital

More businesses are now looking to offset their environmental footprint, and

new laws on enhancing biodiversity for housing developers, there are some interesting opportunities emerging for land managers to make some extra cash.

is trading natural capital all it is cracked up to be, or could land owners be tying themselves into long-term contracts to fulfil a fairly new and unknown concept?

in to Crop It Like It’s Hot to hear Arable Farming’s Alice Dyer find out if and how farmers could tap into this potentially profitable market

points

Members of the BASIS register can now receive one CPD point for tuning into the podcast. Listen in to the podcast to find out how.

three experts on the frontline.

Speakers:

Michael Kavanagh, Shrop shire farmer and co-founder of The Green Farm Collective.

Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the Central Association of Agricultural Valuers (CAAV).

Prof David Hill, founder of the Environment Bank.

More information

The Crop it Like it’s Hot podcast

Arable Farming and CropTec

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show talks to leading arable

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Listen in

Prof David Hill, founder of the Environment Bank.

Michael Kavanagh, co-founder of The Green Farm Collective.

Jeremy Moody, secretary and adviser to the CAAV.

BASIS news Tuning into the experts on black-grass control

Black-grass remains a focus of concern for growers and advisers alike, which is why a recent BASIS podcast took an in-depth look at the topic, ranging from cultural techniques to chemical options.

For the past nine years, Rothamsted Research has been running a farmer network to monitor black-grass populations and the effects of different approaches to its control. Today, the network covers more than 180 fields on some 60 farms across the country.

Technician Richard Hull reflects that some farmers have made big changes to their systems and got on top of the weed.

However, there are many who, despite undertaking change, have slipped up in one or two areas of detail and made little progress. While some who have not made changes have just seen infestations become worse.

Different farmers have different views of what satisfactory control is. For some, success is only achieved when hand-rogueable levels of infestation are achieved, while others only pay attention when there is a clear impact on yield or margin.

Mr Hull points out that just 10 plants/sq.m, equates to 50 seed heads, which will be capable of returning 5,000 seeds to that sq.m.

In his view, effective control requires a strategy for a period of five to 10 years, encompassing issues such as cultivation type, sowing date, cropping, spray regime and so on. As

important is to review the success of the strategy each year and be prepared to change.

Farm network results show that delaying drilling from mid-September to mid-October can see a 30% reduction in black-grass population, but far larger reductions of up to 90% fewer plants can be achieved by a switch to spring sowing.

Wet weather

However, on some soil types this comes with increased risk of wet weather or dry springs.

The ability of black-grass to adapt and resist chemical treatments is discussed by Stuart Kevis, business development manager at BASF. He recommends testing regularly for the presence of herbicide resistance to establish if it is present in crops and whether it is target or non-target site specific in nature.

No spray treatment will provide anything like a com-

plete answer to managing black-grass, but attention to detail in choosing and applying chemicals will significantly improve the level of control which can be achieved.

Mr Kevis says a pre- and post-emergence programme will be effective, but where possible the pre-em should be applied within 48 hours of drilling. Control will also be improved by ensuring a firm, moist seedbed with little trash that could reduce evenness of spray coverage.

Crop and variety type also affect the competition that black-grass will face, says Paul Roche, Syngenta product placement lead.

Hybrid barleys that are so vigorous above and below ground can compete strongly with black-grass and reduce seed return by more than 300%, compared to conventional cereals, he claims. And this population reduction occurs whether or not herbicide tolerance is present.

Even with conventional varieties, he stresses the importance of good establishment, which depends on good seedbeds and well-timed sowing dates.

Crop nutrition has a part to play as trials have shown the importance of early N applications in February, around growth stage 25, to boost crop growth and increase weed suppression.

Detail

Mr Roche also highlights the importance of attention to detail in machinery hygiene and selecting effective seed rates.

Where populations are particularly severe, consideration should be given to burning off the crop with glyphosate or, with correct timing, taking whole crops for anaerobic digestion.

LISTEN TO THE PODCAST

The full BASIS Agronomy podcast, which also addresses other grass-weeds, can be found online at basis-reg.co.uk/news

The latest news for BASIS and FACTS-qualified farmers and advisers.

It is important to review the success of a black-grass strategy each year, says Rothamsted’s Richard Hull.

When everything’s going up, it pays to bring your costs down.

Increased flexibility

Mayflower has a wider, more flexible growing window than its competitors.

Increased income opportunities

When grown as a milling wheat, it consistently achieves the 13% contract specification of protein with a specific weight of 78.5kg

Reduced fuel costs

Less inputs and passes means fewer litres in the tank.

Reduced chemistry costs

Excellent disease package with a Septoria score of 8.4, as well as Soil Wheat Mosaic Virus and PCHI to Eyespot.

This season choose the lower input variety. It could just deliver a higher impact on your bottom line.

Speak to your seed merchant today about availability.

Reduced nitrogen costs

Recent trials prove when N levels are reduced, Mayflower’s relative yield increases compared to other established varieties.

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