Use SFI as catalyst for change

Farmers have been urged to use the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) Soils Standard as the catalyst to “raise the game” for soil health and crop productivity.

Speakers at a recent meeting of Essex growers organised by Farmacy acknowledged that SFI uptake had been below expectations thus far, possibly because some growers regarded the payments of £22/ ha (Introductory level) and £40/ha (Intermediate) as being insu cient.

Indeed, Defra announced in early January plans to make the SFI more nancially attractive by introducing a new SFI Management Payment of £20/ha, for up to 50ha of land entered into the scheme, to cover the administrative costs of participation. While this would be a welcome addition to the amount available, Farmacy agronomist Jim Woodward said growers should still regard the SFI as “seed money” to invest in stimulating wider e ciency improvements, rather than a backpocket payment to compensate for BPS cuts.

“The Introductory level may only be £22/ha, but many farmers are already doing much of this anyway, so why not get recognition for it and challenge yourself to invest that money on things that will build productivity and deliver greater bene ts to the bottom line. Consider

The SFI’s soil testing requirements were a good starting point, head of soil health Ian Robertson (right) said.

“Rather than just going for a basic soil test to tick a box to get the payment, why not undertake more detailed testing that provides useful information to allow proper management decisions to be made on farm?”

The Healthy Soils Gold test, for example, examined a host of factors, from soil structure, pH (active and bu er pH), cation exchange capacity, and bulk density, to carbon, organic matter, biology and nutrient availability in kg/ha.

Baselining these complex chemical, physical and biological properties was essential to evaluate the e ectiveness of current management practices, and to make educated decisions about any improvements needed, he said.

The Omnia digital farming platform made it far easier for farmers to pull soil and crop data together in one place, formulate management plans, and demonstrate compliance with SFI requirements, he noted.

“If we don’t understand the baseline we’re working from, it’s very di cult to manage resources and improve e ciency,” Mr Robertson continued.

Take nutrient use e ciency for example. Getting soils into a condition where nutrients were cycled more e ectively could have big bene ts in terms of fertiliser savings and crop yield, but it required a clear understanding of existing biology, soil structure, chemistry and plantavailable nutrition, he said.

“A typical wheat crop contains about 300–400kg N/ha by GS 87, and most soils in good condition can deliver 200–300kg N/ha, but only if they have the microbial activity to breakdown and cycle nutrients e ectively. That in turn is dependent on a host of other factors.”

Results from Helix trials presented by Farmacy agronomist Andrew Spackman showed it was possible to replace some bagged nitrogen by using smaller amounts of more e cient foliar-applied fertiliser, but only if base levels in the soil had set a su ciently strong foundation.

He showed how methylated urea products, such as N-Durance, applied at T2 delivered 7kg N/ha to the crop, equivalent to replacing 30kg of bagged granular nitrogen fertiliser, with no detriment to yield.

“There may well be a place for products like this for improving nitrogen use e ciency, particularly in drier eastern counties where uptake of granular fertilisers can be challenging in dry seasons. But soils need to be in the right condition to see a response.”

There were other impressive results from a placement phosphate fertiliser trial at Helix East last season, where Primary-P and Crystal Green showed a worthwhile yield response of 0.6–0.8t/ ha, Mr Spackman added.

“There’s sound logic behind the theory that placing phosphate around the seed and root zone where it’s needed will lead to better e ciency than broadcasting granular fertiliser, so it’s encouraging to see this supported in this trial. It may be another opportunity growers can consider to improve nutrient e ciency on their farm.”

Mr Robertson said regenerative agriculture principles played a big part in improving soil health, but regen should not be seen as the only answer.

“Generally, the more soil is disturbed with fertiliser, agchems, or cultivations, the less contribution there’s likely to be from microbes.”

Research also showed that for 100kg/ha of applied nitrogen fertiliser, 1.6t of carbon was potentially oxidised from the soil, so there could be signi cant bene ts from reducing the reliance on arti cial fertilisers, he said.

“But the key is to understand what you need to do to your soil to make it right, not just follow trends or copy what others are doing.”

He noted an AHDB survey in 2018 that found 10% of land that was deep cultivated did not actually have any deep compacted layer, but 40% of soil with a deep pan layer was not cultivated. Don’t be scared of cultivating, but only do what’s actually required by the soil.”

Tips for improving performance:

• Identify your aspirations for soil health, crops and the wider

• Decide if these can be delivered by the existing farming system

• Baseline the current situation to show the starting point and highlight shortcomings

• Plan what needs to change to meet aspirations – be open-minded

• Do what is right for your business, don’t just follow trends

• Avoid trying to do everything at once

• Be realistic about the speed of change (soil biology needs time to change).

Baselining nancial performance was similarly important, especially as higher costs and commodity prices had “raised the stakes” considerably for harvest 2023, Hutchinsons farm business consultant, Gwilym Jenkins told the meeting.

“A conventional rotation still has opportunity to make as much money as previously with measured management practices, but your attitude to risk must be calculated as there is much more ‘skin in the game’ due to increased input prices.”

He outlined three key steps:

1. Understand the gures – update budgets, cash ow forecasts and gross margins as prices change. Recognise that the higher cost of borrowing may impact on buying and selling decisions

2. Measure and analyse performance – use yield maps to identify pro table areas; use soil sampling (including carbon analysis) to set a baseline for soil management policy; and analyse xed costs, especially machinery (consider costs/ha, replacement policy, changes to strategy, grant funding, etc)

3. Identify opportunities - growing crops is still the main opportunity, but consider other ways to build income and drive future productivity or e ciency gains e.g. diversi cation activities, grant funding, stewardship opportunities (CSS/ELMS).

4. “There are some good opportunities from schemes like ELMS, but look at it as an investment vehicle, and ask whether you can use that money to bene t the bottom line in other ways, rather than just as a way of propping up nances without BPS.” FG

In a season where nitrogen fertiliser costs are high, growers will be keen to optimise these inputs in order to get the best return on what is likely to be a large investment.

With four years of independent data showing a clear bene t in using Revystar XE (mefentri uconazole + uxapyroxad) within a crop protection programme, Revystar XE is a key benchmark for disease control in cereal crops, BASF says. Now, new research from ADAS has found that, as well as its proven disease control, Revystar XE also enhances nitrogen use e ciency (NUE) and yield in winter wheat, with the NUE de ned as the kg yield produced per kg of available nitrogen from soil and fertiliser.

Last season, disease pressure at the ADAS trial site in Herefordshire was low to moderate in a trial which looked at the e ects of fungicide on nitrogen use e ciency (NUE), with a range of fungicide and nitrogen applications.

Dr Pete Berry (right), head of crop physiology at ADAS, told growers attending BASF’s recent Nitrogen & Fungicides webinar that the trial in a crop of Gleam (RL rating of 5.7 for septoria) found that the fungicide programme of 1-litre/ha Revystar XE + Comet + Arizona at T1 and T2 produced a statistically signi cant increase in NUE.

He said: “The NUE was signi cantly increased from 34kg up to 38kg under the Revystar XE programme.

“The increase in NUE was driven by both better uptake e ciencies, and nitrogen utilisation and again we found there were sizeable increases from the untreated to the fungicide treated.

“When we analysed the results we found there was a statistically signi cant increase in fertiliser uptake e ciency with the fungicide strategy of 1.5-litres/ha of Revystar XE at T2 taking up 62% of the fertiliser nitrogen; 8% more than the untreated.”

According to Dr Berry, the most likely explanation for the results is that Revystar XE kept the crop greener for longer and so allowed the crop to ‘work’ for longer.

He commented: “The Revystar treated crop had more time to take up nitrogen from the soil and fertiliser and also longer to remobilise the nitrogen which was in the canopy into the grain and build yield.”

Work published by AHDB has shown that all of the top 4 leaves make an important contribution to yield in wheat. However, it is infections on the ag leaf and leaf 2 which have the greatest impact on reducing yield.

Dr Berry added: “The main reason these improvements occurred was because the grain lling period lasted longer, which allowed an increase in the thousand grain weight and so there was an increase in the yield.”

In order to look further into the work carried out by ADAS on the role of Revystar

Dr Jon Helliwell (right), business development manager at BASF, looked at practical economic data for the Rosemaund trial.

He said: “In this low disease pressure situation, the plots with no fungicide application showed increased yields as the level of nitrogen increased which con rms that nitrogen plays a central role in building yield and adding to gross margin.”

Dr Helliwell then looked at increasing doses of Revystar. He said, “We applied Revystar XE at T2 at 0.75-litres/ha, 1-litres/ha and 1.5-litres/ha dose rates and found at every dose of nitrogen, from 0kg N/ ha to the top dose of 360kg N/ha, every dose rate increase of Revystar XE added to gross margin after the cost of nitrogen and the cost of Revystar XE within the trial was accounted for.”

So, in terms of economic return regardless of the rate of nitrogen that growers apply to their crops, there is a value to investing in Revystar. Investment right up to full label dose of Revystar at T2 continued to improve economic return in this 2022 trial on Gleam.

Because of the cost of nitrogen this year, many growers may be considering reducing the amount they apply to their wheat crops. Speaking at the BASF webinar, Dr Julie Smith, plant pathologist researcher at ADAS, said: “In our trials over the last two seasons, di erent rates of nitrogen had little e ect on septoria levels whatever the disease pressure and as a result there is no evidence that reducing nitrogen rates by 50kg N/ha, which appears to be what many farmers are considering, will alter which fungicide strategy is optimal.”

Nitrogen has a much bigger e ect on diseases like rusts and mildew because, as biotrophs, they need living plant tissue to continue growing, whereas septoria is able to continue growing on dead tissue.

She added: “Using a more resistant variety than Gleam in the trial would have resulted in lower disease; however, by chance this is exactly what we had in 2022 because of the season. I don’t think using a more resistant variety would have changed any of the outcomes of this trial.” FG

Protecting your cereal crops this spring by planning your T0 sprays early will be vital to prevent the development of yellow rust infections in the crop, according to Will Ridgwell, Clayton Plant Protection.

Spring sown crops o er opportunities to save money on seed, fertiliser and crop protection products. They also help to spread the workload for establishment and harvest so easing pressures on machinery and sta at busy times.

With early-sown autumn crops now showing forward growth, the risk of infection increases every day. Growers are advised to assess disease risk in each eld and tailor T0 sprays e ectively to identify speci c elds or varieties which are more at risk to target rst for treatment. Growers know from past experience that an early start to yellow rust protection at T0, anywhere between GS25-30, is crucial. Early drilled crops and any varieties with a yellow rust score of 5 or below (e.g. KWS Zyatt, Skyfall, SY Insitor, RGT Wolverine and Gleam) should be a priority.

co-formulated products containing tebuconazole and prothioconazole such as Clayton Navaro and Clayton Trellis are ideal choices as they have a good knock-down e ect on yellow rust as well as having activity on other key diseases such as septoria.

“Straight tebuconazole product, Clayton Tebucon 250EW, is a good cost-e ective option where yellow rust is the primary target,” Mr Ridgwell suggests.

According to NAAC, farm-saved seed is the most cost-e ective option if you have suitable seed still in store, typically saving you £80–100/tonne.

crucial. Early drilled crops and score of 5 or below (e.g. KWS

Wolverine and Gleam) should highly resistant varieties, even

“We still see a yield bene t from fungicide applications on highly resistant varieties, even in a dry spring like 2022,” explains Mr Ridgwell.

He says such as azoxystrobin at T0 triazoles. Clayton

“Growers looking for additional persistence or help with resistance management may want to consider a strobilurin such as azoxystrobin at T0 in combination with triazoles. Clayton Ozark would be a good choice in these situations,” concludes Mr FG good choice in concludes Mr Ridgwell. FG

Your NAAC Mobile Seed Processor can help you obtain top quality seed by removing a high percentage of screenings where needed. Using your own seed can allow you to make exible decisions on cropping, removing the need to order your seed early to secure a supply of what you plan to grow.

Trials have proven that big, high-density seed will have the best possible germination and vigour to get your crop o to the best possible start. Thorough seed cleaning removes small seed, broken grains, insect damaged grains, weed seeds, bits of straw/cha /dust, bits of broken ears and other trash that might block your drill. This ensures that you avoid drill blockages when you are busy and minimises gaps in the rows.

You can also improve your chances of getting a good establishment by selecting a combination of seed treatments that are tailored to each eld or block of land.

Your NAAC Mobile Seed Processor can assist you in getting your spring sown crop o to the best possible start and organise any seed testing that is required – visit www.naac. co.uk for more information. FG

As spring barley drilling gets underway in some areas, Limagrain UK’s arable technical manager, Ron Granger, outlines six ways to get the most from the crop this season.

End user requirements will in uence many agronomic decisions, particularly nitrogen strategy, so it is essential growers are clear about the quality criteria that must be met, says Mr Granger.

“Depending on the locality and the opportunities for selling to di erent end users or export markets, the barley crop you grow – and the agronomic inputs required – will be determined by the sector you target.”

This is particularly true for those dependent on hitting a certain grain nitrogen percentage to achieve the contract premium, notably distilling, which requires 1.65% N or lower, brewing 1.65–1.85%, and grain distilling at 1.85%+. Grain nitrogen is not a concern for animal feed.

In many instances, variety choice is also determined by the end user or contract chosen.

However, for those still to decide what to grow, Mr Granger recommends considering one of the dual use varieties, such as LG Diablo, which has good yield performance, with several end market opportunities, o ering an advantage over many varieties now listed.

“Newer recommended varieties certainly o er higher yield potential, and if contracts are o ered, then they are certainly worth considering. Dual use varieties o er growers exibility for the distilling, brewing and feed market sectors.”

Limagrain trials show earlier drilling in spring can improve yield potential, however, this is mainly only possible on lighter, more freedraining land, that will dry and warm quicker than a heavier soil type.

“Early drilling will signi cantly increase disease risk, so consider more disease resistant varieties for this situation,” says Mr Granger.

“Generally, patience is required to wait for the right window of opportunity, when both the weather and soil conditions allow good seedbeds to be created with rising soil and air temperatures, to ensure rapid emergence and establishment, with continued plant growth.”

A survey of more than 100 growers by Limagrain last year showed half (49%) of growers were typically sowing spring barley at 300–350 seeds/ m2, and most (76%) targeting a yield of 8t/ha.

This rate appears to be about right when drilling into good conditions, however Mr Granger says seed rates must be tailored to individual situations.

Limagrain trials comparing variety seed rates over various seasons and regions suggest that with more vigorous, higher tillering varieties, such as LG Diablo, the optimum seed rate is 350 seeds/ m2 when drilling into ideal conditions around mid-March.

However, this should be adjusted up or down depending on the weather, seedbed quality, moisture availability, drilling date, and the growers’ own experience on each site, says Mr Granger.

A lower rate of 300–325 seeds/m2 could su ce if drilling into an “onion bed” in March, but when forced to drill into April, due to the weather, or agronomic reasons, such as black-grass control, pushing rates up to 400–450 seeds/m2 may be more appropriate to achieve the optimum nal ear number and a competitive crop in a blackgrass situation, he advises.

Once crops are established, Mr Granger says the best way to achieve high spring barley yield potential is to ensure high nal ear counts. The AHDB barley growth guide suggests nal target ear population should be around 775 ears/m2.

“It is interesting to note that in 2019, higher yield potential was achieved from even higher nal ear counts, approaching 800/m2 by harvest.

An 8–9 t/ha crop needs around 800 ears/m2, which at a 350 seeds/m2 rate, equates to around 2.5–3 tillers per plant at harvest.

“However, experience shows optimal tiller and ear counts may be underachieved in many situations, meaning crops fall short of achieving their full yield potential.”

The biggest issue is often the weather, Mr Granger acknowledges. Drought conditions will cause tiller loss, so he says to ensure numbers are high enough at the outset by selecting high tillering varieties, using an appropriate seed rate, and driving establishment and early rooting by implementing a balanced nutrition regime early in the crop’s development.

“Traditionally, spring barley was often seen as a lower input crop, with growers reluctant to increase nitrogen application rates in fear of exceeding maltsters' grain nitrogen limits. However, LG trials over many seasons of testing, indicate that using higher N rates can be bene cial.” increase nitrogen application rates in fear ha was compared to a split nitrogen

In the trials, a standard seedbed application of 120kg N/ ha was compared to a split nitrogen application of 150kg N/ha, with the additional 30kg applied at late tillering. This resulted in a yield bene t of 0.4–0.5 t/ha over a single seedbed dose, with little or no impact on grain nitrogen.

Alongside nitrogen, optimising other macronutrients, such as phosphate, potash, magnesium and sulphur, has proven bene cial to tiller retention and nal yield.

These should be applied in the seedbed or soon after drilling to promote strong rooting and early plant growth, Mr Granger advises.

“Tissue analysis of the young growing crop can help identify any shortfalls in nutrition before visible symptoms appear, and is a relatively inexpensive way of targeting a high yielding crop.”

Additional micronutrients, such as manganese, zinc, copper, iron, and boron, applied at the stem extension phase into owering, are also useful, ensuring a healthy crop and good ear fertility, whilst also helping secure high grain number and maximum yield potential. “Apply these independently with other key inputs, or as a multi-nutrient product.

“Spring barley is a fast-growing crop and if key nutrients are de cient at any time, yield potential will be compromised.”

At least two fungicides are recommended to maintain tiller number and healthy plants, including the awns and maximum grain development. Typically, the rst application is at GS 25–31, with the second targeted between GS 39–55.

“Of course, if the season dictates a low disease pressure, or a drought situation, exibility in fungicide input and timing should be adjusted for the nal yield potential in hand.

“Spring barley can move through growth stages quickly, so close monitoring of the growing crop is essential.”

For more information, see Limagrain’s spring barley agronomy videos: bit.ly/3jHEZwY FG