Serving the Farming Industry across East Anglia for 35 Years
New host farm makes debut for Cereals 2024
Thousands of visitors will attend next month’s Cereals event – with organisers reporting good sales of early bird tickets. Hosted by Alex Farr and his cousin Edward Wainwright-Lee, the two-day show on 11-12 June is being held across 45ha of outdoor event space at Bygrave Woods, Newnham Farm, in... Read more
Approval expected for new cereal fungicides
Japanese crop protection company Sumitomo Chemical expects to secure approval for a number of new cereal fungicides on UK farms. Sumitomo already markets a portfolio of agrochemical products in the UK. It includes Soleil, a combination bromuconazole and tebuconazole for rust and fusarium control in wheat; Dipel, which combats... Read more
Pinnacle aims high this summer
Oilseed rape variety Pi Pinnacle is expected to perform well this harvest – despite the wet winter and challenging spring. Pinnacle sits top of the AHDB Recommended list of conventional rape varieties with the highest gross output and treated yield across all AHDB regions over three years of official... Read more
Conventional rape varieties are ‘worth another look’
Growers are being urged to reconsider conventional oilseed rape varieties ahead of their cropping strategies for the 2024/5 season. New conventional rape varieties include several high-performing varieties based on targeted special traits, agronomic merit scores and shorter breeding cycles, say breeders and seed suppliers. Mark Nightingale, of Lincolnshire-based Elsoms,... Read more
Wet soils increase potato pest threat
Stubbornly wet soils and a high water table could increase the risk of wireworm damage in potato crops this season. Research over recent years has identified high soil moisture as a precursor for pest activity, with wet areas and flood plains increasing pressure levels, says Syngenta technical manager Andy... Read more
Yellow rust is ‘lurking’ in late-drilled wheat
A perfect storm of late-drilled fields, susceptible varieties and the mild winter means yellow rust is now lurking in many winter wheat crops. With its potential to reduce yields by as much as 50%, it is important to tackle yellow rust early – before it has the chance to... Read more
New specialist adds to Agrovista seed offer
Agrovista Seeds has appointed an eastern region seed sales manager to meet increasing demand from growers looking for technical expertise and advice. James Barlow grew up on an arable farm in Nottinghamshire. After studying for a degree in agriculture at Lincoln University, he spent more than eight years with... Read more
‘Perfect storm’ warning for BYDV this spring
A mild and wet first three months of the year threaten to result in a perfect storm for barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) infections this spring. Winter temperatures were rarely low enough to reduce populations of virus-carrying aphids – which have started to migrate just as crops are at... Read more
How ‘powerful pods’ protect rape yields
New oilseed rape genetics developed by plant breeder DSV are building on traditional pod shatter characteristics to increase harvest security in light of increasingly variable growing conditions caused by unpredictable weather. The company’s latest RL addition DSV Dolphin is the first new generation hybrid variety specifically developed to combine... Read more
Act early to combat weeds this spring
Wild oats should be tackled early this spring following limited opportunities to create stale seedbeds or apply autumn herbicides. With waterlogged fields preventing many farmers from using cultural controls to tackle the weed, some growers can expect to face the challenge of controlling autumn and spring germinating wild oats... Read more