Effective weed control on earlier drilled cereal crops this season will depend on a successful residual programme, say agronomists. Good chemistry is available – but a clear strategy is vital. With many crops going into the ground sooner rather than later, potential weed levels are higher and herbicides have... Read more
A new oilseed rape variety from RAGT’s revamped breeding programme has more than matched expectations in trials by CMG Agronomy in Norfolk. RGT Blackmoon looked impressive all season in the 3ha strip trial, says CMG director Craig Green. “It was visually greener throughout and put on more biomass than... Read more
Yara adapts approach towards arable crops
Arable 07/09/2024
Chris Harrold has been promoted to head of crop nutrition at Yara as part of a wider agronomy review within the company’s UK operation. Yara said it was adapting its agronomy advice to improve crop productivity – and do so sustainably – as more growers moved towards a more... Read more
Evolution not revolution for autumn cereals
Wheat 05/09/2024
Hutchinsons national seeds manager David Bouch highlights his wheat and barley recommendations for drilling this autumn. Several new wheat and barley varieties are vying for our attention this autumn. But with many sectors, the choices on offer for growers have not... Read more
Crops growing well as harvest approaches
Arable 03/09/2024
Sugar beet crops look good going into autumn, despite earlier fears of virus yellows, writes Tim Giles, technical manager for SesVanderHave. But it remains important to be vigilant and monitor crops for new vector borne diseases and old adversaries, with more patches of beet cyst nematode observed this year.... Read more
‘Flexible and fair’ offer for sugar beet
Arable 03/09/2024
Sugar beet growers will receive a lower price for next season’s crop – but will share in any market upside. Price talks between NFU Sugar and British Sugar concluded with what both sides described as a flexible deal for 2025/26. The deal allows growers to split their tonnage between... Read more
Border delays pose threat to crop trials
Arable 01/09/2024
Delays caused by changes to seed import rules threaten to undermine the latest oilseed rape variety trials. Brexit rules mean seed entering the UK since the end of April can now be regarded as high-risk – resulting in delays and inspections at a border control points before it can... Read more
High performance wheat varieties combining high productivity and versatility are becoming increasingly important, say analysts. With more land going into the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI), savvy growers are making the most of the rest by choosing marketable wheat varieties capable of generating a good revenue efficiently. “Where farmers allocate... Read more
‘Time to take biosolutions seriously’
Arable 01/09/2024
Integrating biosolutions into conventional agronomy programmes can have a major effect on crop performance, suggest the latest trials. Enzymes, microorganisms, bacterial cultures and other biological tools can offer the same control as moderate fungicide approaches. But integrating them into reduced programmes can be as effective as full strength conventional... Read more
A new service aims to make the benefits of precision farming readily accessible without growers having to master all its complexities. FieldSense uses satellite mapping of soil and crop variability across fields, says ProCam regional technical manager, Nigel Scott, who has been integral in developing and testing the new... Read more


















