Growing miscanthus can improve farm business resilience – and increase profitability in less productive areas of the farm, says a crop specialist. Despite high establishment costs, miscanthus delivers greater profitability than wheat and barley over a 10-year period, suggests Terravesta. Beyond this point, the crop’s low maintenance costs further... Read more

Good spray stewardship is essential Farmers preparing to tidy up stubbles ahead of spring crops are advised to check the situation in the field before filling up the sprayer. Effective weed control from glyphosate depends on suitable application conditions – but growers reported were several cases of poor performance... Read more

Three new fungicide co-formulations have been launched – giving growers more options against cereal diseases. All three Adama products contain the active ingredient prothioconazole. Two incorporate the company’s Asorbital formulation technology to provide rainfastness and faster protection against key cereal and oilseed rape diseases. The first of the three... Read more

More than 70 farmers attended the inaugural client conference held by independent agronomy firm Indigro last month. Believed to be the largest one-day event of its kind by a UK-based independent agronomy company, the conference took place on 4 February at Whittlebury Hall, Northamptonshire. The day was themed around... Read more

• Wide range of wheat growth stages • Dilemma for early fungicide plans • Effective disease control is vital Extra care will be needed to manage wheat development and disease pressure this spring – as crops come out of winter in a wide range of growth stages. Variability will... Read more

Strong prices and lower growing costs mean spring oilseed rape is capable of delivering a healthy margin this year. A shortage of UK-grown rape and the need for growers to find profitable options to cereals in the rotation are creating a growing interest in the crop, says Sarah Hawthorne,... Read more

A nationwide initiative to assess cabbage stem flea beetle larvae levels in oilseed rape aims to encourage more farmers to grow the crop. The project is a collaborative effort jointly funded by Hutchinsons, Agrii, and United Oilseeds. Niab scientists have been analysing oilseed rape stem samples for flea beetle... Read more

How to achieve good yield potential Ways to maximise the yield and quality of barley crops are the subject of a technical growing guide unveiled for the 2025 season. The Barley Agronomy Guide explores the factors and husbandry required to fulfil the potential of spring and winter crops.It has... Read more

EXPERT VIEW Getting the best from nitrogen will be especially important this season, says Natalie Wood. A wet autumn and a range of drilling dates mean nitrogen applications need careful consideration this spring. The first nitrogen application is particularly important in cereals because it affects yield potential. In wheat,... Read more

• Keep careful eye on all crops • Good strategy pays dividends • Return on investment is key Variable weather last autumn is having a significant impact on the over-winter survival of oilseed rape crops. There will be no one-size-fits-all approach going into spring, say experts. Instead, crops should... Read more