A renewed focus on hybrid rye as an energy crop for anaerobic digestion could lift the UK planted area well beyond 50,000ha, say industry experts. “Hybrid rye is super flexible in the rotation and an excellent choice for growers,” says Agrovista arable seed product manager and agronomist Ted Williams... Read more

A ground-breaking project to show how pulses can reduce greenhouse gas emissions is looking to recruit eastern region growers. The Nitrogen Climate Smart (NCS) project aims to increase pulse and legume cropping in arable rotations to 20% (currently 5%) – and displace up to half the soya imported into... Read more

Lincolnshire-based seed supplier Cope has launched three high-yielding varieties – offering growers a wider choice and more flexibility. The launch of spring wheat variety Everlong, winter barley Aretha and spring pea Marler coincided with a new company website and rebranding of the business, which was formerly known as Cope... Read more

An emergency approval has been granted for paraffin oil product Olie-H in seed potato crops – helping growers tackle non-persistent aphid-vectored viruses. Non-persistently transmitted potyviruses – sometimes called mosaic viruses – are the most problematic viral diseases affecting British potato production. Currently, the dominant species is potato virus Y... Read more

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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

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

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

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

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