Early applications of foliar nutrition could be key to helping sugar beet crops establish following the wet winter. With slumped soils causing havoc for seedbed creation, early foliar nutrition help crops grow past their most vulnerable 12-leaf stage for aphid-borne virus transmission, says ProCam agronomist Ian Jackson. “It’s important that sugar beet achieves full... Read more
Tributes to sugar beet expert Simon Bowen
Arable 02/04/2024
Industry leaders and growers have paid tribute to sugar beet expert Simon Bowen, who died unexpectedly last month. Mr Bowen, 62, was head of knowledge exchange at the British Beet Research Organisation. He passed away following a suspected heart attack while walking his dog on 10 March. In a... Read more
Grain market volatility continues to be driven by increasingly unpredictable weather and conflict, delegates at the Farmacy conference were told. Global wheat stocks were the tightest for nine years, said independent consultant James Bolesworth of CRM Agri. The impact of weather variations in key production areas would have an... Read more
Growers looking to put land into new environmental measures can maximise productivity by planning how best to integrate them into farming systems, farmers were told at the recent Farmacy conference in Newmarket. “We still need to be as productive as possible while maintaining and enhancing the environment,” said Farmacy... Read more
Farmers chasing much-needed additional income are again being urged to consider opportunities available under the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). Although Defra figures suggest more than 10,000 farmers in England have applied for the revised SFI since it opened last September, this is equivalent to only one-in-eight of all eligible... Read more
Growers and agronomists should find it easier to decide on which winter wheat to grow following a cleaner, fresher look for the latest Recommended List. With a much-improved layout, the list sees 10 wheat varieties removed and just five new varieties recommended for the 2024-25 season. Recommendations include Bamford... Read more
Satellite imagery is helping scientists develop a new method to help growers predict vining pea yields. The PeaSat project involves ADAS researchers and pea grower cooperative HMC Peas to improve yield forecast accuracy – and better coordinate harvest efficiency while reducing crop losses. Remote sensing specialists at ADAS believe... Read more
Variable-rate nitrogen applications could be a valuable tool for managing uneven growth of winter cereals and oilseeds this spring. Some crops sown before the weather broke last October established well and show good potential. But others have struggled where seedbeds were compromised or land suffered prolonged waterlogging or flooding.... Read more
Plant breeder KWS is to launch its first ever hybrid barley into the UK market later this year – with a strong pipeline of varieties behind it. The company said the move underlined its commitment to the sector in the coming years. Although a newcomer to hybridisation in barley,... Read more
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