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
Sugar beet growers face another high-pressure year for virus yellows with aphids flying into new crops as they emerge. Aphids will be flying two to three weeks earlier in England compared to the historical average, according to the Rothamsted Insect Survey aphid forecast for 2024, which was issued on... 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
More growers choose sunflowers this spring
Arable 02/04/2024
United Oilseeds has launched the first buying pool for UK sunflower seeds – worth £350-450/tonne for a crop that yields about 1-2t/ha. The crop can be drilled from about 10 April onwards depending on frost and wet conditions but a consistent soil temperature of 7°C is the main driver... 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
A Lincolnshire couple who started with modest beginnings have built a sizeable sheep flock and created an award-winning retail food brand. Chris and Louise Elkington bought their first 30 sheep a decade ago. Today, they have a flock of breeding ewes and market every lamb reared through their Gelston... Read more
More growers are switching land into agri-environment schemes – as they try to cut their losses following a challenging year and wet winter. Provisional farm income figures from Defra suggests a slump in income across a range of enterprises in the year to February 2024 – including cereals (-77%),... Read more
Radio waves could be used to measure soil moisture – helping farmers manage flood risk and make important decisions about irrigation. A two-year project using drones carrying synthetic aperture radar equipment to make a high-resolution map of the earth’s surface is being undertaken by experts at Cranfield University. Led... Read more