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

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

Companion crops in direct drilled oilseed rape could help reduce damage by cabbage stem flea beetle, say scientists. Results from a Rothamsted Research study suggest relatively simple changes in crop management could help control a ubiquitous pest which has seen many farmers abandoning oilseed rape altogether. Field trials, conducted... Read more

A focus on key nutrients could help to pull lethargic crops out of the cold, wet winter. Without a strong root system to scavenge for nutrients and reach water as summer droughts take hold, no amount of fertilisers or other inputs will deliver vital growth and yield potential, says... Read more

Maize could be a good choice for many growers this spring – stacking up well against more conventional crops with additional benefits from the Sustainable Farming Incentive. “Significant reductions in nitrogen use, low-input agronomy and soil improvement opportunities are just some of the appeal and managed properly maize can... Read more

Large amounts of land are being taken out of food production and put into the government’s flagship agri-environment scheme, the Sustainable Farming Incentive, say agronomists. Contractors and farmers could struggle to survive where large areas of arable land are being put into the scheme, which is being seen by... Read more