Switching fertiliser types to ensure soil micronutrient requirements are met this spring could offer growers multiple benefits, say suppliers. Maximising inputs is understandably a high priority for growers. But prescription nutrition – optimising productivity by ensuring fertiliser usage is as efficient as possible – has become increasingly important. “Making... Read more
More fertiliser manufacturers are launching urea products to meet forthcoming restrictions on ammonia emissions. The so-called Option 4 rules mean growers spreading urea fertilisers beyond 1 April 2024 must apply products coated with urease inhibitors to reduce ammonia emissions. Developed by BASF, new product Starbur has a patented coating... Read more
Unpredictable weather changes emphasis for maize this spring
ArableSpring Crop Management 21/12/2023
Drilling maize by soil temperature rather than calendar date is increasingly important in light of increasingly variable weather conditions during spring. With potential yield loss from uneven emergence as high as 40% and poor seedbed conditions at drilling being a further challenge, growers need to take extra care with... Read more
Malting barley growers are being encouraged to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions – helping to future-proof their businesses and lower their environmental impact. It follows a collaboration between Simpsons Malt and BASF. The companies are working with grower groups this winter and spring to record how they can reduce... Read more
The annual competition to find the UK’s Soil Farmer of the Year is open for entries. Run by the Farm Carbon Toolkit and Innovation for Agriculture, the accolade champions farmers who lead the way in improving soil health and increasing the resilience of their farm business. The competition has... Read more
More farmers are expected to grow spring oats as they seek to loosen up rotations and limit the build-up of disease. Oats for human consumption will continue to be grown predominantly in Scotland, say seed breeders. But growers much further south are realising the potential of the crop... Read more
A big increase in spring cropping is on the cards with wet weather and sodden fields leaving many growers unable to get drilled up last autumn. Growers who haven’t already done so are being advised to make spring cropping decisions and secure seed sooner rather than later – or... Read more
Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is no stranger to most growers. But it should not be seen as just a tick-box exercise, warns Caroline Corsie, agronomist and senior land adviser for Worcestershire Wildlife Trust. Through the Defra-led Countryside Stewardship Facilitation Fund, Ms Corsie has been supporting a network of growers... Read more
The government says it will intervene unless British Sugar and beet growers resolve their increasingly bitter price dispute – but only as a last resort. It follows deadlocked price talks for the 2024 beet crop which saw the processing giant bypass formal negotiations with NFU Sugar representatives and issue... Read more
Urgent steps are needed to safeguard the future of the UK’s horticulture sector, says a hard-hitting House of Lords report. The £5 billion industry – focusing on fruit, vegetables and ornamental plants – is at a crossroads, says the study. It is under-prioritised and unappreciated by policymakers – threatening... Read more