Popularity is increasing among growers after an influx of new varieties from breeders A breeding revival in both Group 3 and soft Group 4 sectors is helping soft wheats make a comeback on farms. Back in the day, nearly 50% of the UK wheat area was down to soft... Read more

• Lack of rain hits UK cereal crops • Wheat and barley under stress • Yield penalties on parched soil Growers face an earlier harvest with combines expected to roll into cereal crops later this month after the driest start to spring for more than 60 years. Reservoir levels... Read more

Growers seeking to achieve protein specification in milling wheat are being reminded to optimise nitrogen without overstepping or compromising economic thresholds. Modern wheat varieties have huge yield potential – but growers must be realistic about whether these can be achieved on their own farms, say two advisers from agronomy... Read more

Environmental risks from pesticides must be reduced by 10% in the next five years, says the government. The UK National Action Plan on Pesticides says farmers must ensure pesticide use is sustainable –  protecting the environment and human health while boostig food production for the long-term future. The plan... Read more

Advice for potato store managers will be available at a special event in Lincolnshire this month. Strategic Potato Storage Day is an industry event dedicated to knowledge and innovation in potato storage. Organised by Potato Storage Insight, it will bring together potato growers, store managers, researchers and technology providers.... Read more

• Signs of disease at an early stage • Growers advised to keep eye out • Send samples away to be tested Growers should remain vigilant after signs of yellow rust in winter wheat varieties classed as resistant to the disease. Unusual early observations of yellow rust on several... Read more

• High performing premium sector wheat • Group 1 variety has excellent agronomics • Superb combination of yield and protein A high protein wheat is catching the interest of growers and millers alike, with a yield of 98% of controls on the latest Recommended List. With a milling specification... Read more

• Early use delivers biggest benefits • Integration with regular agronomy • Clear health and resilience benefits Including biosolutions in conventional crop management programmes is helping to boost plant health and resilience. “There’s clear evidence emerging from our trials that using biosolutions early in a fungicide programme is where... Read more

Output and gross margin are priorities for breeder Cereal genetics that maximise productivity are becoming increasingly important for plant breeders keen to help growers boost profitability. Recent years have seen enhanced functionality added to crop options but high yields are also a priority – and the latest KWS varieties... Read more

Expert view Dick Neale gives his advice on how to manage cover crop desiccation in a wet season. Excessively wet soils this year are more likely to be dried by the presence of cover crops than kept wetter. But sun and wind must be allowed to reach the soil... Read more