In this issue... Those in the know page 8 Robotic route page 64 Ideas for changing times from Cereals 14 pages of next-gen tech

Remedies for rapeseed page 20 Sugar beet disease page 100

Opinion

4 Talking Tilth - A word from the editor. Volume 21 Number 7 6 Smith’s Soapbox - Views and opinions from an Essex peasant….. July 2019 92 Future View - A look at farming’s horizon. 107 Last Word - A view from the field from CPM’s technical editor. Technical 8 Cereals 2019 - Nuggets of gold amongst the mud Those who braved the mud found plenty of food for thought. 16 Fit for the Future - Energy with less effort One high performing Group 4 wheat that seems to look after itself. 20 OSR planning - Rethinking OSR? It’s been a torrid season for oilseed rape but can it be managed better? 29 Theory to Field - The erucic acid problem Finding a solution to a problem is hard when the cause is unknown. 32 OSR intentions survey - OSR nears its pivotal point A recent survey flags up tactics to help ensure success with the crop. 36 Tech Talk - The future lies in layers Genetics are coming to the fore in oilseed rape breeding. Editor Tom Allen-Stevens 40 Better buying, better selling - Lessons learned are hard won Openfield has applied its resources to pull out the positives of OSR. Technical editor Lucy de la Pasture 45 Seed treatments - Biological works uniquely A new option, Integral Pro, will be available this autumn. Writers Tom Allen-Stevens Rob Jones 48 Cereal establishment survey - Start with the seed Olivia Cooper Lucy de la Pasture What can growers do to ensure every single plant is given the best start to life? Charlotte Cunninghan Martin Rickatson 54 Partners in performance - Blackgrass under pressure Melanie Jenkins A strategy in Cambs to keep blackgrass in check. 58 Grassweed control - Grassweed control starts in July Grassweed heads present an opportunity to get to improve targeting. Design and production Brooks Design 60 Spring peas - A barometer on crop potential Peas are difficult to grow, but can shine a light on limitations. Advertisement co-ordinator Peter Walker Publisher Machinery Angus McKirdy Business development manager 64 Cereals report - Gazing into a robotic future Robotics in agriculture will bring about seismic change in mechanisation. Charlotte Alexander 72 Cultivators and ploughs - Top tips for tines and discs To claim two crop protection BASIS points, send an email to There’s a massive variety of tine and disc designs to choose from. [email protected], quoting reference CP/67207/1819/g. 75 Storage and drying - More to the grain store To claim two NRoSO CPD points, please send your name, For those storing their own grain, the story doesn’t end with the combine. NRoSO member number, date of birth and postcode to 78 Forage and balers - Bring in the biomass [email protected] The technology for gathering in forage has moved on. *the claim ‘best read specialist arable journal’ is based 82 On Farm Opinion - Telematics proves its worth on independent reader research conducted by The use of telemetry for wireless two-way instant transfer of data is on the rise. Research Engine (Mar 2018) 86 Digital Direction - Mind out for 4IR Editorial & advertising sales Will farming embrace the fourth industrial revolution or sit behind the curve? PO Box 4856, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 9NX Tel: (01743) 861122 E-mail: [email protected] Innovation Reader registration hotline 01743 861122 Advertising copy 93 Grow the best wheat - The science of selection Increasingly genetics put confidence into plant-breeding decisions. Brooks Design, 24 Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 1RD 96 Research Briefing - A pellet for all weathers Tel: (01743) 244403 E-mail: [email protected] Decades of research into ferric phosphate makes this the world’s market leader. CPM Volume 21 No 7. Editorial, advertising and sales offices are at PO Box 4856, Shrewsbury, SY1 9NX England. Tel: (01743) 861122. CPM is published eleven times a year by Roots CPM Ltd and is available free of charge to qualifying farmers and farm managers in the United Kingdom. 100 Sugar beet fungicides - Attention turns to disease The focus turns to disease control. In no way does CPM Ltd endorse, notarise or concur with any of the advice, recommendations or prescriptions reported in the magazine. 104 Potato agronomy - Metabolites cause mayhem If you are unsure about which recommendations to follow, please consult Crops treated with maleic hydrazide can’t be fed to livestock. a professional agronomist. Always read the label. Use pesticides safely. CPM Ltd is not responsible for loss or damage to any unsolicited material, including photographs. crop production magazine july 2019 3 Environment Plan. interests of UK Farming and of derogation to allow this It’s probably the those people you represent research to continue, unfettered remarkable resilience of first. How you choose to by GMO regulations. This the sector that masks demonstrate this is up to you, should be followed with an the considerable but I would suggest arable urgent review of the regulations challenges it currently farmers will be judging you, the themselves. faces and that you Government and MPs on your Finally, we must see have been tasked with actions over the coming months evidence that Defra is truly alleviating. But be in no as the harvest comes in. committed to shaping an doubt about the pressure Why? Because in living agricultural policy that will allow No Goodwill farmers are under as you memory, there has never been the arable sector to flourish. to show? continue to remove tools from a harvest of such uncertainty in Progress towards the agrochemical armoury. We so many ways. We will look for Environmental Land don’t want to use chemicals to strong leadership to show us Management contracts has Dear Mr Goodwill produce food any more than we it’s a harvest that matters, that it stalled, and that’s deeply The fact that you failed to have to, but these are the tools represents the bounty of a worrying. You have indicated turn up to represent the we use to do our job. If you take country that takes pride in its what you won’t support, but you Government at the recent these away from us, you have to world-leading standards of food are sitting on 200 applications Cereals event was not just help us access technologies production. We want to be for the Tests and Trials and “disappointing”, as the NFU that will allow us to do our job sure we have political leaders haven’t indicated to those who has put it. It smacks of the better. who are not afraid in trade applied what you will support. loathsome display of self The problem is, you’re not negotiations to stand firmly But this is not a plea for interest that currently even allowing that, and this is behind those standards and subsidy, minister, it’s a demand consumes Westminster, and reflected in the Government’s question leaders of other for direction. The arable sector particularly Conservative MPs. current policy, inherited from nations on how they maintain is aware that the chemical era You chose to support party the EU, on new plant-breeding theirs. We don’t have that is coming to an end, that we’re politics over the industry that’s technologies. It is deeply confidence at the moment, but in the plant-breeding era and pushing Government for clarity worrying that you view the you and your colleagues can that on the horizon lies digital. and certainty, and the industry voice of Greenpeace and of earn it over the coming months. We’re already crippled as we’re you’ve been appointed to Friends of the Earth on such You must also act to give our being forced out of the first with represent, without even sending subjects with as much value talented plant scientists the no tools to enter the second, a replacement. That’s not just a as the view of scientists, as confidence they need to and that puts us behind the desertion of office, it’s a woeful you indicated recently at continue their research, curve on the third. Act now, betrayal of the knowledge, Groundswell. This has to particularly in the area of lead us, and you’ll find we have talent and experience this change. gene-editing in which they are the inherent talent to catch up. country has in its industry, and If it doesn’t, minister, have currently world-leaders. This particularly within the arable you actually considered research is at a point that it is sector. Arable farmers are whether it’s possible for us to critical it comes into the field to rapidly losing confidence in produce food to the standards be tested. It is simply ludicrous Tom Allen-Stevens has a your ability, in that of other you seem to expect at the price that we have in our labs and 170ha arable farm in Oxon, ministers and in MPs in the consumer is willing to pay? our greenhouses world-leading and will not be completing general, in shaping the Have you actually considered plant-science innovations that Defra’s June survey until Agriculture Bill currently going the consequence if UK arable we’re restricted from testing in Government shows some through Parliament, and in farmers make a rational the field –– no other country reason why there’s any putting in place a system that decision to stop producing food outside Europe faces those point in doing so. sufficiently incentivises and and apply their considerable restrictions. So you must [email protected] promise that, as soon as we regulates in line with the talent elsewhere? @tomallenstevens Government’s 25 Year So it’s time to put the exit the EU, you will allow a

combine will be the next arrival If there was one threat against through the field gate. which we’ve kept our defences in Guy Smith grows 500ha of combinable crops on the north So it’s time to take stock and good order it’s the aerial threat –– east Essex coast, namely namely from the wood pigeon. evaluate what went right and St. Osyth Marsh –– officially the what went wrong. Arable Fortunately, no pressure group driest spot in the British Isles. farming can feel like a has yet sort to ban butane or Despite spurious claims from sequence of individual propane. The technology behind others that their farms are battles during a year long the artillery barrage against the actually drier, he points out war as the crops churn blue peril looks much as it did fifty that his farm is in the Guinness through their growth stages. years ago. Pump a bit of gas into Book of Records, whereas Farmer or First you take on the initial a chamber, ignite with a well others aren’t. End of. challenge of the slugs and the flea timed spark plug and hopefully @essexpeasant scarecrow? beetle. Then it’s the blackgrass. the resulting bang keeps the foe Then it’s the diseases. In amongst at bay for another 30 mins. And of Occasionally change places It’s that time of year when crops that there are the pigeons. course, we all recognise if you with the scarecrow.” are at the stage where there’s When it comes to most of these can mix this up with a bit of well So, there you have the official nothing more to do than let enemies the munition box gets camouflaged twelve bore action advice from Whitehall. In the them ripen. emptier and emptier. No more then this keeps the defences in words of Victor Meldrew you 40kg/ha of head nitrogen has neonics, metaldehyde, various good order. The farmers right to couldn’t make it up. There was been put on the Crusoe on the grassweed herbicides and soon take up his gun against these one more bit of what looked like understanding that the yield no more chlortoluron. Sometimes it feathered pests is something we whimsy that emerged in the looked decent meaning protein can feel like we are the seventh will never lose. General Licence saga, and that might be diluted meaning a boost Cavalry at the Battle of Little Big At least that was the case until was the fact that for some reason might be the order of the day. Horn slowly getting worn down by the pressure group Wild Justice the Egyptian goose is also on the Following that the sprayer has left attack after attack as we run out of decided to set their forensic hit list alongside the pigeons and the field for the last time and the bullets. lawyers onto the well established the crows when it comes on our system of general licences. For a right to protect our livestock and brief moment in May even these crops. If there is any farmer out seemed under threat and it there that lives in fear of the looked as if we would soon be Egyptian goose as they go about resorting to bursting balloons as the noble and ancient art of we concealed ourselves in pigeon growing crops then they have hides. But mercifully common my every sympathy. I can hear it sense has prevailed and we are now from farmhouse bedroom back to where we were in our windows across the land: “Mabel, right to bear arms against them pesky Egyptian geese are Calumba palumbus. back on the wheat on the lower But it’s a reminder that in what meadow. Get me gun.” sometimes seems like a world run by those who don’t care for food I just thought I’d include a picture production any more, nothing can of our solar farm. For no good be taken for granted. Indeed reason really – apparently this parts of the temporary general sort of thing is now called ‘virtue licences to protect crops from signalling’. wood pigeons placed a huge question mark as to whether those who write the regulations understand what is being regulated. In the section about the need to try ‘non-lethal’ means there was an illuminating paragraph of the use of scarecrows which said: “If using scarecrows, make it look real, dress it in your old clothes, sit it on a chair and put a gun-like stick in its hand.

6 crop production magazine july 2019

The farmed “environment is key to making a difference.” Nuggets of gold Technical Cereals 2019 amongst the mud

Those who braved the mud at Conservation Agriculture theatres. changed by biologicals, such as Bacillus Cereals this year were Introducing one of the biggest growth subtilis and B. amyloliquefaciens, to elicit areas in the industry was Prof Rob plant defence responses.” rewarded with plenty of food Edwards of University of Newcastle in his Replicated trials carried out at three for thought as they prepare capacity as chair of the Farmer Scientist sites, Stockbridge Technology Centre in Network of Yorkshire Agricultural Society. Yorks, Newcastle University’s Cockle Park their farming businesses for He introduced a farmer-led research and Nafferton farms in Northumberland, an unprecedented period of project, carried out by biopesticide looked at three different strategies on strategist Dr Roma Gwynn of Rationale Leeds and Skyfall winter wheat in 2018. political, technical and and funded by the European Innovation The IPM protocol was a microbial seed environmental change. Partnership, investigating the use of treatment using traditional fungicide biologicals for pest and disease control. timings –– conventional chemistry was CPM reports. applied if disease pressure was high and Public concern a biological applied if needed when By Lucy de la Pasture Rob posed the question, ‘when are we disease pressure was low. and Tom Allen-Stevens going to end industrial pesticide spraying?’ The biological protocol was a microbial It’s a question he says needs answering seed treatment followed by biopesticides because of the increasing public concern only at standard timings, if needed. The L Mother Nature usually finds a way of about the environment and health, but also restoring balance and that’s just what because of the diminishing number of she did as monsoon conditions struck actives as the precautionary principle is Lincs just in time for Cereals. The applied and increasing instances of liquified mud was more reminiscent resistance to pesticides. of scenes from Glastonbury as even “There’s been a huge shift to biological seasoned members of the farming agents, with an increase in 300% in the community got caught out with their past decade and more new registrations footwear. than for chemical agents.” But that’s not where the parallel ends. Rob described the real benefit in While AHDB hosted the ‘pyramid stage’ at biologicals is that they have multiple the centre of the event, tucked away on modes of action. “They can mimic plant opposite fringes of showground was where responses; produce phytoalexins (inhibit it was really happening. This was where growth of diseases) and phytohormones, stimulate defence responses and even those who would once have been Rob Edwards says applying biologicals is based physically kill the target. regarded as farming’s ‘geeks and hippies’ on the behaviour of the pest, whereas chemical “Plants have microbiomes, internally and headed in a pilgrimage to hear the pesticides are applied according to the growth externally. It’s a community that’s intimately ground-breaking speakers in the stage of the crop. Innovation and Technology and associated with plant health and can be

8 crop production magazine july 2019

Cereals 2019

L third protocol employed a chemical frequent because they’re based on how chemical where needed,” he concluded. seed treatment followed by conventional the pest is behaving and not the crop. Sarah Baker of Greater Lincolnshire fungicides at standard timings. IPM will require both a change in farming Nature Partnership (GLNP) presented The results showed all treatment practice and an increase in knowledge to some simple ways growers can increase protocols gave similar yields with no implement. wild pollinators on the farm. significant differences in quality data. But “But the adoption of an IPM strategy has “Pollinators contribute £690 million to the 2018 wasn’t a high disease incidence year, the advantage that it can increase abiotic economy but we’re seeing a decline in he added. stress tolerance, all cultivars will respond large number of species. The farmed “Adopting an IPM strategy is more and there’s less environmental impact. environment is key to making a difference,” complex and applications can be more To sum up, biological where possible, she said.

Missing minister puts dent in arable confidence

Farming minister Robert Goodwill has been she sees UK arable farmers playing. “Climate roundly criticised for failing to turn up to Cereals change is the challenge of our time –– I want to to show support for arable farmers. Amid fears pitch farming as part of the solution.” from farming leaders that the Agriculture Bill has The NFU made the proactive step, announced stalled, leaving the sector in limbo, there are at Oxford Farming Conference, of a target for UK now calls for Defra to “push the pause button” Farming to reach net zero by 2040. That had on the transition to a new support system until it “opened every door” to a whole range of can provide some clarity and direction. influential organisations and government bodies The first day of Cereals coincided with a who now want to work with farmers towards move by opposition parties in Parliament to take delivering this, said Minette. a no-deal Brexit off the negotiating table. This “We have the opportunity to shape that Tom Bradshaw has little confidence in how caused the minister to abandon plans to visit the change, and we need to grasp it with both Robert Goodwill will direct agricultural policy. Lincs-based event to get to Westminster to vote hands. The real risk is that we export our against the motion. But with the prospect of a standards and our production abroad. We can no deal seen as “catastrophic” by many in the lead net zero if there is a willing government to manufacturing industry –– food and drink. We farming industry, this in itself was viewed as work with the industry.” currently face huge uncertainly from many another snub to the arable sector. But this is just where the NFU has “grave areas including Brexit but also pesticide “It’s totally disappointing that Robert Goodwill concerns”, combinable crops board chairman regulation. There has never been a more hasn’t appeared,” said NFU president Minette Tom Bradshaw told CPM. “The timeline of important time to get your MP on farm and Batters. “And it’s outrageous that he hasn’t even delivery of the Agriculture Bill and Environmental sell the positives,” said Tom. sent a Defra official, just at a time when farmers Land Management (ELM) contracts seems to AHDB chairman Peter Kendall also spoke of desperately need certainty and clarity of be way behind. Its questionable whether it’s the “madness” that’s gripped Westminster, and thinking.” possible for Defra to deliver the transition under the “craziness of the Conservative leadership The most immediate concern is over what the current timeline. campaign in which farming is being totally tariffs arable commodities will face as a The first round of Test and Trials for the new ignored in the political debate”. consequence of Brexit. “For us, trade policy is ELMs was supposed to start in April, but there “Climate change is massively impacting on every bit as important as agricultural policy. are fears the correct framework hasn’t yet been agricultural systems around the world. The The arable voice is one that hasn’t been heard put in place to manage them, and there’s a detachment of politics from how we feed a UK nearly loud enough, and yet it underpins every question mark over funding. Meanwhile population of 65 million is important for us to sector in food and farming,” she continued. applicants for the second round of proposals, address. But among this madness and “The most important aspect to get right is the lodged before April, have not yet heard if these uncertainty, the biggest risk is to put on hold level playing field, and it’s shameful we haven’t have been successful. the decision making. The industry and individual seen that approach [from Government].” Adding to the uncertainty, Tom said the businesses should focus on how to prepare for But Minette was clear about the leading role ministerial no-show at Cereals undermined the what’s coming,” he said. status the government holds for UK arable Defra’s deserted arable farming, just at a time farmers. “Having a minister who’s unable to Peter Kendall criticised the craziness of the when farmers desperately need certainty and represent pressing issues for the sector at a Conservative leadership campaign. clarity of thinking, said Minette Batters. major agricultural event because he feels he has to vote for his own political party doesn’t give grounds for confidence in how he’ll direct agricultural policy.” The NFU’s Your Harvest campaign is urging farmers to encourage their MPs to come onto farms as the harvest comes in and show them the true value of combinable crops to society. “We are the backbone of the agricultural industry providing the raw ingredients for our livestock and also the UK’s largest

10 crop production magazine july 2019 Cereals 2019

Yield results in 2018

Water companies are keen to work with growers to reduce nitrates in groundwater, says Tom Stephens.

Leeds (left) and Skyfall yields across all three sites show no significant differences under three treatment regimes. suggested mowing a strip alongside the track and leaving the rest and observed “Pollinators require three things; food, highlight opportunities to make small an increased amount of pollinator activity over-wintering sites and nesting sites so management tweaks to help them.” as a result. that they can complete their life-cycles on One of the areas identified was farm “Nettles provide a larval habitat for a the farm. The GLNP has carried out basic verges and tracks which were often kept number of butterfly species so identify surveys on 11 farms during 2017 to neat and well-trimmed, she said. “We some areas where nettles can be left and L Blackgrass is evolving resistance to glyphosate

Blackgrass is evolving resistance to glyphosate, More than 16,000 seedlings were grown from according to scientists conducting a study as part these seeds in glasshouses, and the effectiveness of the Blackgrass Resistance Initiative (BGRI). of glyphosate in controlling plants from each local Samples of blackgrass taken from across the population was assessed. UK showed a “huge variability” in their sensitivity “At the full field rate of 540g/ha, good effective to glyphosate, according to Dr David Comont of control was achieved. But at 475g/ha, there was a Rothamsted Research who led the study. “The lot of variability,” reported David. good news is that we’re not finding proper Seed from survivors were then grown for David Comont has found reduced sensitivity to resistance at the moment. The bad news is that another two years, and sensitivity was found to glyphosate in blackgrass, but growers can act we don’t know how long that will continue to be reduce further, showing it’s a heritable trait, he to avoid full-blown resistance. the case,” he said. said. The team also took plants from nine of the Working with the University of Sheffield, the populations to produce 400 new seed lines with routine testing of around 250 samples sent in every Rothamsted team collected blackgrass seed from known genetic pedigrees, that were also tested for year,” said the firm’s Dr Gordon Anderson-Taylor. 132 farmers’ fields across 11 English counties, their responses to glyphosate. “Usually, just two or three of these samples are from Herts to Yorks, as well as collecting extensive “We wanted to be sure there is a genetic ryegrass, but last year 12 were sent in, and four data sets on historical field management, including heritable component, and there is. This is a of these showed up resistance to flufenacet. This glyphosate use. prerequisite for pesticide resistance evolution. is the first time we’ve picked it up,” he noted. What’s more, blackgrass populations with greater “In blackgrass, there is variation in efficacy, but Gordon Anderson-Taylor wonders whether historic exposure to glyphosate are now the all UK populations tested are above the threshold ryegrass is better than blackgrass at developing populations least sensitive to this chemical.” of 90% control at 240g/ha.” the resistance mechanisms. Published in the journal New Phytologist, the “It’s unclear why ryegrass has evolved peer-reviewed study has broken new ground as resistance to the chemistry, while blackgrass it’s identified signs of resistance evolution before it hasn’t,” said Gordon. “Perhaps ryegrass is better becomes a problem in the field. “This means at developing the resistance mechanisms.” farmers who follow glyphosate-stewardship Bayer’s new flufenacet-based herbicide with guidelines can prevent reduced sensitivity evolving added metribuzin is nearing the end of the into a full-blown resistance problem,” noted David. regulatory process, and the firm’s Ben Coombs is optimistic it will come to market this autumn. Flufenacet findings “It offers a 10% uplift in control, compared with Bayer revealed more detail on its flufenacet- Liberator,” he said. The formulation with aclonafen resistance studies at Cereals. “We carry out is expected to arrive next autumn.

crop production magazine july 2019 11 Cereals 2019

L then time topping them off to lifecycles. mixes as buffer strips between game cover steps can have a big accumulative effect,” Mid-June is a good time to do this so that and crops and GLNP have found 2-year she concluded. the regrowth will coincide with the mixes containing phacelia increase bee “Once the genie is out of the bottle, it’ll second brood,” she suggested. numbers as well as other invertebrates. be difficult to get it back in,” was how “Game cover is another area on the Bayer’s Barrie Hunt described risking farm that can very easily be enhanced to Tweaking the mix glyphosate resistance. He believes the provide a significant late season pollen “Wild bird seed mixes tend to be millet major principles of conservation agriculture and nectar resource. Pollen-nectar strips heavy, so you don’t necessarily get the should be remembered when considering are often gone by late Aug, but some pollen/nectar benefit, but by tweaking the how best to control weeds; that is species need food until the end of Oct.” mix it’s possible to supply this. Phacelia minimising soil movement, permanent One of ways of providing a late food can also suit areas where growers struggle vegetative soil cover or mulch and a supply is to use sunflowers with the maize with traditional pollen/nectar mixes diverse crop rotation. cover. An alternative is to plant bespoke because of weed problems. These small “Min till and no till are heavily reliant on Focus on borrowings as uncertainty looms

According to farm business consultants income for payment foregone –– they may be grain-trading season, but we don’t know Andersons, arable profitability looks fairly static at best treated as a new enterprise.” where tariffs will be set. That puts quite a bit of present, with good prospects for 2019 harvest. He urges farmers to take a critical look at their uncertainty into the market with traders not “It’s what 2020 and beyond will bring, with borrowings as the uncertainty of Brexit looms. wanting to commit.” changes to the subsidy regime, that may be of “There have been increases in costs not reflected The big worry is if all restrictions come off most concern,” says the firm’s James Mayhew. in on-farm yields, so are you getting a reward for maize, which could lead to a flood of feed-grain That’s when direct payments will start your investment?” A period of consolidation may imports. “These could even be GM, depending on to decline and support will shift into the be necessary for some farms that could have whether the UK follows EU restrictions. We believe as-yet-undefined public money for public goods, over-reached themselves, he suggests. policy will revolve around keeping food prices low, he notes. “What will you replace your £226/ha The immediate concern is what happens on which would be a significant problem for arable with? It’s likely there’ll be a different structure to Brexit deadline day of 31 Oct, reckons Andersons’ farmers –– you can’t dress it up any other way.” the new ELMs that will incur costs, rather than just Richard King. “It’s slap bang in the middle of the

A treat of traits come forward in RL Candidates

DSV’s new British-bred Group 4 hard wheat season as “strikingly clean”, Theodore’s performed Theodore was on show at cereals. The company well during the past two dry years, maintaining started breeding wheats in the UK from its site green leaf area says Mike, while it’s also near Banbury, Oxon, just 10 years ago, and demonstrated it can cope well with wet soils. Theodore, along with stable mate Toby, is the It performs best in the West, and has good first to come to market. resistance to lodging, he added. An AHDB Candidate variety, Theodore is a cross DSV has also introduced its first ever of Stigg with Tuxedo and has a Septoria tritici ‘quad-layer’ oilseed rape varieties, with stacked score of 7.2, giving it a list-topping untreated yield traits claimed to bring them enhanced disease score of 92% of treated controls. resistance and physical properties. Their DK Exstar is the most disease-resistant OSR “We’re further west than most UK breeders, introduction follows on from AHDB Candidates Matthew Clarke has ever bred. and 150m above sea level, which puts our lines Dazzler and Darling, both triple-layer varieties. under high septoria as well as yellow rust For more on layering traits, see Tech Talk on p36. pressure,” claimed DSV’s Mike Mann. “If you Drawing attention on the KWS stand was its Orwell, said breeder David Harrap. don’t get the pressure, you’re not selecting for it.” new Group 4 hard feed RL Candidate KWS Leading the OSR pack from Dekalb are Having gained a reputation across trial plots Kinetic. With the highest treated yield of the DK Exsteel and DK Exstar. “DK Exstar is the most candidate varieties, it also has the highest specific disease-resistance product we’ve ever bred,” claimed breeder Matthew Clarke. It has an 8 Theodore has a list-topping untreated yield score weight. See article on p16 for more. for both phoma and light leaf spot, with a 9 for of 92% of treated controls. Joining Kinetic is another hard feed RL Candidate KWS Parkin. A cross of Reflection lodging resistance, along with Dekalb’s other key with Costello, there’s a treated yield of 103% of traits of vigorous establishment and pod-shatter controls with strongest performance in the West resistance. and North. Short and stiff-strawed, it’s notable for But you won’t find it on the RL Candidate list its very early maturity. following a mix-up over seeds. “We supplied the New in the two-row winter barleys is RL wrong seeds for the RL trials last autumn.” With Candidate KWS Hawking. At 107% of controls it’s “no weaknesses”, it’s shorter and stiffer than DK the highest yielding candidate in trials and has a Exsteel, but doesn’t quite have the top-end yield specific weight of 70.2kg/hl. It performs best in of its stable mate. Exsteel is on the AHDB RL for the East and West with a maturity equal to KWS the North, with a phoma score of 8 and LLS of 7.

12 crop production magazine july 2019 Cereals 2019

New OSR herbicide officially launched

Belkar (picloram+ halauxifen-methyl) gives since 2015 with the ability to control most key oilseed rape growers the option to switch from competitive weeds without affecting brassicas, preventative to reactive autumn weed control making it an obvious fit for the oilseed rape strategies, said Corteva Agriscience’s market. John Sellars. There are three treatment options which “Growers can wait until the crop is out of the Corteva says have performed best in trials. At two ground giving themselves time to assess the true-leaves an application at 0.25 l/ha will take visible weed pressure plus the impact of pests. out the weeds which have germinated alongside Targeting cleavers, cranesbill, poppy, shepherd’s the crop and, in some circumstances, that will be purse and fumitory, Belkar offers an alternative enough broadleaf control before an application of to traditional approaches which rely on Astrokerb (propyzamide+ aminopyralid) or similar pre-emergence control.” later on. The herbicide is the newest member of the In high weed pressure situations where a Belkar will give growers the flexibility to apply Arylex Active family and John expects Belkar to second germination is visible, growers have the a broadleaf herbicide once the crop has become? the traditional approach to weed control option of a second 0.25 l/ha two to four weeks established. in oilseed rape. after the first application. In low pressure “Growers are happy to invest if they know situations growers can wait until six true leaves they are going to have an output. Moving to a of the crop and apply 0.5 l/ha which will take care presented its new active substance, Inatreq, but post-emergence regime means growers don’t of the weeds going into the autumn. the event was not intended as its launch, as decide on their herbicide spend until they know suggested on p66 of the summer shows preview a crop is there.” ERRATUM in CPM June issue. CPM would like to apologise Arylex Active has been in cereal herbicides At the Cereals event, Corteva Agriscience for any confusion caused. non-selective herbicides and there’s only a techniques. Shallow cultivations can give surface or no tillage at all,” he said. limited choice so it’s important to integrate 40-50% control of weeds but it needs to be Barrie said that good glyphosate cultural controls with effective chemical very shallow to keep seeds near to the application is critical to ensure effective L

crop production magazine july 2019 13 Cereals 2019

Soil health ‘not a public good’, says minister

Farmers who deliver improvements to their soils He said he was hoping to transition to a are unlikely to receive support under the new system of paying public money for public goods Environmental Land Management (ELM) that organisations such as Greenpeace and contracts. Farming minister Robert Goodwill, Friends of the Earth would support. “I’m speaking at the Groundswell event in Herts last optimistic that as we move through the month, said good soil health is not viewed by transition from 2021 to 2027, people will see Government as one of the “outcomes” it’s the results and they will be on the side of the looking to support. farmers and want to help them deliver that “At this stage I wouldn’t envisage that paying through their taxes.” for soil health was necessarily a public good,” Exactly what schemes will be supported will he said in an interview at the event with come from the ELM Tests and Trials –– the journalist Baroness Rosie Boycott. “But the minister indicated that 48 of these from the first Efforts to improve soil health would not things that flow from that are just the sorts of round of applications are “ready to sign off” but necessarily result in ELM payments, said things I think people would want to pay for.” hadn’t started, while another 200 applicants are Robert Goodwill – the Government’s looking The minister didn’t specify exactly what sort waiting to hear if their suggestions will also be for outcomes. of outcomes the Government would reward included in the programme. through ELMs, although he did indicate “I’m optimistic they will make financial sense But he indicated the Agriculture Bill was improvements in organic matter may improve for the farmer –– the money should not just making slow progress through Parliament, and a soil’s capacity as a carbon sink and be compensation for income forgone and Brexit remains the priority. “Before we can improvements in soil structure could help investment made, but also give them a profit deliver our policy, we need to leave the EU,” drainage problems, for example. margin on doing that.” he said.

L chemical control to complement tillering has commenced. The pressure no more than two applications should be cultural methods. “The rate needs to be needs to be kept low to produce a coarse made,” he advised. adequate to kill the grassweeds, so 540g to medium droplet which can be applied Nitrates in groundwater is the latest glyphosate/ha for seedlings but 720g once in a water volume of 80-250 l/ha. Critically, issue that the UK’s water companies are

14 crop production magazine july 2019 Mark Dodds and Andrew Newby from KWS receive the NIAB Centenary Cereals Cup for Robigus from NIAB chairman Jim Godfrey. The variety featured on the HGCA Recommended List between 2003 and 2011, while around half the current varieties have Robigus in their parentage. Originally bred in the Netherlands by Wiersum Zelder, it was selected by CPB Twyford, now KWS. A cross between two breeding lines, it brought in novel yield and agronomic traits from wild emmer wheat. seeking to work on together achieve water quality. Their with the farming community, aim is to help growers access according to Tim Stephens of more specialist advice and Wessex Water. It’s a problem incentivise change with that’s on the rise, partially financial support and because the take-up of nitrogen capital grants. fertilisers is an inefficient Dorset farmer, John Martin, process and partially a legacy farms in a water safeguard issue, with nitrates slowly zone with ground running down working their way down into the to the Milbourne St Andrew groundwater, he explained. borehole. He’s undertaken “We’re likely to see an a 5-year plan with Wessex increase in NVZ restrictions, water to reduce his soil particularly where water is mineral nitrogen by limiting abstracted from boreholes. nitrogen applications to It’s a direction of travel that’s 150kgN/ha/annum, growing indicated in the new Agriculture over-winter green cover and Bill,” he said. building soil organic matter. The water company focus is He’s achieving this by on informing growers about growing a non-legume winter their water quality, catchment cover crop and cropping the management and fine-tuning land in continuous spring of nutrient management with barley which has enabled advice focused beyond him to reduce his inputs to compliance to help them 125kgN/ha. I

Simple management tweaks can help build pollinator numbers on the farm. You don’t really“ have to give it very much attention for it to power away Energy with less and perform for you. Technical ” Fit for the Future effort Among the many candidates p18. Hildred Partnership has around 200ha by when the digestate has to be spread.” lined up to join the Group 4 of winter wheat grown for C2 seed in the That’s carried out by local contractor hard wheat market is one ground for harvest 2019, with the KWS Charlie Baker with a tanker spreader fitted Kinetic sitting alongside KWS Barrell, with a 30m boom. The application is usually high performer that seems to RGT Gravity and Costello. made to the wheat in April, and at a rate of look after itself. CPM visits 30m2/ha, the effect on the crop must be Conscious move factored in, says Mike. an Oxon farm business “We’re making a conscious move back to “It’s easy to put the wrong amount on and making a conscious move Group 4 varieties, having grown quality it will react with the soil in a different way –– wheats for seed over a number of years,” the available N might be 65kg/ha, it might be back into hard feed. says Guy. “There’s nothing wrong with them, 70kg/ha, depending on the temperature. The but the milling premium is no longer nice thing about the Kinetic is that it behaves By Tom Allen-Stevens sufficient. It’s best to focus purely on the very similarly to other KWS feed varieties yield, getting the wheat harvested and filling –– you don’t really have to give it very much As you turn up at the farm office of the up the barn.” attention for it to power away and perform Hildred Partnership near Wallingford, With land that varies from gravel to chalk, for you.” Oxon, you can’t help but notice the crop of and not a single water course across its Generally first wheats are direct drilled oilseed rape on the slope facing you that’s 800ha, yields for the farm range from with the 6m Horsch Sprinter after maize, been hit hard by cabbage stem flea beetle. 7-11t/ha. The rest of the wheat area is also while the second wheats may well be “It’s there to remind me never to grow the hard Group 4, while winter barley is also ploughed. Otherwise the cultivation for most

crop again,” says Guy Hildred. “It was the grown for seed. The business has an crops is a 3.5m Simba Solo followed by a L one field that appeared to grow away from anaerobic digester, pumping out 2.1MW of CSFB last autumn, so we decided not to pull gas to grid, fed with maize and rye, while it up. But that was a mistake.” poppies form the only other non-cereal Contrast that with a nearby field of KWS break in the rotation. Kinetic winter wheat, drilled on 17 Oct, that The partnership is part of HBH (Farming), faced a similar dilemma at the start of the a joint-venture concern with a number of year, after it was hit hard by crows over the other partner businesses. HBH arable winter. “In places you could barely see farm manager Mike Goodenough now the crop in the rows, and we very nearly takes day-to-day responsibility for the abandoned it. But it took off in March, and management of Guy’s wheats, and with a now you can hardly tell the difference nutrition programme that revolves around the between it and our other field that wasn’t digestate from the AD unit, that can be a affected.” challenge, he says. The field of KWS Kinetic that was hit hard by It’s part of a seed crop of the new Group “The biggest issue with the digestate is crows is set to perform as well as the nearby 4 winter wheat variety that currently leads the haulage –– the timing of the application field that was unaffected. the AHDB Candidate line-up (see panel on isn’t decided by when the crop’s ready, but

16 crop production magazine july 2019

Fit for the Future

With Reflection in its parentage, Kinetic has an erect growth habit (left), while it’s been no trouble to Digestate is a key source of nutrients for the keep the crop free of disease from flag to foot (right). crop, but the timing of the application is decided by when it has to be spread, rather than when the crop’s ready. In the spring, concerned that the T2. “We’ll give it a cheap and cheerful crow-damaged piece might not take tebuconazole at T3,” he adds. “Chlormequat kindly to the digestate, it was given a was applied at both T0 and T1. This isn’t the

L 6m Horsch Joker to make the seedbed larger-than-normal dose of N in Feb to help it strongest ground and Kinetic seems very if needed. recover, then ammonium sulphate before its stiff-strawed, even where it grew fast after “The aim is for an established population main dose of N as ammonium nitrate in late the crow damage.” of 355 seeds/m2, and we’ll go as low as March, with a total of 160kgN/ha applied. There’s now very little difference between 100kg/ha or as high as 150kg/ha to achieve The fuller crop of Kinetic received the usual the two fields, both are free of disease and this. The prime time for drilling would be first programme for a feed wheat crop to meet its Mike expects them to perform well at week of Oct, although we’d go later where expected yield (see panel on p19), including harvest. “We have two Claas Lexion 770 blackgrass is an issue. The Kinetic came up the standard dressing of digestate. combines with 12m headers and the seed reasonably well, with the more gravelly soil Tebuconazole was applied at the T0 crop always gets priority. But if the Kinetic ahead of the rest,” says Mike. timing, with Adexar used at both T1 and holds its Hagberg like KWS Trinity and with a Kinetic is the ‘one to watch’ among the hard Group 4s

While some growers have moved away from the addition is a considerable step-up in specific Group 4 hard feed market, there’s every reason weight. It also has a maturity rating that will bring it to take another look, believes Agrovista head of to harvest a day or two ahead of most other hard seeds Tom Nickerson. Group 4s. So perhaps one to line up for next “We’ve seen one or two game-changing autumn.” quality wheats that yield well which have tempted KWS took the unusual step of releasing seed growers towards milling varieties. But gone are of Kinetic for multiplication before it completed the days when farmers looked for feed wheats National List trials, notes Will Compson, KWS It not only yields, but these are bankable yields, that were purely high input, high output. What cereal and sales manager. “This means growers says Will Compson. we’re seeing on the AHDB Recommended List, will have access to seed for commercial and especially among the candidates, is a new production this autumn,” he notes. generation of hard Group 4s that offer good “KWS Kinetic combines a high treated and Nevertheless, seed availability is likely to be agronomics and appropriate grain quality, as well untreated yield, good disease resistance and the tight for autumn 2019, so product development as the high yields growers expect,” he says. best combination of protein, Hagberg falling number manager John Miles suggests KWS Kerrin as the These are the ones now taking market share, and specific weight of any candidate variety.” Group 4 hard feed variety of choice if Kinetic’s not and offer additional benefits for those growers A cross between Reflection and KWS available. who can use their good grain quality in local Silverstone, Kinetic has orange wheat blossom “They are quite different –– Kinetic is an premium markets, he adds. midge resistance and has performed strongly in all upgrade of Reflection, inheriting its high yield, Among the RL candidates, it’s KWS Kinetic that regions, adds Will, although its highest yields have short, stiff straw and earliness, but bringing its currently leads the pack. So what’s Tom’s take on come in the East and West. disease resistance from Silverstone,” he explains. the variety? “It’s certainly one to watch,” he says. “At 105% of controls, its treated yield is at the “Kerrin has KWS Santiago in its parentage. The “There’s a limited tonnage available for 2019 top of the group, but it will be its stiff straw, early yield isn’t quite at the same level as Kinetic, but sowings, but my feeling is that it’s one for 2020, maturity and high specific weight that will capture you get the consistency growers enjoyed in by which time we’ll have a full set of data on it, grower interest –– so it not only yields, but these Santiago. It’s also very flexible in terms of when and growers will be able to make a more are bankable yields.” you can drill it –– whenever the seed turns up, informed choice.” Senior wheat breeder Mark Dodds notes that you can put it in the ground and it’ll perform.” KWS Kerrin, meanwhile, delivers on the yield the dry-down evaluation carried out by KWS puts Moderately stiff, disease-wise Kerrin may need and has plenty of data to inform the grower Kinetic on a par with Skyfall in terms of earliness. watching for yellow rust, especially in eastern looking to move into these wheats, he notes. “It comes down to 15% moisture five days earlier counties, notes John, but its strength is brown “Kerrin’s shown it can yield consistently, so it’s than Gleam or RGT Gravity and has an untreated rust. “It has the strongest brown rust score of the my pick for this autumn. What Kinetic offers in yield similar to KWS Siskin.” leading Group 4 varieties on the RL,” he adds.

18 crop production magazine july 2019

Fit for the Future specific weight higher than nearly everything Kinetic has the high yields growers have come to else on the AHDB Recommended List, expect of Group 4 varieties with considerably I don’t expect it’ll mind waiting at harvest.” improved grain quality. For Guy, Kinetic fits the mould of the many other KWS varieties he’s grown in the past. wheat area. We’ve not spent any more time “It’s not quite like KWS Santiago, but we’ve or expense on it than we have for any of treated it very similarly to the KWS Lili we ur other wheats –– it’s a wheat that looks grew two years ago (see panel on right) –– after itself.” I although a Group 2 variety, we grew it as a Group 4 as it was the yield we were after,” he says. Hildred Partnership’s programme for high-yielding wheat, 2017 “Naturally we’d have to reserve judgement on the Kinetic until the combine goes in, and Date Product Rate (/ha) Price (/ha) you can’t base your impression of it on just Seed £105* one year. But if it does well, we’d certainly 07-Oct KWS Lili 140kg consider rolling it out over the rest of the Herbicides £75 Insecticides £2 Mike Goodenough (left) and Guy Hildred are Fertiliser £160 making a conscious move back to Group 4 17-Feb Urea 46% N 100kg varieties, having grown quality wheats for seed 18-Apr Digestate 31m3 over a number of years. 19-Apr Urea 46%N 213kg Fungicides £90 10-Apr T1 – Keystone + CTL 0.8 +1.0 litre 05-May T2 – Adexar + CTL 1.25 + 1.0 litre 02-Jun T3 – Toledo + Comet 0.45 + 0.25 litres Growth regulators £1 10-Apr T1 – Chlormequat 0.8 litres Standard TOTAL VARIABLE COSTS £433 05-Aug Harvest 10.5t £1659** GROSS MARGIN £1226

Digestate – total applied: 80kgN/ha, 26kg SO3/ha, 127kg K2O/ha, 47kg P2O5/ha; CTL – chlorothalonil; Keystone – epoxiconazole+ isopyrazam; Adexar – fluxapyroxad+ epoxiconazole; Toledo – tebuconazole; Comet – pyraclostrobin; *price for C1 seed; **based on ex-farm price of £158/t Fit for the Future KWS Group 4 wheat leaders at a glance As Britain exits the EU, wheat growers will be KWS Kinetic KWS Kerrin preparing their enterprise for a market with less protection, but potentially open to the AHDB Winter Wheat List Source for data* Candidate 2019/20 Recommended 2019/20 opportunities of a wider world. Finding the Yield mean of controls (t/ha) 10.4 11.2 right market, and the variety to fulfil it, will UK treated yield (% control) 105.1 103.7 be crucial for those looking to get ahead. UK untreated yield (% treated control) 86.3 81.3 In this series of articles, CPM has teamed Hagberg falling number (sec) 279 150 up with KWS to explore how the wheat Specific weight (kg/hl) 78.8 76.5 market may evolve, and profile growers set Resistance to lodging with PGR - 6.9 to deliver ongoing profitability. Lodging % (treated) 1.9 KWS is a leading breeder of cereals, Height without PGR (cm) 83.3 83.7 oilseeds, sugar beet and maize. As a Maturity (days+/- JB Diego) 0 1.2 family-owned business, it is truly independent Disease resistance and entirely focussed on promoting success Mildew 6.1 6.7 through the continual improvement of varieties with higher Yellow rust 6.4 7.0 yields, strong disease Brown rust 6.2 6.8 and pest resistance, Septoria tritici 5.8 5.0 and excellent grain Eyespot - 4.7 quality. We’re committed Fusarium ear blight - 5.8 to your future just as OWBM R R much as you are. *Note: Yield data are not comparable as varieties were assessed in different trials using different controls

crop production magazine july 2019 19

Rethinking OSR? them may be counter-productive, Sacha points out. “Making more than one pyrethroid application is just selecting for resistance and killing the natural enemies of CSFB, such as ground beetles which play a very important role in eating eggs over the winter period.” So without any effective More than one chemistry to save the day, “pyrethroid application what can growers do to mitigate the effects of CSFB? is just selecting for Sacha believes there is no resistance. single solution but by adopting ” a number of cultural control options with the optimum agronomic approach then damage can be limited. It’s similar to the approach growers have adopted to blackgrass, where a combination of different methods can add up to give the desired level of overall control. Modelling carried out as part of the AHDB- funded IPM project, suggests that the only consistent agronomic approach that affects CSFB pressure is the date of drilling. The advice used to be to drill OSR earlier so that the crop established before the main period of CSFB migration (usually late-Aug) but in recent years it’s the larvae which have become the biggest threat. “A survey of 1100 sites over 14 years Technical showed a clear trend in larval reduction by drilling later. Newly planted crops avoid the OSR planning main adult migration, so CSFB arrive later in crops. This results in later egg hatching and It’s been a torrid season for losses this spring,” he says. a slower rate of development of both larvae oilseed rape with many CSFB has become OSR’s number one and eggs as temperatures cool off in the enemy since the loss of neonicotinoid seed autumn. We’ve seen the effect carry through growers questioning its place treatments, with 5% of the national crop lost to spring populations. in their rotation. But should it in 2014/15 and 9% in 2016/17. This year “We need to better understand OSR AICC estimate that 11% will be lost on the variety selection as some are much better be discarded on the back of basis of a survey conducted last winter, suited than others for later drilling,” equivalent to £79 million. But it’s likely that he adds. an exceptional season or can L this is an underestimate as larval numbers There’s also a disease consideration the crop be managed better? continued to increase into the spring and CPM finds out. crops were still being written-off as late as April, suggests Sacha. By Lucy de la Pasture Pyrethoid resistance In recent times the solution to nearly every A series of unusual weather events agronomy problem has been to rely on a created a perfect storm for cabbage stem pesticide as a first line of defence, but flea beetle (CSFB), says Dr Sacha White, with increasing resistance to pyrethroid senior research entomologist at ADAS insecticides this is no longer a strategy Boxworth in Cambs. A very dry summer that will work. which extended well into the autumn “Pyrethroids used to get control of CSFB meant many oilseed rape crops had a adults and larvae if they were well-timed, but difficult time establishing due to lack of resistance was first detected in 2014 and is moisture and adult flea beetle damage. becoming widespread. We don’t yet know if “Another warm winter meant that adults the larvae are resistant as well as the adults, Sacha White believes cultural controls with a were able to continue egg laying for but we suspect that they are,” he says. delay in drilling is the best strategy to reduce the longer than usual, which resulted in record In spite of this, pyrethroid applications impact of CSFB on crops. numbers of larvae and additional crop have tripled from 2010 to 2016 but applying

20 crop production magazine july 2019

OSR planning

L when looking at drilling date, adds “Leaf size is an important factor when it Light leaf spot is a very different disease Dr Faye Ritchie, plant pathologist at ADAS comes to phoma, the larger the leaf then the and its airborne ascospores, which cause Boxworth. “On balance, later drilling longer it takes the fungus to spread through the primary infection in OSR crops, can be decreases the risk of light leaf spot and club the leaf and petiole and then into the stem. released from July onwards. This means root while earlier drilling decreases the risk Late sown, small crops are at a higher risk,” earlier drilled crops are exposed to higher of phoma leaf spot/stem canker. she says. levels of inoculum. By late Oct there’s a

Countering flea beetle pressures

OSR varieties that develop more rapidly in the manager, David. “They give the crop the best autumn and earlier in the spring can substantially chance of growing away from any setbacks. If reduce damage from cabbage stem flea beetle conditions allow, they may put on a little too much larvae as well as adults, according to the latest autumn growth. But we can always give them a research from agronomy specialists Agrii. timely check as well as a useful rooting boost with Used alongside the most appropriate seedbed an early PGR. management, drilling practice, early nutrition and “We also know from our trial work how insecticide treatment, they offer growers a good valuable such varieties can be in minimising the way of countering the recent upsurge in the pest, larval damage which put paid to so many crops in the view of view of technical specialists, Jim this spring. Current trials across more than Carswell and David Leaper. 40 varieties on four sites significantly affected by They point out that, just like blackgrass and flea beetle, have indicated a clear association septoria, a thoroughly integrated approach to between the level of beetle damage and speed of Jim Carswell (left) and David Leaper have been agronomy can help manage the flea beetle crop development. looking at a number of approaches to reduce threat and ensure OSR retains its place as the “We’ve long found the fastest developing CSFB damage. first-choice break in most winter cereal rotations. varieties in the autumn are better at growing away “We have undertaken almost 40 specific flea from adult grazing. These trials show the earliest be preferable to spray at night for the best beetle management trials since 2009,” says R&D to grow away in the spring –– most notably DK targeting. “Including garlic and other solutions manager, Jim. “These have explored a whole Expedient, DK Exclaim, DK Exsteel, Inv1035 and with strong odours in the spray tank may also be range of approaches to dealing with the pest Ambassador –– also suffer the least stunting and useful to mask the smell of OSR that is attractive –– from sacrificial field boundaries to companion main stem loss. Again this seems to be due to to adult beetles. Again, though, we don’t yet have cropping and various ways of disguising the their superior ability to compensate through earlier sufficient scientific evidence here.” emerging crop as well as improving its canopy development.” Companion cropping is another area of establishment and early resilience. As far as cultivation is concerned, there’s good agronomy where Agrii has growing evidence of “It’s crystal clear from this work that no single field evidence that crops established under no-till flea beetle management value. But only with approach offers the consistency of the seed and reduced tillage systems generally suffer less the right companions and providing they are treatments we no longer have. Anything that gets from flea beetle. Better moisture conservation is established sufficiently well. in the way of early crop growth –– like last likely to be important here, says Jim. “You need to have a mix that fools the beetles autumn’s serious lack of moisture –– can At the same time, the Agrii work suggests that but isn’t too competitive with the crop,” explains significantly increase flea beetle impact. So the longer cereal stubbles, an even spread of chopped David. “Over the past three seasons, we’ve had focus has to be on the key elements of agronomy straw and chaff across the surface and the least great success with carefully selected varieties of that prove most effective in ensuring rapid and soil movement at drilling are valuable in disguising buckwheat and vetch that are established strongly reliable establishment and autumn development.” the green-on-brown visual attraction of the in cereal stubbles and readily eliminated by early Drilling in the first 10 days of Aug to achieve a emerging crop to adult beetles. frosts or herbicide treatment. robust canopy ahead of the main late Aug/early “Good seed-to-soil contact at drilling, lack of “In several cases, this companion cropping has Sept flea beetle migration has proved its worth compaction to limit root development and a soil allowed our agronomists to establish excellent in maximising early crop survival in Agrii’s pH which doesn’t limit nutrient availability are vital OSR crops with minimal insecticide use while experience. for the best establishment,” he adds. neighbouring crops were completely lost to But early drilled crops tend to carry greater “Treating the seed with Take-off PGA or the beetle infestation. larval burdens than those drilled in early Sept. new biological dressing, Integral Pro, can further “Crucifers like white mustard and turnip rape The downside of later-drilled crops is that they improve rooting and early canopy development at have proved diversionary when grown with can develop less rapidly, making them more a very modest cost. But the single most beneficial Clearfield varieties and easy to eliminate in vulnerable to attack. aid to establishment we find is a well-balanced the system. But they are best avoided in our “Whenever you drill, the most important thing seedbed fertiliser” he says. experience because they can be much too is to drill into moisture. In the six weeks between “Resistance means insecticides aren’t competitive with the crop,” he advises. the start of Aug and mid-Sept there will almost performing as well as they used to,” Jim agrees. “We find faster-developing Clearfield varieties always be a time when your ground is carrying “Even so, they remain vital to crop survival, with like DK Impressario CL can also have a clear sufficient moisture. Regardless of calendar date, our trials showing valuable advantages from a edge for their tolerance to ALS inhibitor residues that is the time to drill,” says Jim. quality pyrethroid such as Cleancrop Argent when grown in reduced tillage systems where “Almost regardless of drilling date, I also favour (lambda-cyhalothrin) as well as adjuvants that these herbicides have been used; especially if fast-developing varieties,” adds seed technical improve uptake and coverage. Anecdotally, it may late-spring applied in a dry season.”

22 crop production magazine july 2019 switch in the lifecycle and the fungus produces conidiospores which are dispersed by rain splash, meaning infection spread is more local. “Phoma is the easier of the two diseases to control with good single gene and quantitative resistance available in varieties and effective control from fungicides,” says Faye. Light leaf spot has a polycyclic lifecycle and is more difficult to control. “Using Faye Ritchie says the effect on varieties with a high resistance diseases needs to be considered rating delays the epidemic, with when drilling early or later than big differences in disease levels normal. seen in trials between varieties with an AHDB Recommended List resistance rating of 7 and drilling date and yield, with some those with a lower rating of 5. varieties having an apparent “Fungicides generally only tolerance to delayed sowing control 50-60% of a light leaf date, she says. spot epidemic but can still “I’m often challenged as to provide a cost-effective yield whether hybrids really are more response,” she adds. vigorous than open-pollinated varieties. The answer is Genetic trait generally ‘yes, they are’, but ADAS have looked at the hybrids vary in their vigour. attractiveness and palatability of “Some hybrid breeding different varieties to CSFB and programmes have clearly have so far found no significant developed heterotic pools which differences, but this may not maximise the hybrid effect, which correspond to work being carried is why we tend to see the InVigor out elsewhere. A point in case is varieties standing out in the research at John Innes Centre is autumn for vigour next to some looking to find a genetic trait that other hybrid varieties.” may ultimately be used to confer Carol is advocating a move to resistance in new OSR varieties, a later drilling for OSR as a points out Sacha. means of limiting CSFB damage, “We’ll also be looking at and she believes choosing the whether some varieties are better right hybrid variety can help able to tolerate damage than balance the establishment others in the IPM project,” risk with potential gross output. he adds. “What we suggest growers Vigour has been suggested as should be doing is looking at a useful characteristic to help whether they are prepared to crops grow away from flea beetle compromise their establishment damage and Sacha agrees that for the chance of a couple of % this is true. As well as autumn in gross output. Choosing a vigour, the ability to grow away variety such as InV1035, with quickly in the spring could be as high early vigour lowers the important, he says. establishment risk and can still Dr Carol Norris, agronomic produce a high output,” she services manager for BASF explains. which has the InVigor range Increasing seed rate is of no of hybrid OSR varieties in its benefit where CSFB larvae are portfolio, highlights work carried concerned, explains Sacha. out in 2013/14 by Dr Pete Berry “We looked at seed rates of and Liz Hudson of ADAS. It 10-120 seeds/m2 and found gave an insight into the impact no difference in the larval vigorous hybrids can have on population/plant between seed L OSR planning

Summary of drilling dates and disease risk

Disease Drill (to decrease risk) Why? Phoma leaf spot/stem canker Earlier Larger leaf size Light leaf spot Later Less build-up of disease Clubroot Later Lower soil temperatures Source: ADAS, 2019

which also means higher pest return for early Aug, before the new crop has been All hybrids have vigour but not all have the same future years.” planted. amount of vigour at the same time, points out Cultural approaches to limiting CSFB are “Once the adults have flown into the trap Carol Norris. also being evaluated by ADAS and ‘trap crop, they start to lose wing muscle so cropping’ and ‘defoliation’ are both showing become less able to migrate. By delaying L rates. This suggests there’s no benefit promise. burning off OSR volunteers until late Sept, it to be had from ramping up the seed rate The trap cropping trials have made use should be possible to reduce the number of in terms of larval load and a positive of the OSR volunteers that emerge after adults that will affect the newly planted disadvantage in that there are more harvest so that adult CSFB will fly in and crop,” explains Sacha. larvae/m2 where there are more plants/m2, feed on them when they begin to emerge in Results so far have given significant reductions of adults throughout the whole trial, even after the OSR volunteers were controlled, and there’s been a corresponding reduction in the population of larvae in crops, he highlights.

Trap crop “We’ve seen benefits in four of the six paired fields (OSR vol/new crop) with up to 89% fewer adults, 74% less adult damage, 39% more plants, and 67% less larvae. The trap crop effectively breaks pest life-cycle.” Taking a broader view, Sacha points out that we still need to understand the factors that reduce effectiveness, such as the area of volunteer OSR area left as the trap crop and the drilling date of the new crop. Faye has a few concerns about leaving OSR stubbles for longer on the surface because they act as a source of airborne spores to infect neighbouring crops and volunteers as a green bridge for some diseases. “A balance needs to be reached when it comes to controlling diseases where inoculum can build up on stubbles and volunteers, such as phoma stem canker and light leaf spot. Club root is another risk and leaving uncontrolled volunteers long enough will potentially allow the disease to go through another cycle,” she says. Another cultural approach that has moved from trial plots this season into commercial fields under the Innovative Farmers Field Lab initiative is defoliation. “The Field Lab is looking at the effects of defoliation on eight farms in 12 fields. In plot trials there were significant reductions in larvae (31-55%) when the crop was mown off, with the highest yields when defoliation took place in Dec. The Field Lab growers are looking at different methods, including grazing by sheep, and initial assessments show that all but one of the sites conclusion that the next OSR that were defoliated have fewer crop will be under the same larvae than undefoliated plots,” pressure as the one that will he explains. soon be harvested. Ultimately when considering “Larvae aren’t invincible –– this the prospects of OSR for next season everything has worked in season, Sacha believes the their favour. Weather may not season needs to be kept in prove so favourable next time perspective and it’s not a forgone around.” I

Trap Cropping 2017/18

Results show the impact of volunteer OSR on numbers of adult CSFB. Source: ADAS, 2019 Defoliation Field Lab results

There was up to 77% reduction in larvae where crops were defoliated compared to untreated, with a mean reduction of 40%. Source: ADAS, 2019 Speed of spring development

Results show CSFB larval damage v speed of development in the spring. Source: Agrii, 2019 ADVERTORIAL

want the straw to cover the carrots, we Could hybrid rye be the new crop decided we’d rather grow it for grain. Straw is important to us; we use about 50t/ha to protect the carrots against farmers have been looking for? frost, which equates to 4000 Hesston bales each year. Hybrid rye produces about 25% more straw than winter wheat so there is obvious appeal.” He contacted Scottish Agronomy to discuss which varieties were best suited to grain production and soon learned that there was much to consider. “Rye is susceptible to ergot, but the development of PollenPlus varieties has done much to remove this risk.

Rye in Scotland

“Scottish Agronomy has long-term trials data on a range of varieties at two sites in Scotland so we knew straight away which variety to grow, what seed and nitrogen rates to use and how much growth regulator would be needed.” Frustrated by the performance of winter for an anaerobic digester. Growing rye for grain however, barley and no longer able to grow oilseed “We took a conservative approach; meant first finding a buyer for it. rape, Colin Mitchell, farm manager at our 25 ha was modest in comparison “A favourable amino acid profile Meikleour Estate in Perthshire, has been with what some others were putting in. means it is particularly well suited to searching for a new crop to extend the For many, it was the most profitable pigs so that was our first thought, it farm’s rotation. Although not the complete crop on their farms, and it can be, wasn’t to be unfortunately. Eventually, answer, hybrid rye is proving to be a but you must properly account for the we found a market for human rewarding discovery. potash removed. This can be as much consumption through a local merchant. “Farmers in Scotland need an as 285kg/ha with a 50t/ha (AD) crop,” This, however, is a limited market so alternative to wheat,” he says. “It is says Mr Mitchell. I’m still working on other outlets.” becoming harder to keep clean of This brief experience was enough to As his confidence with the crop has foliar diseases that limit yield, and this capture his interest and he began to grown, so has the sown area and this is making it expensive to grow. The investigate other possible markets for year covers 110ha. obvious choices aren’t that attractive.” the crop. “In 2016 the crop yielded an The Meikleour Estate covers about “It grew well, and I was impressed average 7.7t/ha though this was on 800 hectares and its fertile loam soils by its performance, but because we some of the farm’s least productive support a diverse range of crops soils. The best-performing field including potatoes, energy beet and managed 8.3t/ha. This made us start carrots, cereals perform as a disease to take it seriously as the best crop break for higher value crops but must we’ve ever had in that field previously still pay their way. was spring oats which managed about Spring barley, winter wheat, winter 6t/ha. In 2017 it achieved the same barley and winter oats are already average but then in 2018 it gave 8t/ha grown on the farm, but performance is with the best field at 10.48t/ha.” variable, and the latter is vulnerable to This compares with a three-year frost damage. wheat average yield for the same Oilseed rape too is no longer a period of 8.3t/ha. In the drought of practical option due to severe clubroot 2018 wheat at Meikleour managed just problems and a desire to reduce 7.54t/ha and cost roughly £100/ha disease risk from sclerotinia in high more in variable costs. value root crops. “It appears to be the one crop Like many farmers in Scotland, where real progress is being made Colin Mitchell’s interest in hybrid rye year-on-year to improve agronomic was aroused after he was approached Colin Mitchell, farm manager at Meikleour characteristics, such as disease and by a neighbour in need of feed stock Estate in Perthshire lodging resistance. This year I’m ADVERTORIAL growing KWS Edmondo and have entered a field in the ADAS YEN competition.” “For us, it yields on a par with first wheats, but is cheaper to grow because it needs less nitrogen fertiliser and fungicide. It has already replaced some winter barley and I’m starting to think it could replace second wheat too.” The market for human consumption is limited, while other outlets need developing before the crop is likely to appeal beyond AD growers, concedes Colin Mitchell. “The big opportunity is in pig feed. Rye is a staple of a pig finishing rations across Germany and Denmark. More interest from feed compounders or pig producers milling their own feed Hybrid rye is grown on around 5 million hectares worldwide – the majority of which is combined for would encourage me to grow more. grain production “There is a small, but valuable market for rye as a distilling grain. cheaper to grow,” he says. lower risk of ergot infection occurring,” Bourbon is an increasingly popular It has since become an established he says. drink and Scotland has the distilling crop and his 350-400 tonnes annual “It’s not completely risk-free, but infrastructure to produce it so why not production is sold locally to a specialist with milling wheat on the farm too we grow rye in Scotland for distilling in food ingredients business. need to be proactive and PollenPlus Scotland? Perhaps, someone will “It does better than wheat on the varieties have helped greatly.” have the confidence to give it a go,” same ground and is earlier to mature, he says. but later than oilseed rape, so helps Crop management ensure a smooth harvest,” he says. At 10t/ha hybrid rye out-does Ergot is the curse of rye, but since moving to a fully hybrid variety this has Sowing is much the same as any other wheat become less of a concern. cereal and Mr Lord will either drill it “We moved to KWS Bono a few conventionally after cultivations or Annoyed by the under-performance years ago partly for the higher yield direct into stubble depending on the of winter malting barley, David Lord potential, but also because the higher workload at the time, the field and decided to investigate hybrid rye after quantities of pollen these PollenPlus weed burden to be considered. a discussion with a neighbour. It’s now varieties produce means there is a far “It’s certainly easy to grow. We four years later and the area grown has sow it in early October, normally expanded to 40 hectares as demand apply two fungicides, though it has has increased. had only one in 2019, as mildew It was the low water requirement and brown rust are the main disease – at 300 litres per tonne of grain pressures, and a single application of produced its moisture needs are Chlormequat to keep it from lodging. typically 25% lower than that of wheat About 150kg N/ha is applied in two or barley – and early maturity that splits and that’s it. appealed in the first instance. “It matures evenly which makes “I was looking for a crop to fit the combining easy and stores better in light land rotation of potatoes, wheat, bins as it doesn’t heap that well. This peas/onions, and wheat. Rye had good suits the customer as they can take it drought tolerance and the straw is as and when they need it,” he says. useful for the cattle enterprise though we are careful to follow it with potatoes Continental pig producers to replace the phosphate taken off improve performance with (with the straw) and control the hybrid rye volunteers. “We budget for yields of about 8.5t/ha, but it often exceeds this. In Just as the arable sector faces its good years it does 10t/ha or more and own challenges with loss of active as our contract sees us paid the same David Lord farms near Clacton on Sea, Essex, ingredients and pressure to find a more as feed wheat it often produces a and sees hybrid ryes benefits under dry sustainable rotation, the pig sector is better gross margin because it is conditions undergoing its own challenges. ADVERTORIAL

KWS own view is that the UK pig established component of pig sector is well placed to drive up its rations as it leads to less aggression, own quality standards, which are lower ammonia emissions and added already enhanced by our Red Tractor benefits in gut health, without assurance. compromising growth rates or finishing Pig producers will be all too aware of costs. the need to reduce antibiotic use – to It is also attracting interest among which the UK is probably ahead of pig producers and feed compounders other European countries, whilst in North America for the same reasons enhancing gut health at the same time. it is already widely used in continental Similarly there is increased focus on Europe. lowering ammonia emissions from pig Research has identified several production principally through using positive benefits from feeding rye: lower protein feed. Such effects are: Finally, the major ongoing issue is G Positive behavioural effects via increased welfare in the production satiety inducement (especially in system, eliminating tail biting, finishers and dry sows) John Burgess – KWS UK Hybrid Rye Product G aggression in sows and finishers and Reduced gut ulceration and positive Manager says rye sales for the company grew reducing gut ulceration are all key promotion of hind gut and colon by over 30% last autumn. Worldwide hybrid rye concerns for any pig farmer. health; is also the fastest growing cereal seed within G Low non-essential nitrogen and the groups’ cereal portfolio. reduced faecal losses resulting in lower ammonia emissions G Higher straw yield for environmental with rye, there are indications of better enrichment masking effects from flea beetle G Similar copper and zinc mineral attack, whilst growers would not content to wheat, barley and oats, suffer from any loss in straw as a cash but higher Vitamin E content income, as rye has a straw yield of G Inherently high fructan and phytase around 4-5t/ha alone. levels both of which aid gut health and phosphorous metabolism What could rye offer that Breeder investment wheat or barley don’t do already? Given the loss of CTL, growing pressure on ramularia and septoria UK producers only have to look to our control – growing hybrid rye has Danish counterparts for clear proof as come at the perfect time for UK to the benefits of rye. arable farmers. In Denmark, Germany, Russia, Given it’s a totally separate species KWS has recently published a fully Poland and Spain, rye is an with added benefits in terms of upgraded rye brochure – with the take-all, straw yield, earliness to latest information on agronomy harvest and big savings in nitrogen and end uses – including a brand use. new sections on rye flour, alcohol Rye is also well known as being applications and the benefits of rye very drought tolerant. to the pig sector. “Our remit is to expand the market away from the traditional AD feedstock For more information please and the relatively limited Ryvita email [email protected] contract, into novel flours and grain and malt whisky and beer – we’re already seeing this take place in Ireland and Scotland. “Our biggest efforts right now are to target rye’s natural home in the feed market for dry sows and finishing pigs. KWS key growth markets for rye include some Some might suggest rye could of Europe’s most intensive pig producing displace oilseed rape, but our view regions at KWS is it may help broaden the Graphic source: Statistical portrait of pig production in Europe rotation and help OSR establishment”. (sows by region) EUROSTAT, 2014 By leaving the stubble height taller It’s a problem“ that’s probably been evolving for decades.”

The erucic acid problem

Finding a solution to magnified by a proposed lowering of the and Fats Association (FOSFA) contract for a problem is almost legal limit for erucic acid to just 2%, posing rapeseed for many years, in line with the 2% impossible when the cause potential problems for crushers and OSR limit for National Listing of low erucic acid growers alike, explains AHDB’s manager for varieties when they were introduced in the hasn’t been established. CPM quality and safety research, Dhan Bhandari. 1970s,” he says. takes a look at the latest “In the absence of sufficiently sensitive Finger pointing testing equipment at intake, the limit had research into elevated erucic “There was a lot of finger pointing going on always been applied with a degree of acid in rapeseed and how in the supply chain but with no hard proof, it tolerance. More recently (2015-2017), spikes was impossible to pinpoint the most likely in the erucic acid content of extracted oil this has resulted in new source of contamination. Possible causes and the introduction of improved near- advice to growers. included contamination from high-erucic infared spectrophotometers (NIRS) created acid (HEAR) seed in accidental mix-ups on awareness of a problem that had previously By Lucy de la Pasture farm or at merchants’ stores, incomplete gone unnoticed,” comments Simon. cleaning of seed, and wild cruciferous The erucic acid problem remains small, seeds with a naturally high erucic acid with currently around 1.5% of loads being Albert Einstein once said, ‘If I had an hour content, such as mustard and charlock,” penalised or rejected in the UK, but it’s to solve a problem, I’d spend 55 minutes he comments. significant, says Simon. thinking about the problem and five “Other possibilities included “Even after mixing in with the general minutes thinking about solutions.’ For cross-pollination between double-low heap in communal stores, the problem was L the OSR industry the problem has been varieties and either wild crucifers or unexpectedly high levels of erucic in seed volunteer OSR plants, and the presence of going to the crush, but the true source HEAR volunteers in the crop, which were of the problem remained a mystery –– widely grown before the introduction of a situation which meant the solution was double-lows, as well as more recently for far from clear. industrial usage and renewable fuels,” So AHDB commissioned NIAB to find out says Dhan. the answer to the million-dollar question: “The researchers at NIAB have expertise where are these elevated levels of erucic in erucic acid and have been carrying out acid in OSR loads actually coming from? the testing on certified OSR seed for years,” Double-low varieties of oilseed have an he adds. erucic acid content which is inherently in the Leading the research was oilseed and region of 0.1%, well below the current limit of pulse specialist Simon Kightley, who Simon Kightley says that better testing equipment 5%. Even though the percentage of loads explains the 2% limit for erucic acid in seed has probably highlighted a problem that has coming in with high erucic acid has been isn’t new. previously gone unnoticed. low, it’s a situation that has become “It’s been in the Federation of Oils, Seeds

crop production magazine july 2019 29 Theory to Field

Erucic acid content of harvested crop y t e g i s r n d i i a r d d v – b u n l s l y a a c e h i l n x t a o e d e i l i n t r r d d e s d o i n e a i i e e f d i e t r v i l r e e t r v n b l a s s u b n y e a e l y v d d o o h n e e c C h n o g d i v v o l t d d d n a a c i e n e e e i s s r i i i d f e d f f f e r i i i u i v e l t t t l m m a n r r r x t r r c e i l e e o e u x a Research shows that OSR volunteers are the a C C C F e F M C C o main source of raised erucic acid levels in rapeseed. Number 16 15 8 7 1 4 2 % Erucic acid L beginning to show. It only takes one fully Mean 5.85 3.86 4.55 2.63 1.06 0.09 0.13 high-erucic acid seed with a level of 50% Maximum 35.80 12.08 19.88 6.96 - 0.12 0.14 in 50 seeds to raise the level to 1%. Two or three seeds and you’re going to be over Minimum 0.13 0.13 0.23 0.23 - 0.05 0.12 the limit.” Categorised by seed production type, for 15 samples of certified oilseed rape grown from different And this is what Simon and his team variety types and of 16 crops from farm-saved seed (% erucic acid). looked at in the research. In the forensic Source: AHDB Project report No 602 investigation, a set of 50 samples from commercial OSR crops was taken during The initial analysis of samples showed rise to the advice that seed for sowing should harvest 2017 and provided the core of the a variation in erucic acid contents which be tested for elevated erucic acid and study; which looked at the different testing highlighted farm-saved seed as being at the rejected if it’s more than 1%, although hybrid methodology and the presence of any highest risk of testing high, with Clearfield seed appears to be very clean in this high-erucic weed seeds in the samples. and hybrids varieties at the other end of respect,” explains Simon. A further subset of 12 samples was then the spectrum, testing well within erucic “As well as testing any seed intended for looked at in detail, with examination of acid limits. home-saving, it’s important to stress the 50 individual seeds to identify whether any “The results identified a small risk from importance of seeing a test result for any cross-pollination or volunteer contamination erucic acid presence in sown seed, bought seed,” he adds. was occurring. particularly farm-saved seed, and this gives But it was the study of samples looking at

Progress in reducing erucic acid must continue

Even though the UK’s largest rapeseed crusher the progress in reducing erucic acid levels has reported an improving situation in comparison continues and the work funded by AHDB will be to previous years, OSR growers are being urged to really helpful for growers in understanding the continue the progress made in reducing levels of problem better. erucic acid. “Background levels have generally been on an High levels of erucic acid is bad news all upward trend over the past five years but there’s round, believes Martin Farrow, general manager of now evidence of a decline, possibly because of ADM Erith. For growers it could lead to deductions more awareness of the issue and growers taking or outright rejections which in turn leads to supply action,” he says. issues for crushers, he explains. The research carried out by NIAB advises “While the legal limit on erucic acid in rapeseed growers should ensure that any seed –– oil products across Europe is currently set at a purchased or farm-saved –– has been tested maximum of 5%, there are EU proposals to reduce and shown not to pose a risk by exceeding erucic this to 2%, which brings it in line with FOSFA acid levels for seed. contracts and the industry in general. Owen reinforces the report’s conclusions, Owen Cligg says it’s important that the progress “Growers who have concerns about their levels saying the best cultural practices to minimise that’s already been made to reduce erucic acid will be reassured to know that ADM Erith Crush volunteer OSR in crops is crucial where any in samples continues. has no plans to apply claims to deliveries of background threat exists. He also advises that rapeseed which have less than 4.99% erucic samples from every load transported to crushers acid content. It’s encouraging that we’ve seen should be retained for reference in the event of seed’ and higher erucic acid rape (HEAR) varieties a reduction in the number of loads over 2% in disputed test results. grown for industrial use are also possible causes. comparison to last year,” he comments. He subscribes to the view that volunteer OSR United Oilseeds has implemented testing of all Although Martin’s comments provide some cross-pollination has contributed to the issue and loads destined for storage to ensure an accurate reassurance to OSR growers’ concerns, Owen an increase in the planted area of Clearfield OSR picture of erucic acid levels is understood before Cligg of United Oilseeds says it’s important that has helped combat the problem. So-called ‘weed loads are delivered to the crush, he adds.

30 crop production magazine july 2019 Theory to Field

Risk points for high erucic acid

G Seed source – ask for a written declaration G Established crops (weeds and volunteers) of erucic acid content for certified seed and – consider wider row spacing for inter-row send any home-saved seed for testing. Keep hoeing or use Clearfield varieties. a sealed sample of any seed used in case of G Harvest – adopt strategies to minimise later dispute. seed shedding from pod shatter and G Pre-planting – assess risk from farm segregate all double-low rapeseed from cropping history (ideally 15 years). Volunteer any HEAR or home-saved seed. Keep Keeping representative samples from each field OSR poses the greatest risk so delay any representative samples from each field. can help identify where problems arise and cultivations for one month after harvest so G Contracts – retaining representative provides the opportunity to retest in case any seed buried has dormancy and spray off samples provides the opportunity to retest of dispute. any emerged OSR volunteers and weeds in case of any disputes and to identify fields with a non-selective herbicide. with specific problems. every single seed that started to explain what may be happening in UK crops as far volunteers that become part of the crop.” as erucic acid is concerned. “The results But looking back further in time, it’s showed that in all 12 samples, contaminant possible to see that the volunteer problem seeds with varying levels of erucic acid isn’t all down to the past few rotations, it’s a elevation were identified, and it was clear it problem that’s probably been evolving for was these that were responsible rather than decades, believes Simon. a drift in the erucic acid content of the crop as a whole,” explains Simon. “Most of the seed were at or below the Dominant trait “Before the low-erucic acid varieties were limit of detectability of 0.1% erucic acid introduced, a lot of the early varieties were content. This gave a very clear indication around 40% erucic acid. Seeds from these Adopt strategies to minimise seed loss before that the low-erucic acid trait itself is very will have come up every time OSR has been and at harvest to reduce volunteers in the future. stable. The contaminated seeds came from grown in a field and, with the high-erucic high-erucic volunteers or from crossing trait being dominant, will have perpetuated between volunteers and the sown crop, themselves and crossed into the low-erucic crop is sufficiently waxed-up, after frost, to possibly over repeated rotations,” he says. crop,” he explains. give it sufficient protection. These varied in proportions between the The other source of contamination “This is where cropping with Clearfield samples studied but were found at levels up was the period of industrial cropping, on varieties and the associated herbicides to 50%. Simon says the result of the study set-aside, from about 1994 to 2002, points come in. The imadazlinone-based points to the most likely cause being that out Simon. “Quite a lot of high-erucic rape herbicides can be used from establishment crops have bred and cross-bred with was grown as industrial contracts at that onwards to take out brassica weeds and volunteers from high-erucic acid OSR crops time and my feeling is that it wasn’t always non-resistant OSR volunteers,” he says. which have resurfaced, often many years recorded as such.” For growers with very high levels of erucic after they were originally grown as a crop. One of the expected sources of high acid in recent crops, Clearfield varieties “Growers should be aware of these from erucic acid from wild brassica weed seeds might now be the only way forward, he their farm records and will have to learn was found not to be responsible for elevated believes. But he adds a word of caution: not to live with them but exercise very tight erucic acid in this research, but Simon all brassicas are as susceptible as others. agronomy to restrict their numbers,” he highlights they could pose serious potential “This year we found to our cost at one suggests. “The move to very low target threats if uncontrolled. of our Norfolk sites, that runch (Raphanus populations makes this harder because “Of the few charlock seeds that we found raphanistrum) is far less sensitive than there’s a greater influence from any and tested, the erucic acid came out at charlock (Sinapis arvensis) to Cleranda about 42%. Controlling brassica weeds is (imazamox+ metazachlor) and needs often difficult in mild winters, when the few taking out a lot earlier, at around the available herbicides can’t be used until the 2-leaf stage.” I

Research roundup

AHDB Project No 21130055, ‘Investigation of available at ahdb.org.uk/erucic-acid and have high levels of erucic acid in consignments of been produced in association with Agricultural double-zero oilseed rape varieties’ was carried Industries Confederation (AIC); British Society out by NIAB in partnership with Campden BRI of Plant Breeders (BSPB), National Association and ran from March 2018 to Feb 2019 at a of Agricultural Contractors (NAAC); National cost of £46,000. Farmers Union (NFU); NIAB TAG; Official Seed Ask for the erucic acid analysis for any certified Guidelines to minimise the risk of erucic Testing Station (at NIAB) and Seed Crushers seed and keep a sealed sample. acid in double-low oilseed rape are and Oil Processors Association (SCOPA)

crop production magazine july 2019 31 OSR nears its It’s crunch pivotal point “time for OSR.”

Technical OSR intentions survey

With the UK oilseed rape area crop, the survey shows most want to stick and may even be more damaging.” falling back, and some with it, with the probable aim of getting a Suffolk-based agronomist with Prime better result. Just how much is established Agriculture, Marion Self, agrees that larval growers considering exiting this autumn will still largely depend on how damage is on the rise. “In previous years, the crop, a recent survey of crops do at harvest, however.” growers in my area have tolerated the moderate amount of damage they’ve seen. cropping intentions flags CFSB damage But this year, there’s been a significant up tactics to help ensure The survey gives an indication of just how increase and quite a few crops across much OSR growers are losing, and what’s Suffolk and Cambs look as though they’ll success for those sticking causing these losses (see chart on p33). disappoint. A better understanding of this with it. CPM reports. Most lose up to a quarter of their crop aspect will be crucial for next year –– most through cabbage stem flea beetle (adult or growers want to stick with the crop, but want By Tom Allen-Stevens larvae), pigeons or as the result of a to be able to grow it better.” poor/dry seedbed. Adult CSFB damage is She also echoes comments on dry seen as causing the most damage, with this seedbeds. “You must have your eye on the increasing, and a significant number of weather forecast before drilling. Seedbed Almost a third of growers have reduced growers lost up to half their crop to the pest conditions with adequate moisture and good the area they’ve cropped to winter oilseed in autumn 2019. But larval damage is also seed-to-soil contact are absolutely crucial to rape in recent years, and a further third rising significantly, while growers struggled give the best chance of good establishment. plan to reduce this further or stop growing with dry seedbeds in the autumns of 2016 the crop altogether. This is among the and 2018. findings of a recent survey undertaken by “It’s the combination of the two factors at CPM and BASF to understand planting establishment that’s noteworthy,” says Clare. intentions following one of the most “A crop drilled in dry conditions will really difficult growing seasons of recent years. struggle to grow away from CSFB.” The respondents represented around ADAS entomologist Dr Steve Ellis agrees. 84,000ha of UK arable cropping, of which “Studies we’ve carried out show that OSR around 11,000ha are currently growing OSR. really is very robust and even small plants But only around half of the respondents are can withstand significant damage from adult planning to maintain their cropped area CSFB without affecting yield. But this does (see chart on p33), with 23% intending to rely on the plant having enough moisture to reduce the amount of OSR grown and 8% grow away –– this is critical.” exiting the crop. Just 6% of respondents are The effect of larval damage may have planning to increase their OSR area. been underestimated in the past, he adds. “It’s crunch time for OSR,” notes BASF “I’ve always considered damage from adults It’s the combination of drilling in dry conditions OSR technical manager Clare Tucker. “A lot to be the most significant cause of losses. and pressure from CSFB that really caused crops of growers are broadening their rotations, But there’s evidence from grower reports that to struggle, says Clare Tucker. and while some are walking away from the this year larval damage is equally significant,

32 crop production magazine july 2019 OSR intentions survey

“A crop in a dry seedbed may Oilseed rape cropping intentions well pull through, and one in good growing conditions can How has your winter OSR area changed in recent years? withstand a heavier CSFB infestation. But if you have both, that has a huge impact. Although, if you’re going to lose the crop, it’s best to lose it early –– that way you can at least drill something else and the cost won’t have been too high.” So this puts the focus on drilling date. The survey shows late Aug as the most popular timing, with 46% of growers choosing this window (see chart Fertility is another important factor, on p34). Earlier in the month says Marion Self, with an application (27%) is preferred to leaving it of poultry manure or seedbed until Sept (16%). Looking ahead, fertiliser giving plant establishment 22% of growers plan to drill a good boost. It’s reduced It’s increased It’s stayed roughly the same earlier this autumn, with just 5% intending to go later. of Aug, but we don’t know what Do you plan to change it? triggers it, nor enough yet about Popular timing what draws beetles into the new “Mid to late Aug is the most crop –– it’s not as predictable as popular timing,” says Clare. “But with pollen beetle, for example.” larval damage is also related to Adults hatch during the date, and crops drilled early are summer and stay in the crop until potentially most at risk. A more harvest, when they move into strategic approach, such as field edges and hedgerows. “We staggering the establishment know that brassica odour draws date, may work better than them, and that once they migrate simply drilling early.” into a new crop, they will stay in Marion reckons mid Aug is still it. We also know that the impact the best timing, with the hope of of the pest and pest pressure is avoiding the main migration dependent on temperature. period of the end of Aug. “The “There’s some evidence that cut-off date for most growers is leaving volunteers to germinate around 10 Sept, but I’ve seen in OSR stubble can give you a Plan to maintain Plan to increase To early to say crops established after that date successful trap crop, but this Plan not to grow OSR Plan to decrease that have gone on to perform doesn’t work in all cases, and n=100 well. You can miss the CSFB we’re not sure yet what stage of epidemic altogether by drilling the plant is most attractive to late, but this carries too beetles –– they may ignore Proportion of OSR lost and main causes much risk from unfavourable a thick crop of established establishment conditions, pest volunteers in favour of young 60 2016/17 damage by slugs and pigeons cotyledons. 40 and other winter losses.” “They appear to be less drawn Another important factor is towards direct-drilled crops, 20 fertility, she continues. “An however, and that may be 0 application of poultry manure related to the length of the 60 2017/18 None gives a good boost, although cereal stubble.” 40 0-25% seedbed fertiliser, ideally placed Although you can’t predict 25-50% 20 with the seed, can also help the how CSFB adults will behave, 50-75% crop get established. Care Steve does think varietal choice 0 60 should be taken to stay within will influence how your crop 2018/19 NVZ guidelines, however.” is able to tolerate damage. 40 Steve believes we still don’t “A crop with vigour will grow 20 know enough about the migration away from damage, especially of CSFB to be able to guide if sowing later.” 0 CSFB (adults) CSFB (larvae) Pigeons Poor/dry seedbed drilling date. “In most seasons, Respondents in the survey

autumn spring migration occurs towards the end appear to be leaning towards L

crop production magazine july 2019 33 OSR intentions survey

L hybrids, rather than Drilling date intentions conventional varieties, to deliver the vigour to pull the crop Drilling date for 2018/19 through (see chart left). In total, 59% of the OSR area declared is currently cropped with hybrid varieties, with this figure rising slightly to 61% this autumn, according to respondents’ intentions. “InVigor varieties fit really well in the later drilling slot,” notes Clare. “The comments made in Not enough work has been done on the survey indicate that many integrated pest management, growers are drilling earlier and believes Steve Ellis, leaving a lot using higher seed rates of still be learned about CSFB. farm-saved seed to counter the effect of CSFB. But our feeling is that doesn’t necessarily reduce neonicotinoids to keep adult Early Aug Mid Aug pest pressure, and can actually populations below threshold Late Aug Early Sept Late Sept Not applicable increase larval damage. The levels for larval damage.” best tactic is to stick to sensible There is evidence to show that seed rates.” defoliating a well established Intended date for 2019/20 crop helps, he notes. “The larvae Move to hybrid are removed with the chopped But Marion’s surprised that stems and don’t re-infest the growers appear to be moving crop. A well established crop will towards to hybrid varieties. then grow away in spring, and if “My impression is there are more the defoliation is timed right, yield open-pollinated varieties and won’t be affected. farm-saved seed grown at a “You could argue that pigeon higher seed rate. The lower plant damage could have the same populations usually established beneficial effect, although with hybrids result in less plants patchiness is a problem –– you to spread around the pressure want to go into the spring with an from CSFB. even crop.” “If planting a conventional One aspect that appeared crop, it’s still important to be to go relatively smoothly last guided by agronomic principles autumn was weed control, with of establishing the right crop over 80% of respondents Drill earlier canopy, so you should never satisfied with their weed control drill too much seed. But a good programme. Charlock, cranesbill, Stay the same Drill later Don’t know/not applicable strategy against CSFB would be cleavers and mayweed were a robust rate of a conventional identified as the main culprits, variety. alongside blackgrass. A small Winter OSR types “Equally, vigour is important, number (less than 4%) admitted both in autumn and spring, and to receiving a penalty for erucic 40% better information on which acid contamination from the 35% varieties deliver this, whether 2018 harvest. hybrid or conventional, would “The national figure for erucic 30% be really helpful.” acid exceedances is actually 2018/19 In trials, ADAS has found that 25% around 13%,” notes Clare. “The 2019/20 larval populations per m2 are threshold is coming down to just 20% greater in crops drilled at higher 2%, and you don’t need many seed rates, says Steve, although volunteers to contaminate a 15% larvae per plant are similar. “But sample.”

10% there’s still a lot to learn about Marion believes this may this pest. Not enough work has catch out quite a few growers. 5% been done on integrated pest “Many don’t realise quite how management as historically close they are to triggering an 0% Clearfield InVigor Other Certified Farm-saved growers have been able to exceedance, so this may hybrid hybrid hybrid OP seed rely on pyrethroids and become more of an issue.”

34 crop production magazine july 2019 OSR intentions survey

The weed spectrum highlights those that are prevalent in her part of the world. “You Perceived benefits of the Clearfield system can see it makes sense for some to move to Clearfield varieties. That way, you don’t have to spend up front on pre-emergence herbicides, but can wait to see if your crop establishes.” The area grown to Clearfield varieties is set to rise from 19% to 22%, according to the survey. The top two benefits identified are management of brassica weeds and of volunteers, with post-emergence weed control coming a close third (see chart right). There’s a good choice of Clearfield varieties on offer, notes Clare. “All of them are tolerant of any sulfonylurea residues left in the soil from previous crops and so will grow away unimpeded. Some varieties also have strong autumn vigour as a specific characteristic.” Both Cleranda (imazamox+ metazachlor) and Cleravo (imazamox+ quinmerac) offer effective control of a wide weed spectrum, controlling broadleaf weeds and volunteer cereals, she adds. “Cleranda will provide a bit more residual activity given its metazachlor component.” Target timing on the weeds is 1-4 true leaves during Sept or Oct. “It’s the only answer to some tricky weeds such as runch. But this quickly develops a resilient tap root so ideally it needs spraying at 2-3 true leaves. Both herbicides can be used in sequence with Kerb (propyzamide) or Astrokerb (with aminopyralid) to cover blackgrass control.” I

Winner announcement

Congratulations to our lucky winner, Alex Borth from Lincs, who responded to the CPM/BASF survey on growing oilseed rape and has won the fabulous prize of a GoPro HERO 7 plus accessory pack. Alex responded to the survey and completed the tie-breaker question, explaining the secret to good weed control. While there was a wide selection of strong answers, Alex’s response: “Integrated approach, attention to detail, knowing field history and use of pre-em as a base to program,” stood out to judges as a comprehensive and informed line of attack. The aim of the survey was to explore growers’ attitude and approach to growing oilseed rape in search of the best strategy to producing a successful crop. To take part in the next survey, make sure we have your correct details by emailing [email protected] Tech Talk

Strong spring “vigour, is at least as important as autumn OSR agronomic traits vigour. ” As one of the leading breeders of recent years, DSV has been a pioneer of high- performance hybrid oilseed rape with the development of their new ‘layered’ varieties, featuring optimum combinations of disease resistance and beneficial physical properties, now accelerating as demands for ‘drill and forget’ cropping grows. The future lies in layers Genetics are coming to the fore in oilseed rape breeding. CPM talks to breeders DSV to discover the traits hybrid varieties now offer and how these are useful to growers as the crop faces new challenges. By Lucy de la Pasture

Hybrid oilseed rape varieties international OSR product introduced key characteristics into shatter resistance, club root initially gained popularity with manager at plant breeder all their new hybrid OSR varieties to resistance and ALS-tolerance in UK growers because of DSV, explains the progress ensure they were well equipped for Clearfield varieties. their improved vigour over made in hybrid breeding and the post-neonicotinoid (PNN) era. conventional varieties, which Mike Mann, managing director The characteristics identified to in the field led to greater of DSV UK highlights, how these give PNN varieties the edge are a establishment reliability and combinations of traits will benefit superior primary response (vigour in higher yields. OSR producers. the first 40 days), enhanced solar As the regulatory climate has capture, performance stability and changed and pesticide resistance What traits are available optimum pod presentation. has become commonplace, in OSR With these four characteristics growers have looked more and Modern hybrids have come a long as a foundation, varieties are now more to plant breeders to provide way from the tall, high yielding being produced with other genetic genetic solutions to agronomic varieties that were first introduced traits ‘layered’ on top. As new problems to reduce their reliance several decades ago. Difficulties in varieties are coming through the on pesticides. This is where establishment and variabilities in number of layers is becoming more hybrids have the distinct OSR yield have always been two complex, with the first quad-layered advantage because new traits can of the main drivers in plant varieties soon to reach the market. be introduced in a fraction of the breeding but losses in the armoury Some of the key traits currently Alexander Döring says breeding for time it takes using the ‘trial and of plant protection products available to plant breeders are disease resistance and agronomic error’ approach of conventional and resistance have become resistance to phoma stem canker traits that limit the reliance on breeding. increasingly influential. and light leaf spot, TuYV resistance, pesticides has really come of age. Dr Alexander Döring, Recognising this, DSV tolerance to verticillium wilt, pod

36 crop production magazine july 2019 Tech Talk

vector Myzus persicae which is multi-gene resistance for phoma responsible for spreading the stem canker and light leaf spot, disease, turnip yellows virus with Dariot the first DSV variety to (TuYV). offer single-layer PNN. A changing climate is an added Any trait can be added to offer pressure, with light leaf spot a double-layer PNN variety such becoming problematic throughout as DSV Temptation, which features the UK where it was once a resistance to phoma stem canker disease confined to the North. and light leaf spot combined with Hybrids allows plant breeders to Its polycyclic life cycle has put TuYV resistance. incorporate traits much more quickly pressure on the triazole chemistry DSV Darling and Dazzler are than in open-pollinated varieties. used to control it and there’s both candidates on the AHDB’s evidence that fungicide resistance 2019-20 candidate list and are Mike Mann says that quad-layer in now present within the pathogen triple-layer varieties, with TuYV and resistance added to the mix hybrids will be available in the very near population. pod shatter resistance stacked and there are currently two new future, making varieties even more For a crop where obtaining yield with multi-gene resistance to quad-layered varieties now robust. reliability under UK conditions has phoma and light leaf spot. These entering the UK testing system. always been a challenge, growing varieties herald the dawn of a new The first is a high output hybrid Why are they important? OSR successfully and profitably generation of OSR hybrids OSR, featuring multi-gene phoma OSR has historically had a relatively hasn’t become any easier in the which combine traits to support stem canker, TuYV, pod shatter and high need for fertilisers and crop past decade. dependable high yields with lower clubroot resistances. protection products but, since the This is where hybrid breeding inputs, making them suitable for With clubroot an increasing introduction of a hazard-based to introduce disease resistance integrated pest management problem in the Borders and approval process in the EU, and agronomic traits to limit the approaches. Scotland this will be a variety products are being lost at a faster reliance on pesticides to tackle particularly relevant to the North of rate than new chemistry can these problems has really come Are additional layers the country, although it is clear that replace them. of age. available? the disease is becoming an issue A diminishing pool of crop In the very near future quad-layer in other parts of the UK. protection products has come at What is ‘Triple Layer’ varieties will be a very real a time when resistance too has protection? prospect and are expected to What about Clearfield? limited effective control of important All DSV varieties have the PNN become commercially available in A similar approach to breeding pests, such as cabbage stem growth characteristics and the 2020. These will have verticillium is being taken in the Clearfield flea beetle and the aphid virus first layer to be added was a wilt tolerance and clubroot programme, with additional traits L

Layered genetics help save costs and ease management

With 950ha of OSR in the ground, the that has the vigour to get growing right he adds. opportunity to cut inputs and achieve away and the strength to keep going Pod shatter resistance as part of the greater consistency of production has to fend off disease and pest threats,” layered approach has real benefits, he real appeal to Lincs grower, Andrew comments Andrew. believes. “With such a large area to Harker of H. R. Bourn and Sons. “Spring vigour is also important, so harvest, pod shatter resistance is a He’s currently growing double-layer we get good canopy development and good insurance policy for us. We really variety Temptation, which he reports is pod fill as the season develops.” don’t want to lose any yield through looking good, and in the autumn Genetic resilience is becoming shedding before we can harvest the Andrew Harker says everyone will Andrew plans to add the triple-layer increasingly significant now varieties crop.” have to reduce their dependency on variety Darling into the mix. have to cope with a wider range of In terms of disease control, Andrew chemistry and move to lower cost When it comes to OSR, establishment growing conditions than ever before, views the stem canker and light leaf methods of production. is key, he believes, so the high early Andrew believes. spot resistances in the triple-layered vigour at the heart of the new layered “This year we were able to start our varieties as welcome, but he believes because of product revocations and varieties is important to him. spring drilling in Feb, whereas last year the TuYV element is probably even environmental considerations, but “Our land is spread across 40 miles it wasn’t until April because it was so more important. because we have to move to lower cost and we’ve got a real range of soil types cold. We also seem to have more “TuYV seems to be one of those methods of production and the layering within that –– from light, sandy soil to ‘blocks’ of very different weather, so hidden diseases that you don’t really approach makes perfect sense to me.” heavy clay and everything in between. you have to make full use of available see but it’s there in the background, “It’s always tempting to say we It means the varieties we choose have windows. This can make timings of just nipping away at your yields without should save a bit of conventional seed to establish reliably in a range of applications difficult as well as testing you knowing about it. It’s another key and see if it germinates before spending conditions. a variety’s ability to cope with different insurance policy which I think will any money on it. But in reality, we have “Flea beetle is an issue here but the stresses. become even more important in to grow better varieties, with higher lack of water after drilling was a bigger “So as well as cost-savings from the future. performance potential and the in-built problem last year. Slugs can be an reduced inputs, layered varieties should “We’re all going to have reduce our reliability needed to address the issue as well, so we want something make day-to-day management easier,” dependence on chemistry not just challenges growers now face.”

crop production magazine july 2019 37 Tech Talk

The second quad-layered markedly limit the damage from variety just entering the trials larvae. OSR agronomic traits: system is a Clearfield variety which Darling’s high spring vigour top tips features phoma stem canker means it can often benefit from a resistance together with TuYV PGR application to ensure the G Make good use of traits – and pod shatter resistance. This canopy is optimised and well selecting a hybrid variety with will sit well alongside the other branched. layered traits can help ease layered varieties in the Clearfield Dazzler is one of the fastest management and reduce costs. portfolio and the incorporation of growing autumn varieties G Reduce reliance on TuYV resistance will reduce available, a characteristic which insecticides – hybrids with dependency on insecticides to can mitigate the effects of adult inbuilt TuYV resistance means control the vector of what is CSFB damage as it can quickly an insecticide isn’t needed to becoming a significant disease grow new leaves. But it also gets Two new triple-layer varieties, Darling control its aphid vector, allowing in the UK. away quickly in the spring where and Dazzler, both have TuYV resistance predators to build up. it’s among the earliest varieties to and are currently on the AHDB G Harness hybrid vigour – flower. candidate list. How do you get the best vigorous growth in the autumn Both are triple-layer varieties from them? and in spring gives the crop the Darling has been noted for its which have TuYV resistance and

L best chance of growing away being stacked in new varieties. strong spring vigour, which is at this protects the plant throughout from CSFB damage. Phoenix CL is the first DSV least as important as autumn its lifecycle. Plants with high levels Clearfield variety to include pod vigour when considering damage of TuYv infection find it much more shatter resistance and new variety, from cabbage stem flea beetle difficult to deal with ‘stress’ –– for A key characteristic of Plurax CL, takes this a step further (CSFB) larvae. Trials evidence example high levels of larvae Temptation is its strong, dark blue featuring a strong tolerance to shows that OSR hybrids that are damage. leaves that help fill the pods and verticillium wilt as an additional faster to develop before winter and Dazzler’s good standing power produce seed with high TGW layer. the start of stem elongation can means it can tolerate higher seed together with a good oil content rates, though may require a spring and gross output. I How do these varieties perform? PGR if higher populations come through the winter. The added DSV layer varieties at a glance benefit of pod shatter resistance

Name Type Features Gross Oil content Vigour Lodging Verticillium provides protection against output profile resistance wilt tolerance summer storms and delayed Temptation Double-layer muli-gene 101% 46.0% outstanding 8 medium/good phoma stem growth in harvesting. canker and both autumn light leaf spot and spring Double-layered variety, TuYV resistance Temptation, offers flexibility, Darling Triple-layer Rim7+ 105% 45.9% high in both 7 good/very good phoma stem autumn and versatility and outright vigour, canker spring meaning growers can choose the TuYV resistance best drilling date for their situation. Pod shatter resistance It shows good early vigour but Dazzler Triple-layer Rim7+ 104% 46.0% exceptional 7 medium/good Varieties with strong vigour in the phoma stem early vigour without the tendency to overgrow canker with strong spring have been noted to grow away spring growth and exhibits strong compensatory TuYV better from larval damage this season. resistance growth. Pod shatter resistance Sponsor message Source: Data on Temptation from AHDB 2019/20 Recommended List and on Darling and Dazzler from AHDB 2019/20 Candidate List. DSV’s new layered varieties are up for debate. a great example of how the In such a future the key words How PNN layering works requirements of growers, the of resilience and reliability become opportunities offered by advanced increasingly important as these give technology and the vision of growers greater security and safety in forward-looking companies can terms of their overall production and align themselves to respond to business viability. the challenges posed by modern The opportunity to grow strong agriculture and the environment in healthy crops, less reliant on inputs which it operates. and management intervention is a The way we farm is changing real game-changer for crop producers and fast. Whether it’s revocation and this is precisely why high of chemistry, impact of climate performance ‘layered’ varieties will change, environmental become increasingly important in considerations or the best way the challenging future we all face. Source: DSV. to protect our soils, everything is

38 crop production magazine july 2019

Lessons learned This year in“ particular, farmers are hard won will be facing a tough choice on OSR.”

Technical Better buying, better selling

No one doubts it’s been a keen to share the knowledge and resources 1.7M tonnes. Assuming domestic demand Openfield has with the 6000 farmers in total remains constant, there’ll be a deficit of challenging year for oilseed with whom the co-op does business. As the 300,000t. The question is where that will rape. Openfield, however, has largest farmer-owned co-operative, referred come from,” he says. to as a partnership, it sees itself as having a “The EU crop is also estimated to fall, and applied its resources to pull unique outlook on the industry, and a globally everything in oilseeds is changing out positive lessons to draw responsibility to its 4000 farmer members as a result of the ongoing trade war between that goes beyond maximising shareholder China and the US. The EU will be looking to from it. CPM gets exclusive value. import 5M tonnes, and inward supplies from insight. some countries are limited by GM issues.” Well informed opinion The volatility of sterling and continued By Tom Allen-Stevens To Lee, that translates into providing an uncertainty over Brexit further cloud the honest, but well informed opinion. “I’m not picture. “Chances are, the market for new going to dress a pig up as a cow –– I say it crop will be tight, so one thing you can say Whether you grow oilseed rape for next as I see it. But anything we do is well about rapeseed is that it won’t struggle to harvest may depend on how badly you researched and technical before it’s find a home.” were burnt by the crop this year. Lee commercial,” he continues. The same can’t be said of OSR Bennett, Openfield’s head of seeds “This year in particular, farmers will be alternatives, with the market for both beans

business, is keen to see that growers facing a tough choice on OSR. The ultimate and oats fairly finite and easily pushed into L dress the wound properly and put their decision about whether to grow the crop will scars into perspective when considering be up to them, but where we can help is to what to put into the ground for harvest bring the knowledge and resource we have 2020. to ensure it’s a well informed choice. For “How deep is the wound?” he asks. those who stick with the crop, we can “Some growers were singed, while others help with product choice and guidance, suffered first degree burns. But even in the combined with a grower’s experience, to absence of cabbage stem flea beetle last bring the best results next harvest.” autumn, many crops were put into a Lee prefers to start by looking at the seedbed with insufficient moisture. Some of overall market for OSR, combining the deepest wounds were suffered by those knowledge from the seed-sales team with who had a good crop before Christmas, just that of Openfield’s grain-marketing team. to see it destroyed by CSFB larvae in the Senior OSR trader John Thorpe pegs the Even in the absence of CSFB last autumn, many spring –– could this have been avoided?” OSR area for 2019 harvest down 10%, crops were put into a seedbed with insufficient Lee freely admits that OSR is a crop in compared with last year, at 505,000ha. moisture, notes Lee Bennett. which he has a strong interest and he’s also “That gives us a production of around

40 crop production magazine july 2019

Better buying, better selling

OSR choices for 2020 – Lee’s top three tips

Ambassador (LG) – It has the get-up-and-go in both the autumn and spring. Build in TuYV resistance, the RLM7 gene for phoma resistance, pod shatter resistance, and the highest gross output for the East and West, and this is a variety that many growers may have been waiting for. Openfield combines knowledge in seed sales with Darling (DSV) – The variety that has stood out that of its grain-marketing team to offer growers in trials since it first appeared alongside others, it a unique outlook on prospects for the OSR crop. Darling has the vigour you’ve only ever seen in grows like stink, and has the vigour you’ve only the leading hybrids. ever seen in the leading hybrids –– this is the L oversupply. “Niche crops are called niche reason to stay excited about OSR. TuYV for a reason –– the produce can be difficult resistance, RLM7 phoma genetics and pod that thinks it’s a hybrid. Autumn and spring to market, although if you’re determined shatter resistance make it the complete vigour go hand-in-hand with a stiff stem and to switch out of OSR, talk to us first package. good disease resistance. A very high gross about where the best opportunities lie,” Aardvark (LG) – Limagrain’s found a seam of output in the East and West and joint highest in advises John. coal with its varieties and this is the conventional the North add to the reasons to choose it. But it makes well established OSR the best chance of success with a break crop this autumn, and to achieve that, Lee points miles to do so. This is when they migrate into only to see it wiped out later,” notes Lee. first to crop fundamentals. “Moisture is the crops, attracted by the volatiles emitted from Late Aug, when most OSR is drilled, absolute number one priority for your crop –– the OSR plants’ glucosinolates –– it’s like a coincides exactly with CSFB migration. seed has to be put into a soil with sufficient moth to a flame. Once they find a new home, “The difficulty we had last year was that it moisture, and that is likely to dictate the day they won’t fly again, as their flight muscles was dry with a cooling seedbed, which on which you drill.” atrophy, or wither away. Just how active they is why many crops planted then were For CSFB, it’s important to know your are depends mainly on how warm it is.” hammered by adults. enemy, he says. “The larvae emerge as “So the beginning of Sept, for much of juvenile adults towards the end of June into Up to 1000 eggs the UK, is looking like the safest bet. But that the existing crop and after a spell of time Females can lay up to 1000 eggs in a still very much depends on moisture –– don’t spent grazing, they will then enter a period season, placed in the soil, and the larvae plant if it’s too dry. And the cut-off date for of enforced dormancy called aestivation. that hatch can travel up to 50cm to find a most is mid-Sept.” This is an essential phase in their lifecycle host plant. “Planting in early Aug reduces Lee regards trap and companion crops and is unaffected by any environmental the effect of damage from the adults, with a healthy degree of scepticism. “Some conditions. because the plants are big enough to species of mustard have been shown to be “Around the third week of Aug, they’ll withstand it, but that’s where the highest beneficial, but it grows faster than OSR, so reappear as full adults, ready to eat and larval populations are most likely to be. So make sure you can take the companion plants looking to mate, and they’ll travel up to three you’ll have a lovely crop before Christmas, out –– Clearfield is the most reliable route. Better buying, better selling

Trials apply clarity to coatings

Just what role do seed coatings perform? It’s an assess them, to back up these claims.” area that’s becoming more complex, but could be Steve’s involved in a joint BBSRC and increasingly important to ensure the OSR crop industry-funded research programme that aims gets off to a good start. to bring some clarity, and he also carried out the The difficulty is knowing which, if any, to work for Openfield, putting 19 commercially go with, notes Lee. “We’ve had all and sundry available seed coatings through a series of knocking at the door promoting the benefits of rigorous tests. biologicals and biostimulants. So we thought the “We sowed Aardvark OSR seed in plugs and best course of action was to commission some then transferred these at the two-leaf stage into independent trials to tease out the benefits.” a hydroponic medium that allowed ready These have been carried out by Dr Steve assessment of root growth. We also looked at Rossall at the University of Nottingham. “Growers speed of germination at low temperature, and There are real statistical differences between are struggling with less actives available and tolerance to drought stress after withdrawal of seed coatings, says Steve Rossall. resistance management, emphasising the need water in a field soil-pot experiment.” for enhanced plant vigour. Weather extremes are And the conclusion? “There are real statistical also now more commonplace, so good crop differences between the products. In fact, four nutrition –– some of these products are doing establishment has become vital,” he says. or five stand out as ‘premier league’ and do an something more fundamental, and science Many of the seed coatings claimed to help are outstanding job in helping rapid germination, is only just beginning to unravel what it is,” classed as biostimulants, he notes. “But just what early root development and drought tolerance,” he notes. are these? You could consider them a new group says Steve. The trials have been an eye-opener for Lee. of crop production chemicals, different from In the root-growth trials, for example, the “It’s confirmed some of our suspicions and pesticides and fertilisers. However, some work and maximum response was a whopping 65% over highlighted where we should be going in this others don’t –– some of the claims are bold, and untreated, where plants were growing under area.” There are two new products Openfield will the industry needs standard assays by which to optimum conditions. “This isn’t just down to plant be launching this autumn, he adds.

“Also, mustard is highly attractive to CSFB volatiles it produces, and the more adults “Success with hybrids is quite a lot higher adults, which may save your crop from early you’ll bring in. The only benefit of planting than conventionals –– as well as growing autumn grazing, but larvae prefer to burrow plenty of cheap seed is potentially the cost.” faster, they put on bigger cotyledons and into OSR. Not enough is known about the By far the better route is to look for a crop leaves.” There’s only one scenario that you true effects of trap and companion cropping, with get-up-and-go, and that usually means wouldn’t want the vigour, he adds, and that’s so my advice is to wait for more trials a hybrid, Lee points out. “Vigour should if you were planning to sow at the beginning evidence or do your own.” come first, second and third on your list of of Aug –– even then you’d still look for spring He’s also cautious about establishing a priorities, and ideally you’re looking for a vigour. high seed rate. “You may feel you’re giving variety that shows vigour twice –– in the After that, the traits on offer come down to your crop more of a chance, but the more autumn to get ahead of the adults and in the personal preference, or “blonds and seed you sow, the more glucosinolate spring to grow away from larval damage. brunettes”, as Lee terms it. “Fungicides now L Better buying, better selling

favoured traits, especially for those on fertile sites. Pod shatter resistance gives you a variety that “waits for you” at harvest time, and more and more varieties are now offering resistance to turnip yellows virus (TuYV). “We’ve done a lot of testing on virus levels in current crops, and while the results would normally be around 20-40%, this year we’re seeing crops that are 100% infected all too regularly, across a broad area of England. A reduced OSR area and crop failure puts the TuYV tolerance is fast becoming a likely production figure around 300,000t below must-have trait.” the domestic demand. But somewhere way down on the priority Openfield carries out extensive on-farm trials to list comes yield. “If you don’t have the traits assess the potential of new varieties.

L have limited effect on light leaf spot, so a and behaviours that will deliver a resilient variety with a high disease rating may be a crop, you won’t have a crop at all, so outright sulfonylurea herbicides. “They’re known as priority. On phoma, RLM7 gives you major yield becomes a secondary requirement,” the charlock killers, but there are so many gene resistance, but not all have multigenic says Lee. other reasons why you might choose to take resistance, too –– it’s essential to have both.” Perhaps of more relevance are Clearfield the Clearfield route. One of the main ones is Standing power comes next on his list of varieties, which exhibit tolerance to that you can delay your herbicide spend until your crop has emerged.” And in many ways, that’s the quandary with OSR, and for Lee, makes it a crop worth keeping in the rotation. “I’ve seen crops that have grown back from nothing and deliver a decent yield, as well as promising canopies that have disappointed. Think carefully about what you want the crop to achieve, and make the most of the advice available, and you’ll find it’s a crop that’ll continue to deliver,” he concludes. I

Better buying, better selling

To remain at the forefront of arable farming and to maximise the value from every hectare of crop grown requires a keen understanding of the grain market, the seed to supply it, and the fertiliser to feed the crop. Through this series of articles, CPM is working with Openfield to provide a market insight and help farmers to focus on these major business decisions to ensure better buying of inputs, and better selling of the produce. Openfield is Britain’s only national farming grain-marketing and arable inputs co-operative, owned by over 4000 arable farmers. Openfield’s team works with a total of 6000 farmers to supply some of the biggest and best-known names in the British food and drink manufacturing industry. Openfield also supplies seed and fertiliser, provides grain storage and offers expert advice on grain marketing and risk management to deliver innovative supply chain solutions to its farmers and clients.

44 crop production magazine july 2019 Biological works uniquely

BAA acts “as an elicitor and triggers the plant to defend itself.”

Technical Seed treatments

Just as oilseed rape is losing for years. More recently, the reliance has cells of primary plant roots at the points the last of its established been on fungicide seed treatments but where lateral roots grow and then spreads thiram, the last registered fungicide seed along the root surface. seed treatments a new treatment, is now in its final autumn of “This creates a protective physical layer option, Integral Pro, will be use,” he says. (biofilm) around the root, which is the first “When thiram has gone, that leaves a mechanism to help stop fungal infection available this autumn. CPM situation where there are no currently as the BAA outcompetes other seed-borne finds out how the UK’s first registered insecticide or fungicide seed microbes, such as Phoma sp. and treatments for OSR. It’s a time when we’re Alternaria sp.,” explains Adrian. biological seed treatment in truly looking down the barrel of the gun for The biological seed treatment also OSR works and what to crop establishment,” he adds. brings with it some natural fungicidal chemistry, namely iturin and surfactin. L expect from it. Approval process Fortunately Integral Pro has gone through By Lucy de la Pasture the approval process in time to fill the gap, but Adrian believes the biological will still have a place when other new seed This autumn heralds the arrival of a new treatments eventually come through the era in crop protection with the approval innovation pipeline. of the first biological seed treatment, So what exactly can Integral Pro be registered by BASF for use on winter expected to do? “It’s best described as oilseed rape seed. Integral Pro contains a biofungicide,” he says. “So it has the Bacillus amyloliquefaciens (BAA) and potential to replace the seed treatments will be widely available at a time when we’re losing but it also does a little bit the two established fungicide seed more.” treatments are being phased out under Adrian’s very clear that as a biological, the regulatory framework. it would be unrealistic to expect 100% BASF’s head of seeds, Adrian Cottey, control but when compared with thiram describes Integral Pro as an interesting seed treatment in trials, it’s been pretty product which has arrived at just the equivalent in all cases. Adrian Cottey says Integral Pro will offer benefits right time. BAA is a gram-positive bacterium that’s to growers that will be complementary to other “In the past we were blessed with the active in the rhizosphere and is commonly seed treatments as they come through the neonicotinoid seed treatments which found in soil ecosystems worldwide. Its innovation pipeline. formed the basis of OSR seed treatment growth begins underneath the outermost

crop production magazine july 2019 45 Seed treatments

lasts throughout the season.” With all three defence mechanisms in BAA at a glance play, the biological also adds another layer of protection by stimulating the OSR plant G The first biological Bacillus sp product, to grow, explains Adrian. “Bacteria have a Alinit, was marketed in 1897 by a dynamic relationship with the plant and in German company which is now Bayer experiments carried out by the University and was found to raise cereal yields of Nottingham, we’ve seen improvements by 40%. in the top growth and statistically clear G Bacillus amyloliqufaciens (BAA) is a increases in the below ground root growth. gram-positive, aerobic, endospore-forming bacteria. Speeding up emergence G BAA forms biofilms and supports plant “The work at Nottingham also demonstrated growth as well as suppress plant a speeding up of emergence. We tested pathogens in the rhizosphere. four different hybrids and saw this effect G BAA strains synthesise a range of on each one of them, with the biggest secondary metabolites (not required for effect on the slowest emerging variety Bacillus amyloliquefaciens works in a number of the plant’s primary functions of growth, when compared with untreated seed. ways to protect plants from disease, one of these developments and reproduction). The response was even greater when is to create a protective biofilm around roots. G These secondary metabolites have compared with seed which had been antimicrobial activity or enhance growth. treated with an experimental insecticide, G L BAA triggers induced systemic resistance These are secondary metabolites which slowed growth slightly,” he explains. in plants, stimulating their own defences produced by BAA as part of their own “That’s good news for growers looking to resist infection. defence mechanism and both are potent to get crops out of the ground and antifungal cyclic lipopeptides. established quickly and a more robust “In petri-dish studies, there’s a visible plant because of its enhanced root and shoot growth. This is why I believe that ‘zone of protection’ formed around the Integral Pro will have a place even when roots in exactly the same way as if you’d other conventional seed treatments come used a synthetic fungicide substance,” along which can be used alongside it,” he explains. “We’ve found BAA has activity he adds. on phoma (on the label), alternaria and There’s a lot of grower interest in using rhizoctonia but there’s no activity on some treated OSR seed imported from pythium, which causes damping-off in EU Member States where Lumiposa seedlings.” (cyantraniliprole) insecticide seed The third way that the BAA bacteria in treatment is already registered and Adrian Integral Pro work is an interesting one, confirms that Integral Pro can be used highlights Adrian. “BAA acts as an elicitor alongside it, as well as be coapplied with and triggers the plant to defend itself nutrient-type seed treatments. (plant-induced systemic resistance). With The expectation is for Integral Pro to phoma for instance, there’s not just a be used on 5-10% of OSR seed in its first The biggest effect was on the slowest emerging reduction in the seed-borne phase but an season, with BASF aiming to treat most variety when compared with untreated seed. ongoing reduction in stem canker which of its InVigor varieties. There’s also been

Legalities of Lumiposa

With the loss of neonicotinoid seed 2017 and is authorised for application to winter treatments the options to protect against flea OSR in some EU countries including Poland, beetle damage are limited, or non-existent Hungary, Romania, Slovakia and Ireland. where pyrethroid resistance is a problem. That means that even though OSR seed can’t No seed treatments are licensed in the UK have Lumiposa applied to it within the UK, it is for protection against flea beetle, but Lumiposa permitted under EU legislation for treated winter (cyantraniliprole), a systemic seed treatment OSR seed to be imported from countries which Lumiposa is under review by many EU Member from Corteva Agriscience has been developed to hold an approval and sold within the EU28. States but can be imported when seed is treated protect OSR seedlings up to the two-leaf stage Corteva says Lumiposa ‘isn’t a silver bullet’ in a country which has already granted an against cabbage stem flea beetle, cabbage root but is a valuable addition to the crop protection authorisation of use. fly and turnip sawfly. toolkit for UK growers if it’s used as part of an A spokesperson for Corteva doesn’t expect integrated strategy to manage cabbage stem treated seed, any UK growers who purchase Lumiposa to receive a UK registration (that flea beetle. imported seed and have enquiries about its permits application to seed in the UK) until at Advice from the NFU to growers is that as performance will need to contact the seed least 2020, but it was first approved in the EU in Corteva have no guardianship of the imported merchant who supplied the seed.

46 crop production magazine july 2019 Seed treatments wide interest from other breeders, with farming system anyway, so they Adrian believing most will apply Integral understand the interaction better Pro to some seed which means it’ll get a than most. good test. “It’s difficult to be black and white about He also believes that farmers are well any biological system because there are a placed to get the best out of a biological host of factors which affect it. All biological as this forms the basis of their whole systems are variable and it’s difficult to pin down a natural defence mechanism in terms of exactly when you’ll see an effect and what to expect. “Because the biological forms part of a living system, what we do know is that to work best the BAA need the same conditions required for good plant growth. As long as the crop is growing then the BAA is able to drive the defence against disease,” he comments. The Integral Pro label also claims a BASF’s InVigor varieties will be treated with potential reduction against damage Integral Pro this autumn but it will be widely caused by cabbage stem flea beetle but available on varieties from other breeders. Adrian cautions growers not to expect a significant effect under the high pest effect but to promise one would be reckless. BAA is a gram-positive bacterium that’s active in pressure currently experienced in the UK. The data for the label was generated the rhizosphere and is commonly found in soil “Where damage from cabbage stem across Europe where flea beetle isn’t ecosystems worldwide. flea beetle is low then you may see an such a big problem,” he says. I

New biostimulant seed treatments

New biostimulant seed treatments JumpStart One area of key interest is how to improve WT and ProStablish WT from Bayer could help phosphate availability. Phosphate becomes bound growers increase cereal yields by improving to cations, such as calcium, iron, manganese or nutrient and water uptake through better rooting, aluminium, in the soil depending on soil pH, while says Claire Matthewman, campaign manager for availability to plants also reduces in lower soil seed treatments. temperatures and soil moistures. “Getting cereal crops off to the best possible “In some situations, up to 90% of phosphate start is a key first step in setting yield potential. fertiliser can be unavailable to crops in the year Single purpose seed treatments, such as Redigo it is applied,” says Claire. Pro (prothioconazole+ tebuconazole), are an The active ingredient in the new product, Claire Matthewman says getting the crop off to essential protection against damaging soil- and JumpStart, is the naturally occurring soil fungus a good start is the first step in achieving its full seed-borne diseases, such as loose smut, bunt Penicillium bilaiae, which produces organic potential. and leaf stripe.” compounds that break the bonds between But Bayer, through its collaboration with phosphates and the cations, so phosphate can allowing plants to take up nutrients from outside Novozymes, an established leader in agricultural be taken up by the plant. the root’s physical range. biological solutions, has also been researching “Effectively we are jump-starting the crop by “By applying the combination of JumpStart ways of helping crops establish a more effective helping to make phosphate more available,” she and ProStablish, it makes phosphate more rooting system using biostimulant seed explains. “But at the same time we also need to available to be taken up by the roots and easier treatments, she explains. address the issue that phosphate doesn’t move for the crop to access it, which results in both in the soil, so roots are only able to take up better nutrient and water uptake and a more The combination of JumpStart and ProStablish phosphate in the immediate root zone.” effective root system.” makes phosphate more available to be taken up That’s where the second biostimulant product, In trials across Europe, results have revealed by roots and easier for the crop to access it. ProStablish comes in, which is co-applied with a 3% yield improvement from ProStablish and JumpStart and a single purpose seed treatment. JumpStart co-applied with a single purpose seed “ProStablish is a messenger or signal treatment (SPD), over the SPD alone, she says. compound, which stimulates mycorrhizae fungi “In the UK we’ve seen similar results in a to germinate and colonise roots,” explains Claire. smaller number of trials and have also observed Inside the roots the mycorrhizae form positive effects on rooting,” adds Claire. structures that help transfer nutrients, including Both products will be available for application phosphate, to the plant, while outside of the root this autumn through Frontier. Cost will be at a they encourage the formation of networks of small premium over the cost of a single purpose hyphae that increase the effective root area, seed treatment.

crop production magazine july 2019 47 Single purpose “seed dressings are one of the cheapest insurance policies you can buy in terms of protecting crops.”

Technical Cereal establishment survey Start with the seed

With many factors during experts. To combat this, the industry has apart from the royalty. However, to give crop establishment working seen new seed treatments come onto the a fair comparison of which is the most market which promise a number of benefits economically viable option, it’s important against growers, what can –– from increased root mass to protection to consider the associated costs of they do to ensure every against a range of seed-borne diseases –– farm-saved seed. but are growers making best use of them? “When you buy seed from a merchant, single plant is given the best With this in mind, a recent survey carried there is a very clear, set figure for that start to life? CPM explores out by CPM and Syngenta explored exactly seed, which is not always seen when using what farmers’ buying habits are when it home-grown produce,” explains Jonathan. the current solutions and comes to deciding on the type of seed to “To make it a fair comparison, it’s a good looks at how using a single use. Interestingly, the survey revealed a idea to consider the real cost. For fairly even split between those in favour example, if you’re taking tonnes of seed purpose seed dressing this of using farm-saved seed and those who out of the barn to drill, you’re losing the autumn could protect against prefer the safety of certified seed, at 43% value of what the grain is worth. and 57% respectively. “There is then also the additional cost of yield-robbing diseases. testing and treating farm-saved seed –– Key drivers and a farm saved seed payment –– so it all L By Charlotte Cunningham So what exactly are the key drivers behind this split? According to the results, 56% of growers opt for certified seed for both Many factors that contribute to overall quality and safety reasons, whereas those crop performance –– like temperature using farm-saved seed do so on the and rainfall –– are out of growers’ grounds of reduced costs and ease. hands. But one area they do have “There are pluses and minuses for using reasonable control over is how well both types of seed,” explains Jonathan –– or poorly –– a crop is established. Ronksley, field technical manager at Soil structure, mechanical operations Syngenta. “From my point of view, the best and robust varieties all feature as option in terms of ensuring quality and aspects to consider to get the best from managing risk is to buy certified seed. a cereal crop. By doing so you’re more likely to guarantee Even so, they are still often faced with the cleanest source of seed, and it’s tested the threat of disease during the critical for good establishment.” establishment stage. An advantage of farm-saved seed is Jonathan Ronksley reckons the best option in Using farm-saved seed in a bid to cut that it’s often deemed as ‘free’. Grown terms of ensuring quality and managing risk is costs may increase the risk further from by the farmer, there is no physical, fixed to buy certified seed. potentially unknown disease levels, warn expenditure as with purchased seed,

48 crop production magazine july 2019 d Cereal establishment survey

drilling is important, he adds. Will you be planting/advising farm-saved seed or certified “Make sure you get it tested to seed this autumn (2019)? see if it’s a sensible option for drilling and use a fungicidal seed dressing to minimise future complications.” While testing offers an insight into disease risk from pathogens that can be isolated, previous disease incidence and severity can also provide useful information for decision making, explains Rumiana Ray, University of Nottingham. “A good starting point is to If we go back to the old days, know what the previous pre-neonics, farmers were using problems were with last year’s seed treatments as the first line of crop. Look at the cost of testing defence, says Chris. for disease in comparison with the cost of seed treatment. If an issue is likely it may be more disease, it can be quite difficult cost-effective for small seed lots to diagnose –– particularly if What is your reason for using/advising farm-saved seed? to be treated anyway.” other pathogens are present,” explains Rumiana. “Therefore, Key diseases we need to look at other factors Some of the key diseases if we decide not to test to help to be concerned about are with our decision making. fusarium and microdochium “The risk of infection is more seedling blight which can likely if you had a previous significantly impact on cereal crop with high fusarium establishment and ultimately head blight disease severity, yield, Jonathan explains. “ and the weather can also have Ear diseases like smut and a significant impact. This year, bunt don’t appear until ear there has been a lot of rainfall emergence and can have close to flowering, but it has severe consequences.” also been relatively cool so we Identifying fusarium and could end up with fusarium

L needs to be taken into prefer the ease and cost-saving microdochium seedling blights head blight caused by consideration.” benefits of using farm-saved can be difficult, so it comes as Microdochium spp. Out of the For those growers who do seed, testing the seed before no surprise that 59% of growers two Microdochium spp., noted that they wouldn’t be M. nivale is most aggressive Vibrance Duo – everything you need confident identifying them in a in causing seedling blight or crop of wheat. “The symptoms affecting seed viability.” to know are reduced emergence, wilting If this is the case this and seedling death leading to year and growers see a lot of Registered for use on winter wheat, a return on investment quoted in establishment loss, but unless fusarium head blight symptoms winter triticale, winter rye and spring pounds, but sometimes there are there’s a heavy incidence of –– and are planning on using oats, Vibrance Duo from Syngenta additional benefits that can’t always is the UK’s first seed treatment to be quantified, and that’s the case use brand new SDHI fungicide, with Vibrance Duo,” says Chris. Sussing out smut sedaxane. Combined with fludioxonil, “The seed treatment goes above the dressing controls a wide range and beyond the work of an SPD and Although a bad case of loose “Syngenta has been sampling of key diseases like fusarium, aids deep rooting and the speed of smut could be disastrous, and for resistance and has found microdochium, seedling blights establishment –– particularly in literature suggests could very likely a sensitivity shift towards including microdochium, Septoria stressful situations. wipe out a crop of barley, the triazole-based seed treatments. nodorum smut and bunt. The “Through both Syngenta’s work survey revealed that 16% of We are continuing to monitor this dressing aids speed of emergence and our own farmers’ trials, it has growers had seen it themselves for now, but in the meantime they and with the added benefit of proven to do exactly what it says. over the past two years. So should remain the most effective option improved root development leads to When this is translated into yield we be concerned about this so it’s vital that farmers make use stronger, healthier better-established figures, it does show a comfortable yield-robbing disease? “Loose of the products available to them crops, according to Syngenta. return on investment.” smut has actually been getting to reduce the further spread “Farmers are always keen to see worse,” explains Jonathan. of smut.”

50 crop production magazine july 2019 Are you planning to apply/advise a single purpose fungicide seed dressing (SPD) to your cereals this autumn?

What do you think a single purpose fungicide seed dressing does?

farm-saved seed next year –– establishment. Rumiana recommends testing, “It’s clear that growers are cleaning and treating the seed aware of what SPDs do and all to minimise issues with quality the factors listed really are the and disease. key benefits,” explains Chris Seed dressings and treatments Guest, head of seed at ADM certainly appear to be popular, Agriculture. “They can make with the vast majority of growers a real difference in terms of (82%) planning to use a protecting the seed, particularly single-purpose fungicide seed at the key establishment stage. dressing (SPD) this autumn –– If we go back to the old days, but what effect will this have? pre-neonics, farmers were using When asked about the seed treatments as the first line purpose of an SPD, 75% of of defence.” growers use it to protect Protection against against seed-borne diseases, seed-borne diseases and while 58% believe it lays the soil-borne pathogens are foundations to maximise crop arguably two of the biggest yield and quality. Just over half benefits of using an SPD, with (55%) link the use of an SPD to proven control of a wide variety reducing the impact of some of issues including Fusarium soil-borne pathogens and a seedling blight, Microdochium further 19% believe it can seedling blight, loose smut enhance the speed of crop and bunt. L Cereal establishment survey

If growers can find a seed treatment that will diseases if the soil is infected.” cover them against key pathogens that will Of course, seed dressing comes at a hamper establishment then it’s a good idea to cost, so it’s no surprise that 10% of invest, says Rumiana. growers who weren’t planning on using an SPD this autumn said they couldn’t justify the return on investment. “Looking

L Of the growers not planning to use an at the economics, an SPD is actually one SPD this autumn, 37% were testing grain of the cheapest insurance policies you instead. “If growers are using clean seed, can buy in terms of protecting crops,” then they might not be thinking about using warns Jonathan. an SPD. It’s good to do a seed test, but you can’t 100% rely on it, so seed Value for money dressings offer another level of protection,” “Seed dressings are good value for money says Jonathan. and provide excellent control levels. While “Accurate test results heavily rely on you won’t suffer from disease every year, it good, representative sampling and all can lead to devastating yield losses when diseases are not necessarily tested for. you do. For those who aren’t already As well as this, even if the seed is clean, planning on using some kind of protective there is still a risk of issues from soil-borne product, I can’t stress enough how critical it is to control soil- and seed-borne diseases.” Deter was a long-standing tool in the armoury for arable producers, but since its loss it seems some growers are unsure about a suitable alternative. The survey revealed that 37% of growers who don’t plan on or are unsure about using an SPD this autumn are unsure of the best choice. “Deter has become such a standard part of crop protection that many growers have forgotten there was a single-purpose element in it,” explains Chris. While there’s no insecticidal seed treatment alternative for issues like BYDV, other seed dressings will still provide many benefits. “Products like Vibrance Duo (fludioxonil + sedaxane) from Syngenta are a premium [price] over an SPD but the establishment and rooting benefits are so phenomenal that it makes sense to use it as a single purpose dressing,” he adds. “I’d advise it [Vibrance Duo] as a standard application –– much in the same way as Deter was previously advised.” Rumiana adds: “If growers can find a seed treatment that will cover them against key pathogens that will hamper establishment –– as well as protection against diseases like, smuts, bunts and Septoria seedling blight –– then I think it’s a very good idea to invest. “Particularly in situations with frequent cereal rotations or minimum cultivations where the risk of soil borne disease is also greater, seed treatments are very useful.” As with everything in crop production, timing is key, so we asked growers if they plan on using a fungicide SPD at all drilling times. More than half of growers (65%) said yes, while 6% suggested they’d only be doing so when delaying drilling against 8% who will only use it when not in a find we’ve got a problem post-drilling then there’s nothing we can do about it, so making sure you’re protected against any potential issues is critical.”

Increased risk While infections can occur at any point, with many growers heading towards delayed drilling for grassweed control and aphid avoidance, there is potentially an increased risk of disease. According to the survey, 33% of growers believe that crop establishment risk from diseases like microdochium and fusarium is higher in a delayed drilling situation, while 44% believe Vibrance Duo can have a major it’s lower. impact on rooting depth as shown “I think there is a slight lack here (right) on a Skyfall certified of understanding as to whether seed plant, compared with an disease risk is higher when application of SPD Redigo Pro (left) you’re drilling later,” explains Jonathan. “If you’re delaying delayed drilling situation. So drilling, crops are likely to take what is the best approach? “ longer to establish. Diseases I recommend using an SPD such as microdochium are at all times,” says Jonathan. more favoured by the cool “Seed-borne infections are an weather which delays crop issue regardless of drill timing.” development, so it’s important While the prophylactic use of to keep that in mind and use a crop protection products is not strong, reliable seed treatment deemed as favourable and is to ensure this doesn’t affect particularly high on the EU’s establishment.” agenda, it’s the best approach Rumiana agrees: “If you have when it comes to using SPDs, cool, delayed drilling conditions explains Chris. “We have to give then you are more likely to the seed the best possible start experience slow emergence in life. Yes, using seed that favours Microdochium treatments is prophylactic, but seedling blight in turn affecting we can’t go backwards. If we crop growth.” I Winner announcement

Congratulations to our five lucky winners impressed the judges with winners A J Butler, Dorset; Iain their knowledge of how treatments Robertson, Dorset; Ian Lutely, can aid disease control, protect Cambs; Helen Parkin, Devon and against establishment issues and John Fenton, East Yorks, who help to maximise yield. responded to the CPM/Syngenta The aim of the survey was to survey on cereal establishment look at cereal establishment and have each won the fabulous issues and explore how the use prize of a £50 Amazon voucher. of fungicide seed treatments can All winners responded to help growers tackle difficulties. the survey and completed the To take part in the next survey, tie-breaker question, explaining in make sure we have your less than 20 words the key benefits correct details by emailing of fungicide seed treatments. [email protected] Answers were varied, but all five Blackgrass under pressure

It’s pretty well“ understood now how to drastically reduce blackgrass, but the challenge lies in translating that into a successful on-farm Technical Partners strategy.” in Performance

In recent years, Cambs type across this block is a consistent sustainably under control. So his is one of grower Paul Drinkwater has Hanslope series boulder clay –– easily two farms that have become the focus of capable of yielding 12t/ha of wheat, but Bayer’s Blackgrass Task Force. Joining him been one of many in the area equally prone to harbouring a heavy is Ben Coombs, Bayer herbicide campaign who have struggled to keep blackgrass burden. manager, NIAB TAG’s John Cussans and “I have photos going back over 40 years, Philip Wright of Wright Resolutions. The aim blackgrass in check in some and the blackgrass hasn’t moved. It’s just is to provide some recommendations, fields. CPM visits and joins the severity of the weed patches that’s specific to the field situation, which will grown or reduced over that time,” says Paul. help manage its blackgrass burden. the Task Force engaged to “But chemistry’s always kept it in check. “It’s pretty well understood now how to help him put a plan in place. When I came into farming, that was when drastically reduce blackgrass, and there’s a isoproturon (IPU) arrived –– it was marvellous whole stack of trials that can give you a By Tom Allen-Stevens stuff, and herbicides just moved on from ‘recipe’ for sorting out a problem,” says Ben. there. Atlantis (iodosulfuron+ mesosulfuron) “But the challenge lies in translating that was so effective you didn’t even have to into a successful on-farm strategy –– few Looking across Paul Drinkwater’s field of think about blackgrass management.” commercial farms have a blackgrass team Skyfall winter wheat, you can’t deny it’s on to run a trial.” track to yield, but there are some worrying Gradually crept up So a suitable approach is one that can patches of blackgrass. Tests have shown his blackgrass now has apply trials-based advice on a field scale, L “I guess I’ve been managing the seed high levels of target site resistance, however. return but not stopping it,” he says. “The “It’s gradually crept up on us, and we’ve had thing is, I go to all the open days and hear successes as well as bad failures. But if about all manner of good systems for sorting Bayer was to come out with a new herbicide, out your blackgrass. But it’s easy to end up I know we’d make it almost ineffective in with no system at all, because you worry that around five years. So we’ve gone back to if you start mixing and matching these ideas proper farming –– making good use of the it’s a recipe for disaster.” rotation and drilling dates while relying less The 30ha field at Abbots Ripton, near on chemistry.” Tests have revealed the blackgrass has high Huntingdon, Cambs, forms part of 3500ha It’s a good start, but Paul himself target site resistance and there are patches in managed by Paul for Abbots Ripton Farming recognises it’s a long way from an integrated the field where the population is worryingly high. Company and Lavenham Farms. The soil strategy that will keep the grassweed

54 crop production magazine july 2019

Partners in Performance

The 5for5 approach for beating blackgrass

Paul Drinkwater (far left) is getting expert advice from Bayer’s Blackgrass Task Force: Philip Wright (inside left), John Cussans (inside right), and Ben Coombs (far right).

L he says, in a way that can Monolith (mesosulfuron+ be practically managed and propoxycarbazone) applied monitored over a number of at the beginning of Feb.” seasons. “The key principles for So what are the Source: Stephen Moss Consulting and Tom Allen-Stevens, 2017. the Task Force are that we’ll come recommendations from Bayer’s to recommendations, rather than Blackgrass Task Force? roguable levels, and this certainly Grégoire Besson Discordon to obligations, with the farmer isn’t one of them.” prepare the ground, plunging making the decisions. These Stop seeding The Task Force agrees that down to 200mm with a chisel focus fields are commercial –– Paul may be pleased with what commercially the best option at tine that boiled the soil, allied to we’re not trying to turn them into the chemistry’s achieved, but it’s this stage is to let the seed fall relatively deep working discs a trials site. But this is a team not good enough for John, who’s and deal with it after harvest, which increased the mixing effort –– everyone contributes to been studying the plant and although spraying off bad through the profile –– totally the an approach, which we’re hoping head count assessments areas should be considered wrong thing to do in a bad will suit all.” (see panel right). “There’s an in following crops. blackgrass situation, according The Task Force has chosen average of five plants/m2 which to Philip. “That gets a one or two Stephen Moss’ 5for5 approach can be a problem. That’s Cultivations out of ten. The aim should be to as the framework (see diagram certainly the case in the patches Traditionally Paul has used a stop the soil horizons mixing top right). This initiative aims to with more than 10 plants/m2,” encourage growers to adopt he says. Abbots Ripton blackgrass plant and head counts five different control strategies, “What’s interesting about the only one of which is based on counts is the varying number herbicides, and maintain a of heads per plant –– a large planned, integrated approach number of plants doesn’t always at the individual field level for at equate to a high population of least five years. blackgrass heads. But at an The field in question is 30ha average across the field of that came out of oilseed rape 47 heads/m2, there will be a into wheat, drilled on 24 Oct at large seed burden to manage.” 400 seeds/m2, reports Paul. There are still options to “It’s not one of our worst for prevent seed shedding this year blackgrass, but we didn’t get –– it’s not too late to spray out good control with the Kerb patches or rogue, or even take (propyzamide) in the OSR two the field as wholecrop for an years ago, and the resulting seed anaerobic digester, for example. return was a bit of a wake-up But Paul dismisses these call.” suggestions. Last autumn’s stale “If I was to patch spray, seedbed was followed with a I would have done so back in pre-emergence stack of 0.6 l/ha Feb before I’d spent too much on of Liberator (flufenacet+ the crop. What’s more, this is a diflufenican), 4 l/ha of Defy decent crop –– the yield may be (prosulfocarb), with 0.12 l/ha of knocked back by a tonne or two Hurricane to bring up the DFF. in the patches, but these areas “The Avadex (triallate) was are still set to bring in 8-10t/ha, delayed, applied just as the crop which I won’t get if I spray them Source: Bayer, 2019. Each bar in the chart corresponds to an assessment point in the field. The emerged on 14 Nov. But we got out. As for roguing, there are few darker the colour of the markers, the higher the number. a good result from 0.33 l/ha fields in Cambs with a burden at

56 crop production magazine july 2019 Partners in Performance together,” he says. spring drilling is minimum disturbance –– Now the chisel tines have been replaced you don’t want to wake the blackgrass,” by Paul with Tillso Sabre tines, that lift the says Philip. soil, but keep the lower horizons intact. “So probably the Rapid with the toolbar “That’s more like a five out of ten, but the lifted out would be best. If you want tines, discs are still going deeper than they have the Sprinter, replacing the Duett coulters with to at 100-120mm.” minimum disturbance banding openers.” His preferred tool is the farm’s Knight These are due to be replaced with Borgault Triple Press or Horsch Joker. “With a good VOS openers. operator, you can move just the top The Hanslope series soils are in good shape and 50-75mm and achieve a good tilth –– Competition have self-structured, so the emphasis is to an eight out of ten. A top score would be There’s a plan to drill a 36m wide strip of preserve this. achieved if a consistent shallow surface cover crops, covering around 4ha of the action could be limited to 50mm. Any areas field. This is to see if it has any effect on of susceptible individuals in the population, that require deeper lifting can be pulled improving the competitiveness of the however, which may explain why Paul is still through afterwards, being careful not to following spring barley crop. “I’ve read all getting an adequate level of control with turn the soil.” sorts of claims for cover crops and never Monolith. The important thing, though, is to But an inspection of the site reveals deep been convinced, but now I’ve a good reason prevent surviving plants going to seed as lifting probably won’t be necessary. to give them a try,” says Paul. that’s how resistance builds.” “Essentially it’s in good nick –– the weather Phacelia, black oats and vetch are Paul plans to knock out any blackgrass over the past 12-18 months has been ideal planned for the mix, drilled soon after that emerges over the autumn and winter for these Hanslope soils to self-structure, harvest, unless it’s too dry. Philip has with just one robust application of with the wetting and drying doing a far better concerns for the cover, however. “Although glyphosate before drilling. With fewer options job than any shape of metal. We should be the roots will do some good, covering these when it comes to chemistry for a spring careful to look after the structure we have.” soils with a thick canopy over the winter crop, compared with one established in the This attention starts at harvest, he adds, won’t help them self-structure, so keep an autumn, this will be followed with a 0.3 l/ha while the weather will always play its eye on how the crop grows. If it’s vigorous, pre-em base of Liberator. Small plots with part too. spray it off around Christmas or consider other herbicides stacked on top are going to Moving to minimum disturbance is mob-grazing with sheep.” be trialled within the field. something Paul’s gradually warming to. John agrees. “A cover crop is a fantastic “There is an optimum level of herbicide “We’re so used to shifting plenty of soil it’s way to get a spring crop off to a good start with spring barley,” notes John. “Put on too ingrained. But doing as little as we can with minimum disturbance, provided you get much and it hits the crop, which can then get away with and spraying off the chitted the technique and management right.” do more harm than good in terms of blackgrass just once before drilling is what competition. The trials will help us determine we now favour. I like to get cultivations done Herbicides that balance.” early because you don’t know what the Shoot samples of blackgrass have been Paul’s more concerned about moisture weather will bring.” taken to test for herbicide resistance, levels. “The danger with a spring crop is Here John sounds a note of caution. which have confirmed a high level of both when it goes dry after drilling. But we have a “Sometimes the best course of action ACCase and ALS target site resistance plan set up and it’s a question of following after harvest is just to leave the surface and a low level of ALS metabolic resistance, through with the components, keeping it untouched, especially if it’s dry. Much of the notes Ben. flexible enough to adapt to whatever blackgrass seed just dies on the surface or “The tests indicate a reasonable proportion challenges the season may throw at us.” I is predated, although it’s difficult to tell as you can’t see it.” He agrees with Philip that shallow Partners in Performance cultivations keep the blackgrass in the surface where it can be controlled. “Only Partners in Performance is the result of a see whether industry research can successfully cultivate when there’s enough moisture to long-standing collaboration between Bayer be applied to a commercial field. make a good seedbed, and if making more and a group of progressive growers. For arable farmers to continue to be than one pass, a sound principle is to It started in 2011 with split-field comparisons profitable with support payments forecast reduce intensity,” he advises. of the Xpro range of fungicides, and over to reduce, tackling challenges, such as time has developed into a much wider set of blackgrass, requires the whole industry to Sowing date field-scale trials. Each year the farmers meet work together to share and implement the Paul’s decided to put the field into spring to discuss results, listen to guest speakers and latest research and thinking, exchange ideas barley. “We used to think these soils wouldn’t debate winter wheat management issues. and experiences. grow the crop, but proved that’s not the Bayer’s Blackgrass Task Force project is Partners in Performance case. It means we’ll be in no hurry to the latest initiative under the Partners in aims to bring farmers and cultivate and can leave it until Sept or Oct Performance umbrella, taking two fields with specialists together to if we get another dry summer.” differing blackgrass challenges and working develop solutions to The farm has a choice of three 6m drills with a team of experts to manage the field improve crop performance –– a Väderstad Rapid, a Pöttinger Terrasem over a longer-term period. The objective is to and investment return. and a Horsch Sprinter. “The key aspect with

crop production magazine july 2019 57 Grassweed control

starts in July Weed seed “heads provide the ideal opportunity to plan ahead and target management.”

Technical Grassweed control

Grassweeds waving their comfortable having your agronomic failures pre-planting, pre-em and post-em herbicide on such public display. programmes,” he says. heads above cereal crops “But unlike OSR, which can hide a “On the other hand, fields with less may be a reminder of how multitude of sins beneath its canopy, weed pressing problems may be drilled earlier in seed heads above the cereal crop canopy the autumn and with less intensive pre and difficult they can be to provide the ideal opportunity to plan ahead post-em herbicide programmes for valuable control, but also present an and target management for the best and savings in both cost and hassle. most cost-effective control,” he comments. “The apparent absence of grassweeds opportunity to get to improve “We know that different weed species in a single season should not automatically targeting in the future. need different approaches but so do result in a green coding. Instead, it’s different levels of infestation –– whether on important to consider the history of each CPM reports. a whole field or individual area basis.” field in your planning.” So what exactly does Barrie recommend? The accurate mapping of weed problems By Rob Jones “Essentially it’s a matter of getting out into across individual fields has become infinitely your cereal crops and doing two things –– more practical and valuable with the digital identifying the precise weed species present tools increasingly available to growers. This July is the most important month of the and mapping where they are,” he says. allows fields to be zoned and sprayed for year for grassweed control, according to their specific weed burdens –– either using a Roundup technical manager, Barrie Hunt Better field view who co-ordinates the national Grassweed Mapping the infestations is best done Action management resource. And what’s from the tractor cab because it gives you more, it may involve absolutely no a far better field view, he suggests. Barrie fieldwork, with the possible exception believes accurate mapping of weed of pre-harvest oilseed rape spraying. infestations is the only real way of monitoring In Barrie’s experience, July is a month how successful –– or otherwise –– your that’s critical to the success of every element grassweed controls are. of the entire year’s cultural and chemical “Not all fields will require the same control programme. intensity of grassweed management,” he “Fundamental to keeping on top of reasons. “So traffic light coding each field problem weeds like blackgrass, bromes and every season on the basis of its weed risk Italian ryegrass in the most sustainable way means you can concentrate the most is knowing exactly what infestations you rigorous controls on the worst-affected have and where they are,” he says. ground, where they are most needed. “June and July are the only months when “Red-coded fields are almost certainly Barrie Hunt suggests turning the appearance of you can really tell this, especially in cereals best ear-marked for rotational ploughing, weed seed heads above the crop into a positive where the distinctive weed heads stand out delayed winter cereal sowing or spring by taking the opportunity to map where they are. above the crop for all to see! It certainly isn’t cropping, together with the most robust

58 crop production magazine july 2019 Grassweed control

Targeted action

Grassweed Action is a special on-line resource growers and their advisers in ways which providing arable managers across the country best suit their own farm conditions and with a structured approach to regaining control circumstances. over their most damaging grassweeds based The free-to-use resource available at on the best available intelligence. www.monsanto-ag.co.uk/grassweed-action Developed with national weed authority, includes a knowledge hub providing the best Dr Stephen Moss, it provides well-researched, current understanding of each weed and practical frameworks for regaining control over a newsroom offering the latest control blackgrass, Italian ryegrass, bromes, wild-oats intelligence and advice. and couch, that can be implemented by July is a good month to take samples of precision agronomy service or manually field, adds Barrie. blackgrass to send for resistance testing. –– to concentrate the chemistry even more “Most of us can distinguish blackgrass, precisely to where it’s most needed for brome and Italian ryegrass easily from the pay to shallow-till the entire area immediately the greatest financial and environmental cab,” he notes. “But the five brome species behind the combine to establish a stale sustainability. can be difficult to tell apart, even once seedbed,” he says. “Satellite, drone or ground-based imaging they’ve headed in the summer. The two main “If you have meadow, soft or rye brome can be useful here in some cases. But groups of bromes need quite different on the headlands, it’s best to leave these there’s still a lot of ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’ with these autumn cultivation and pre-planting control areas for around a month before cultivating technologies. So there really is nothing to strategies, and the different species so you don’t induce dormancy,” he adds. beat getting out into your crops in July and have different susceptibilities to post-em “With herbicide resistance a problem in recording exactly what’s going on. In my herbicides, so taking the time to carefully both blackgrass and Italian ryegrass and view, it remains the ‘number one’ essential identify which species you have is essential. suspected in brome, resistance testing every to keeping your grassweed problems firmly “This is particularly important where you three to five years can also save a lot of under control.” have mixed populations of weeds. With unnecessary chemical expense. In which Equally important is accurately identifying sterile or great brome on the headlands and case, you’ll need to take a sample of ripe the different weed species present in the blackgrass across the rest of the field, it will seed from across the field.” I

The crop’s sometimes“ referred to as the canary down the mine.”

A barometer on Technical Spring peas crop potential

Peas are a notoriously crop. “They’re a good crop to have on the always rogue any plants we see and in my difficult crop to grow, but farm and get you away from a winter farming career I’ve only ever used two cans experience through YEN rotation. Some of our best yields have of Atlantis (iodosulfuron+ mesosulfuron).” followed a pea crop,” he says. His rotation, with its inherent focus on soil suggests they can shine a If you get them wrong the crop will punish health, brings him some impressive yields –– light on limitations across you, though, which is why he believes there’s an ardent member of the Yield Enhancement so much to be learned by getting it right. Network (YEN), his wheat came fourth last the rotation. CPM visits an “The trouble with peas is the huge variability year with a 14.01t/ha crop of KWS Kerrin. Oxon grower who’s looking of yield. Our average is 4.5t/ha and our best This year, he’s also joined the pea YEN is 5.7t/ha. But last year we achieved just (see panel on p62), but that’s not about the to gain an insight. 3.4t/ha.” competition, he says. “What I like about YEN is being involved By Tom Allen-Stevens Seed crops –– what you gain from it is what you put With 300ha of cropped land, Passmore into it. So the pea YEN is less about the Brothers specialises in seed crops. There competition and more a learning exercise. There’s something to be said for the are 12ha of Mankato peas –– a pre-basic to “The theory of growing peas is really satisfaction you get from a well basic crop grown for KWS. A similar area of very simple –– the day you plant it has its established, even pea crop –– one Campus winter oilseed rape, grown for seed, maximum potential yield, so everything that’s set its stride and appears to have is carefully rotated around the farm, with you do after that is aimed at retaining that everything it needs to fulfil its potential. 100ha of winter wheat (KWS Crispin, Kerrin potential. YEN helps you break it down so That’s probably why David Passmore is and Firefly) and 50ha of KWS Sassy and you can focus on what’s important. The first only too pleased to bring you to his crop, Irina spring barley. thing it teaches you is that you only see half that sits like a thick, sprung mattress across But an important ‘crop’ for David is his your crop –– the rest is underground, but his shallow soils, lying over chalk near livestock –– the spring barley’s undersown Wallingford, Oxon. “Peas are a crop you with grass that’s grazed for two to three either love or hate,” he says. years with 160 head of Limousin beef cattle “They’re probably not for the huge and 200 breeding ewes, before returning to farming enterprises with just one combine, a wheat crop. “On our lighter soils, we put that need crops to fit their system. But if forage rape into the ryegrass after its cut you’re someone who celebrates that they’ve of silage, then back into spring barley, drilled or harvested on the right day, it’s a achieving three crops in two years.” crop that can be immensely rewarding.” David credits the livestock in the rotation For David, for whom peas have been part for his very low level of grassweeds. “There’s Get a pea crop right and it can be immensely of the rotation for the past ten years, those no blackgrass on the farm and this is rewarding. are the two days that matter in the life of the something we’re meticulous about –– we’ll

60 crop production magazine july 2019 Spring peas that’s almost the most important part.” The fortunes of the pea crop itself are largely determined at drilling. The roots are incredibly sensitive to compaction, and David takes great care to preserve the soil structure. “Peas are the most critical crop we grow for planting conditions, and you can’t go by calendar date. 90% of its yield potential is determined on the day you plant.” Preparations for this start the previous David Passmore’s pea crop sits like a thick, sprung mattress across his shallow soils. autumn. Land is generally turned with a 5f Kverneland plough in Oct or Nov and left potential is 11-12t/ha, and while I know I’ll some Polysulphate next year. One aspect over winter. “You can min till other crops, but never get anywhere near double figures I’m we have taken advantage of, though, is the the old adage ‘you have to plough for peas’ intrigued to know where I’m going wrong.” tissue testing service through YEN.” still holds true, and while we do have catch This theoretical yield is broken down to Two leaf samples are taken for analysis –– and cover crops that we graze with sheep, peas per pod, pods per plant and plants/m2 one at second node, just before flowering not before peas.” and David’s been following the protocol to and the other just after flowering. “The The aim is to prepare the ground in see how he can lift crop prospects at every analysis showed up a lack of boron, so winter, including perhaps a pass with a growth stage. we applied this with magnesium in May. 4m Flexi-Coil, so the 4.8m Kverneland We’ve also applied Photrel Pro, which is a tine seeder drill can go straight in when Seed rate rise combination of micronutrients,” says David. conditions are right. That was 28 March That starts with seed rate. “We’ve raised “YEN is showing us that, while the return this year, although David had to wait until the seed rate on the back of YEN –– it used you get from one micronutrient application 20 April last year. to be 80 seeds/m2 but now we drill at may be insignificant, making many little As in the wheat YEN, the key to a 100 seeds/m2.” steps builds crop momentum and delivers a high-yielding pea crop is to maximise crop Nutrition is of vital importance to a significant yield benefit overall.” Marsh spot cover. “Biomass drives yield, and there’s no high-performing pea crop. “We haven’t is also a concern, with a dose of manganese correlation with thousand grain weight –– applied any P and K recently because our applied at the end of April, followed up with it’s down to seeds/m2. The theoretical yield levels are good, although I am considering a second in June. L Spring peas

L Disease pressure varies considerably what worries me, with the damp weather insecticides however. “Pea moth is the main year-to-year. “Last year, we got away during flowering, so we’ve applied Amistar concern. We’ve had traps out and haven’t with a dose of Alto Elite (chlorothalonil+ (azoxystrobin).” reached threshold levels. I have seen aphids cyproconazole). But this year, botrytis is David’s more reluctant to apply in the crop, which is a worry, but I’m holding

Monitoring sheds light on key factors for peas

Peas are the crop that can tell you more about 3. Viruses – the incidence of some of the the health of your soils that perhaps you want to common pea viruses, such as pea initiation know, suggests independent consultant Keith mosaic virus, and the prevalence of its aphid Costello. “The crop’s sometimes referred to as the vectors has increased, Keith believes. A badly canary down the mine. Some crops will tolerate a affected plant will produce significantly fewer certain amount of extremities, peas will not. You peas, sometimes into single figures. Rather than have to think ahead to give them the best chance straight treatment, he’d like to see more and the attention they deserve when it’s needed.” growers adopt an effective integrated pest Keith’s been helping PGRO and ADAS set up management strategy across the rotation. the pea YEN and adapt the basic principles of YEN 4. Nutrition – Sampling across crops at different to the crop. There’s a core group of growers growth stages is highlighting a surprisingly high Keith Costello has been helping PGRO and whose crops he’s visited each year to make number of incidences where crops are low or ADAS set up the pea YEN and adapt the basic regular inspections. That’s now developed into very low in certain nutrients. What’s less clear is principles of YEN to the crop. a protocol, and farmers have been invited from whether these apparent deficiencies are further afield to take part, with the aim of relevant and at what stage they limit the “Secondly, share ideas. Increasingly within YEN improving yields. performance. The first step for growers is to it’s this two-way exchange of knowledge that is “The average yield for dried peas rose steadily carry out leaf tissue analysis to put themselves helping those growers who are involved make from the 1980s at around 3t/ha to a peak at the in the picture. better decisions going forward. That’s even more turn of the century of about 4t/ha. But since then, 5. Knowledge exchange – passing on important in peas where we have less of the it’s settled back down to close to 3t/ha. So why is experience and advice within the business and specialist knowledge that perhaps we once had.” that? My aim is to help growers identify the key from farmer to farmer is key with a crop like And for those who have given them the factors and bring yields back up again,” he says. peas, that may drop in and out of the rotation attention they deserve, Keith believes the The maths is fairly simple: a healthy pea plant and is a somewhat specialist crop. This is prospects this year are good. “When peas will usually grow four pairs of pods per plant, particularly important in large farming perform, they’re a marvellous crop, and there’s with seven peas per pod. “That should bring businesses where farm managers retire or every chance that most growers will enjoy that 50-55 peas per plant, but typically you get a third move on, without the succession of knowledge satisfaction this year. So fingers crossed.” of that, hence why we’re averaging a third of the that may happen more naturally within a family G There’s more information on the pea YEN crop’s potential yield. If you understand what’s business, Keith suggests. protocol and how to get involved in the new bean going on in the plant and why it decides to set a He recommends two routes for growers to get YEN, which has similar objectives, in the current lower number of peas, you can identify ways to more out of their pea crop. “Firstly take advantage issue of The Pulse Magazine, that accompanies increase this,” he reasons. of the technical information on offer from PGRO. the July issue of CPM. There’s more detailed So as well as monitoring crops for their Once you look in detail at your crop, you can technical information for growers, while the PGRO establishment, pod and pea set, Keith’s been identify the technical aspects to address, and the website and new app have updates on key assessing what key factors set these critical information is available to inform this. diseases and pests, such as pea moth.

contributors to yield to help growers monitor ˇ˚ and benchmark their own performance. Tissue analysis, at flowering

He’s concluded there are five: Grower ABCDEF GHI J 1. Establishment – This is absolutely critical, Nitrogen (%) says Keith. Conditions have been kind this year, Phosphorus (%) with dry soils allowed to self-structure and field Potassium (%) work completed without damaging their Calcium (%) integrity. But that wasn’t the case last year, so a Magnesium (%) keen focus on maintaining structure will make Manganese (ppm) all the difference at establishment. Boron (ppm) 2. Roots – Keith’s observation is the rhizosphere Zinc (ppm) below a pea crop today is not as fibrous as it once was. He speculates this may be down to Iron (ppm) heavier machines bringing more compaction to Copper (ppm) soils with lower organic matter content, Molybdenum restricting the sensitive roots. But very little (ppm) Sulphur (%) research has been carried out in this area, so more work is needed to understand the Very low Low Slighty low Normal High rhizosphere. Source: Yara, 2017; leaflets sampled from across field of 10 Pea YEN growers.

62 crop production magazine july 2019 Spring peas

Passmore Brothers large blue peas: how the finances stack up

(/ha) Pea seed (Mankato) £112.50 Trace elements £3.88 Herbicides £38.15 Fungicides £15.07 Insecticides £13.46 The two most important days in the life of a pea crop are when it’s drilled, here (left) with dual wheels to Variable costs £183.06 avoid compaction, and when it’s harvested, with the aim to keep it standing. Pea yield (t) 3.4t “They need to be stored in the dark, but are Pea price (/t) £340.00 the combine through the day they come right, which for peas is below 18% moisture. relatively easy to dry,” he says. Output £1156.00 The key aspect with blue peas if you want After last year’s disappointing yield, Gross margin £972.94 the premium is to retain the colour. If they David’s current crop looks set for a good Source: Passmore Brothers, 2018 harvest stay out in the field, this bleaches the peas. result. What’s more he’s hoping the extra Harvest is the second of the key days in a attention he’s given it throughout the back from spraying to allow beneficial pea crop’s life.” growing season as a result of YEN will numbers to build. It also helps in the Another reason to harvest when the time’s also pay dividends. If not, at the very following wheat crop if you’ve used less right is to catch the crop when it’s standing. least he will be able to benchmark his insecticides. Much of this is down to variety, says David, performance against others to see where “You have to be on the ball with peas, and Mankato is one that he’s found stands improvements can be made. though. It’s a crop that moves fast, so well. While the combine will fly through a But perhaps it’s the value over the you make one fungicide application, for standing crop, it can take many times longer rotation where the crop delivers the example, and find it needs another in as to pick one up off the floor. most. “Over a farming lifetime, you learn little as two weeks.” Once the crop is harvested they’re put on which are the right things to do,” he says. Timeliness is absolutely critical when it a drying floor with ambient air blown through “That’s where peas fit in –– they’re good for comes to harvest, he says. “You have to put until the crop reaches around 14% moisture. the farm.” I

crop production magazine july 2019 63 Gazing into Precision agriculture“ is a toolbox, a robotic and farmers are picking and choosing what works future for them.”

Machinery Cereals report Robotics in agriculture will Unsurprisingly, larger arable farms are drone services –– but only 20% of those bring about the same kind of more likely to adopt precision ag techniques dealers reported that drone use was change as mechanisation in –– and if US trends are anything to go by, profitable to them.” Around half were being then autosteer will become increasingly used for aerial imagery, with 22% offering the 20th Century – but it’s widely used. In 2016, 59% of US maize was soil electrical conductivity mapping. hard to predict exactly what planted using satellite guidance, although However, the cost of gathering drone VRT lagged slightly behind, being used on information has to be compared with that future will look like. 29% of the maize area. alternative sources of information, he adds. CPM joins a seminar at the “And the value of the information depends Become more comfortable on how it affects decisions.” Satellite Cereals Event to gaze into So if precision agriculture is here to stay, imagery is generally cheaper, so drones the crystal ball. where do robots fit in? Farmers are clearly may end up being used less for information becoming more comfortable with the idea gathering and more for spot spraying and By Olivia Cooper of robots doing jobs for them: In the dairy other ‘delivery’ activities. industry milking robots have been around That said, using drones for early disease since 1992, and by 2015 a quarter of the detection could be a viable option, with the Farmers around the world are already cows in the Netherlands and Denmark were capital costs more than outweighed by using a lot of robotics and precision milked by them. spending less time field walking and technology –– but we’re still at the Drones have also become widely reduced fungicide use, for example. forefront of what autonomous vehicles can accepted –– although their future use “Precision agriculture is a toolbox, and really deliver. So what direction is it likely remains questionable, says James. farmers are picking and choosing what to take? Is the future one of swarming “Worldwide, agriculture is fascinated by works for them.” drones and little field robots or will we see drones, but struggles with finding profitable Ultimately, demand for crop robots will be large-scale autonomous vehicles sitting uses. In 2017, 24% of US ag retailers offered driven by the cost and availability of farm alongside more conventional machinery? labour, as well as greater efficiencies yielded According to Prof James Lowenberg- by targeted plant management, explains DeBoer from Harper Adams University, that James. And the type of technology that could depend on where you are in the world farmers adopt will shape the future of the and how open you are to change. And sector. “Farmers and agribusinesses seldom British farmers, it seems, are already use technology exactly as the developers embracing future technology, with a Defra intended,” he notes. “Farmers are very survey in 2012 showing that 46% of arable creative and often use technology for new producers were using GPS, 38% were soil purposes, which the developers never mapping, 25% yield mapping, and 31% thought of. But production systems may were using variable rate technology (VRT) change substantially when robotic systems –– among the highest VRT adoption in become available.” It’s hard to predict what the future may look like. the world. In an attempt to model what that future L

64 crop production magazine july 2019

Cereals report

Shatter the yield plateau with precision power

Precision farming could provide the answer to map, explains Andreea. “The aim is to make it the yield plateau seen in arable crops over the cheaper and easier for farmers to adopt precision past 16 years, with increasingly sophisticated techniques.” technology offering industry-scale solutions. Farmers using Rhiza technology over the past According to Andreea Ailenei, UK digital three years are twice as likely to have soils on programme manager at Rhiza, the poorest 10% target for P and K indices than the UK average, by of fields yield 45% less on average, while input increasing applications in areas of deficiency and costs remain the same. “Rhiza can help identify reducing them where indices are high. And where the underlying issues and come up with solutions they have adopted variable seed rates they have –– do you takeDrones that land may out be ofbest production used for or ‘delivery’ boostedservices. winter wheat yields by an average of Precision farming is proven to boost efficiencies. target treat it?” 4.7% to 10.21t/ha, generating a return of £69/ha, The product of a merger between Soil Quest says Rhiza business manager Max Dafforn. “That’s and Intelligent Precision Farming in March 2019, a real tangible benefit.” resolution satellite imagery, SAR (radar) data and Rhiza combines satellite data analysis with soil By measuring the green area index (GAI) of yield prediction, as well as precision soil zoning, scanning and nutrition services, bringing together oilseed rape, it’s possible to calculate the nitrogen soil analysis and variable rate nutrient planning. different technologies for greater accuracy. And required to build a canopy with a target GAI of 3.5 “We believe we’re on the cusp of the fourth having been developed alongside farmers and at flowering: 50kgN/ha builds one unit of GAI, he revolution in agriculture,” notes Max. “Digital agronomists it provides a comprehensive, reliable, adds. Using variable rates helps farmers to tools can help minimise environmental pollution, and easy-to-use suite of tools, she claims. cut back on the thickest areas and increase optimise the production of safe food, improve the Working with partners including Cranfield applications where the canopy is thin, potentially efficiency of agri inputs, maintain soil fertility, University and James Hutton, Rhiza is combining saving N costs and boosting yields. improve data flows and management practice, soil brightness data with existing physical soil Rhiza’s Contour web platform and app features and ultimately, increase farm profitability.” survey datasets to create a UK-wide precision soil local weather data, pest and disease models, high

extrapolate different farm scenarios. UK wheat cost curve (£/t) “Retrofitting existing equipment is a £/ton

plausible first step towards robotics, and the 38hp

170 M M Conv. Robots medium-small equipment mimics a swarm 160 38hp

robotics scenario,” explains James. It’s 150 M

150hp

also easy to calculate the costs of initial 140 38hp M 296hp M 130 38hp investment, repairs and reliability, with 38hpx2 120 38hpx3 conventional production practices allowing 110 easy adoption and understanding. 100 0100200300400500600 The team based their calculations on Farm size ha Drones may be best used for ‘delivery’ services. growing a rotation of wheat, oilseed rape and barley, using autonomous equipment. human supervision, compared with L may look like, Harper Adams has used its They assumed robotic field work times of conventional working times of 10 hrs/day, Hands-Free Hectare (HFH) project to 22 hrs/day with 10% of machine time for and modelled working field days of 18-22 per

66 crop production magazine july 2019 Cereals report month, with harvesting over 10 hrs/day to on p66). “The whole farm analysis suggests avoid overnight dew. that swarm robotics may enable smaller They tested four farm sizes: 66ha, 159ha, farms to lower their cost of production and 284ha, and 500ha, and considered four compete. Swarm robotics could also reduce equipment sets: farm equipment investment by over 70%,” G Manual 38hp tractor – investment per set notes James. £59,900 This could see a move towards smaller G Autonomous 38hp tractor – £64,750 (x2 farms, as there is less need to spread the for 284ha farm and x3 for 500ha farm) overheads of expensive, large, machinery G Conventional 150hp tractor – £389,500 –– something which could render the UK G Conventional 300hp tractor – £723,500 and EU more competitive against major Working out the cost of production for exporting nations. winter wheat, the robots consistently The analysis assumed that robots are undercut conventional systems (see graph owned by the farmer, but there could be an even more economical option along the lines of Uber rentals. It also assumed that On course for technology insurance is comparable, constant human supervision is not required, and commercial Robots could change farm structures, says manufacturing and sale of robotic Harper Adams University is running a James Lowenberg-DeBoer. three-week course with the Worshipful equipment achieves economies of scale. Company of Farmers, on Adopting Precision Admittedly, that is a lot of assumptions. Technology in Agriculture. It comprises three But the next step of HFH will see multiple “My bet is that in places where independent weeks of study in the UK and crops grown on irregularly shaped fields conventional mechanisation works really well the Netherlands, and aims to fill the gap across a 35ha farm –– providing another (large rectangular fields), we’re going to see between research, science and technology step towards robotics becoming a reality. more automated large equipment like smart and the farmers who might use those new “HFH shows that making field crop robotics grain carts, which arrive at the press of a technologies. Applications for the first course autonomous is possible and relatively button and sync to the combine. Where you close on 31 July - for more information visit inexpensive. And swarm robots could have smaller, irregular-shaped fields there is harper.ac.uk/apta. potentially reduce costs of production and potential for the use of more, small robots in investment for UK farmers,” predicts James. the next five years.” I Machinery Cereals report New kit at Cereals

There was plenty of new kit designed to appeal to farmers who value ploughed/ cultivated land, while the the combination of lower cost and greater ISOBUS-compatible RDS Artemis control on offer at the Cereals Event, maneuverability over ultimate hopper system provides tramlining and variable with everything from capacity and output.” seed rate capability. compact drills to high Carried on lower link arms, the T6c features a fully floating seeding chassis Kuhn capacity combines. CPM which follows field contours, ensuring Targeting the growing conservation accurate seeding depths. Providing a agriculture sector is Kuhn’s new Aurock takes a look at just some of hopper capacity of 3500 litres it weighs triple disc seed drill, which can establish the options. about 7900kg unladen, and can deliver crops under cover, in minimum tillage or either seed only or a 60:40 seed: fertiliser direct drilling conditions. Launched in a By Olivia Cooper combination. It will sow directly into 6m format, it’s available with single and stubble, in min-till situations or on dual metering units and hoppers of

The weather may have been inclement at Cereals but it didn’t dampen the spirits of farmers on the lookout for their next new purchase. Whether upgrading to the latest precision technology or just tweaking the performance of existing machinery, there was plenty to look at. Claydon On view for the first time at Cereals, Claydon’s new 6m Hybrid T6c compact trailed drill is the latest addition to the OptiTill stable. More than 20% lighter and more compact than the Hybrid T6 model, the T6c combines the high output of a 6m seeding platform with the nimble handling and maneuverability of the 4m T4, on which it is based, says chief executive Jeff Claydon. “Capable of drilling 45ha per day Claydon’s new 6m Hybrid T6c drill is over 20% lighter than the T6 model. behind a 300hp tractor, this model is

68 crop production magazine july 2019 Cereals report

Kuhn’s new Aurock triple disc seed drill targets the conservation ag sector.

3500 litres and 5000 litres, respectively. This allows for dual cropping or alternative row drilling with independent s management of seed depth. Designed for low horsepower requirement, it needs a modest 180hp to operate. With a modular design, growers can opt for an integrated cutter roller with adjustable pressure for all cover types, alongside Stocks Ag’s new controller improves either 460mm diameter spreading accuracy. corrugated discs for working in prepared soil or for soil mixing, or 430mm embossed discs for ensuring no seed remains on cutting residues and minimising the surface, right to the edge soil ejection. of the field. ISOBUS-compatible, a simple press of the button at Stocks Ag the headland allows successive Farmers who are looking for lifting of the front tools, then improved accuracy when stops the metering unit, spreading granules and small L

LED lights enable spray operators to work in low light conditions.

crop production magazine july 2019 69 Cereals report

L seeds could find recent updates to Stocks Ag’s Fan Jet Duo twin applicator of interest. It launched a number of new features at Cereals, designed to improve operation ease and accuracy. The new controller comprises a single screen terminal on which users can both control the applicator and observe coverage mapping, enabling variable rate application with repeatable accuracy of less than 1m against 10m with the previous system. Other improvements include a rear Visitors were keen to see Fendt’s new Ideal combine. camera to observe the spread pattern and internal hopper lighting to aid filling drops,” says marketing manager David feeding into a giant Superflow augur, this at night. Main. “This system will enable operators to behemoth should eat up the hectares. make best use of those working windows.” The header adjusts laterally by up to 80 Knight Farm Machinery to cope with sloping fields, and can be Spray operators are increasingly working Fendt coupled on within five seconds using the at night to reduce the risk of drift, so Visitors were, as ever, drawn to the optional Autodock feature. Knight Farm Machinery is now offering biggest bits of kit on show, and Fendt’s But what Fendt claims makes the Ideal boom lighting on all of its sprayers. The Ideal combine did not disappoint. On stand out from the crowd is its single or system can be supplied from new or display in the UK for the first time, this new dual Helix rotors, providing maximum retro-fitted, and shines powerful LED blue combine has been designed from scratch. output with gentle crop handling and low lights through the spray pattern, enabling The company claims that it’s all about energy consumption. The convex and operators to check that all nozzles are efficiency, high quality grain and straw concave grain pans reduce grain losses performing efficiently at all times. and reliability, with simple operation and on slopes, and with a tank capacity of up “Spraying conditions are often at their unique sensor technology for automated to 17,100 litres and a discharge capability best towards the end of the day and into machine configuration. of 210 litres/sec, the Ideal can handle a the early evening, when the wind often With up to a 12.22m PowerFlow table whopping 200t/hr. I Crowdsourced have cut out up to three blight sprays from their programmes, because the conditions weren’t serious enough to merit spraying –– weather data saving them 160/ha (£143/ha), adds Fred. “It gives a new€ meaning to ‘decision support’.? Farmers can choose to share the drives decisions data with their agronomists, field operators, and other stakeholders, with both live rainfall monitoring and a seven-day forecast making for information-driven decisions. It’s also possible to set alerts for any combination of weather conditions –– like frosts, minimum temperature, rainfall over a set period, and rising humidity, for example. In this way, farmers can ensure herbicide applications are made at the most effective time, and they can also monitor critical stages Machinery in cereal disease development, for optimal spray timings. Cereals report “But while the super-localised data stream is invaluable in supporting the individual Accurate, real-time weather humidity, rainfall, soil moisture and soil grower, our system excels when it can temperature. And there’s no need to rely on number-crunch across multiple streams of data is vital to farmers, but patchy 3G phone coverage or wifi –– the units data from multiple locations,” notes Fred. until now it’s been expensive use a low power, long-range network which “It’s more than a farmer and his neighbours gives coverage almost anywhere. The sharing data for their own good; this is about and difficult to source. CPM portable stations are battery-powered –– creating a pool of data that has benefits takes a look at a new option: with rechargeable batteries costing £30 and across the industry.” I lasting 3-4 years –– meaning they can be Individual farm weather moved around the farm according to the stations which link up to crop rotation. Further information give a detailed local picture. “Previously, weather stations were difficult and costly to install –– the whole aim for us A basic weather station – Raincrop – which By Olivia Cooper was to have something that’s cheap and monitors humidity, air temperature and rainfall portable,” explains the firm’s Amber Ogborn. – costs £380 plus £150/yr subscription. “They are all GPS positioned so you know Windcrop – which monitors windspeed, Farmers can now access real-time in-field exactly where they are.” Installation takes direction and gusts – costs £330 plus weather and soil information following around 10 mins, with data online within 15 £150/yr, while Sencrop Plus – Raincrop the launch of affordable and portable mins and updated every quarter of an hour, and Windcrop together – costs £699 plus monitoring stations, with linked-up data giving real-time information as well as historic £180/yr. A leaf wetness sensor is also giving a reliable local picture. details on your computer or smartphone app. available for orchards and vineyards. For Launched by Sencrop at the Cereals Sencrop has already installed 7000 more information visit sencrop.com. Event, the weather stations enable farmers to stations across Europe, where potato growers see what field conditions are like at any point on the farm, enabling more efficient spraying Weather information to rely on and harvesting operations. But the real power comes from the ability to share data James Robinson replaced a manual rain gauge with other producers, offering a detailed with two Sencrop units at his farm in Cambs, picture of weather on a local, regional and after he acquired another site 20 miles from the national level. home farm. “It made sense to have more reliable “Installing a Sencrop unit in one or data about weather conditions without having to more fields puts the grower in immediate drive out to collect it,” he explains. “Having live possession of data unique to that location,” weather data is really helping to inform our says Fred South at Sencrop. “Automated management decisions on farm, improving our analysis of this continuous data stream opens day-to-day operations. Knowing that it’s too James Robinson finds it easier to manage up a new and far more objective approach windy to spray at the remote site saves time remote sites. to field operations. Now there’s no need to and fuel.” take a chance on spraying and fertiliser He anticipates the local data and seven-day other farmers to come on board. “Sometimes applications with a forecast based on forecast will be particularly beneficial this showers can be very localised, and on a day-to- observations from several miles away.” harvest, helping to inform his combining day basis it would be helpful to see local rainfall The stations measure parameters like wind operations and cultivations –– and he’s keen for patterns.” speed, gust and direction, air temperature,

crop production magazine july 2019 71 You should “only ever cultivate as deep as necessary. ”

Top tips for tines Machinery Cultivators and ploughs and discs

When buying a new cultivator agronomy.” Are you looking to move a lot Or to add a mixing effect, the Väderstad or plough, there’s a massive of soil on the surface, to chit grassweeds, TopDown fitted with wing shares is an or do you need to go deep to remove alternative choice. variety of tine and disc compaction? There are more than 40 different tine and designs to choose from – so If breaking compaction is the aim, disc options to fit to Väderstad cultivators Väderstad’s BreakMix point –– intended for –– and they are easily changeable so you how can you be sure that the heavier soils –– could be an option. This can tailor the set-up to suit requirements. equipment will do the job you provides deep loosening (30cm) without Discs with bigger scallops should be mixing at depth, while at the same time used to cut heavier trash, larger discs are want? CPM offers a guide to mixing intensively in the top 10cm of soil to suitable for deep working while smaller cultivator design and speed up residue decomposition. In this discs are for shallow operations. “It’s the way, it doesn’t bring clods of earth to the setup that’s important –– point and disc innovations. surface, and creates a fine seedbed ahead choice is key to getting the results you of drilling. require.” By Olivia Cooper Running too wide a point too deep will Crenelated disc create too much ‘boil’ in the soil, and will At the other end of the scale is the increase fuel consumption, warns Simon Shallow and fast, or deep and slow? CrossCutter Disc for ultra-shallow Brown at Amazone. “You should only ever Serrated discs or curved? Narrow tines cultivation. Designed for use in cover cultivate as deep as necessary, so it’s or duckfoot shares? Oh, and what type of crops, maize and oilseed rape stubble, roller would you like with that? The this crenelated disc cultivates the entire choice of cultivator set-up can be quite working width at only 2-3cm depth, baffling, particularly when most farms crushing and mulching crop residues have one piece of kit which is meant to without mixing them in too deep. carry out a multitude of tasks. This ensures good oxygenation for So how do you go about choosing the decomposition, and also chits weed seeds best equipment for your farm? We caught in the soil surface without bringing up up with a few manufacturers to get their dormant seeds lower down in the profile. top tips and latest developments. For organic producers, it could be worth The first step, according to Andrew a look at the new Goosefoot share, fitted Gamble at Väderstad, is to ascertain what to the NZ harrow for mechanical weed it is you want to achieve. “Dig a hole and control. This broad yet shallow share slices There are more than 40 different tine and disc figure out what you’re trying to do with the off weeds at the root and leaves them on options for Väderstad cultivators. machine –– it needs to link to your the field surface without mixing the soil.

72 crop production magazine july 2019 Cultivators and ploughs

Plough set-up

When choosing a plough, Rob Immink at Maschio will take a farmer through several steps to identify the best option. Available horsepower and field size are two –– influencing the size of the plough –– followed by soil type. “If you have stony or heavy clay soils you’ll probably want automatic reset –– other soils will get away with shear bolts.” Those with variable soil types may benefit from hydraulic width adjustment, while manual Consider soil type when choosing a plough, adjustment is suited to more uniform soils. says Rob Immink. Sticky soils work best with slatted boards, Only ever cultivate as deep as necessary, says whereas whole boards are fine for other soil Simon Brown. types. “If you’re ploughing for potatoes you’ll shallower working depths or cylindrical for need a deep board, while cereals want a deeper inversion –– while skimmer choice go shallowerand follow contours across wider one.” depends on the residue; are you ploughing the full width.” Most farmers nowadays are using ploughing maize stalks or short barley stubble? If cultivating to encourage straw to control grassweeds, he adds, so are looking “There are a lot of factors that determine decomposition, Simon offers a useful for complete inversion to bury the seeds. That what plough you need, so it’s important to weigh calculation: 1cm of depth per tonne of will affect the mouldboard design –– helical for up all the considerations.” straw/ha. “So if you have 10t/ha of straw, cultivating at 12cm will be ample –– if you go too deep the straw is outside of the important to match the style of point to the A tine is rigid, so it can dig deep or skip aerobic zone and so won’t rot.” depth. But very few people change points on the surface in undulating fields –– it’s Shallow tine cultivation should aim to according to what they need.” not really designed for really shallow cut off the root ball, provide straw-to-soil So should you choose a tine or a disc cultivation,” he notes. “On the other hand, contact to trigger decomposition, and cultivator, or a combination of the two? “ compact disc harrows have the ability to promote grassweed growth. “My favourite L Cultivators and ploughs

is to shatter the soil sideways, not bring the so they can move in three directions rather lower soil to the surface,” explains Simon. than just two,” says manging director Keith When it comes to disc choice, smaller Rennie. “This gives greater soil shatter and diameter discs with a smooth surface are enables them to skip over stones.” suitable for fast, shallow work. Serrated For a truly multipurpose piece of kit, take discs provide a bit more bite for heavier a look at He-Va’s CombiDisc. Designed to land, while larger serrations on bigger subsoil, surface cultivate and consolidate discs help with mulching stubble and in one pass it can be set up in different digging down deeper. ways to work at any depth from the surface On the Catros and Certos disc harrows, only down to 35cm. The subsoiler legs the front row of discs are mounted come with either shear-pin or hydraulic straighter for more aggressive action on reset, and can be lifted altogether for unmoved soil, while the rear row is angled shallow disc cultivation if required. The more to work across a broader width and discs can be adjusted to work at anything A key aim is to loosen the ground without level the soil. “They also have rubber block down to 12cm, and work independently of ‘boiling’ the soil. mountings to allow more movement.” the frame to follow contours, explains Consolidating the soil after cultivation is Opico’s Richard Amphlet. important to ensure residue-to-soil contact, By using a sabre disc rather than a as well as breaking up any clods. more concave one, and mounting it on a “However, you don’t want to seal the soil curved arm, the disc is more upright when as it’s important to draw oxygen in,” working on the surface, breaking soil explains Simon. sideways rather than scooping and smearing it. And when working at greater Depth control depths it is pulled to a steeper angle for Open rollers are cheaper and provide improved residue incorporation, he adds. good depth control, but they block easily in “Farmers need a cultivator that can wet conditions. Rubber rollers are good for cope with a massively changing industry lighter land, while DW rollers are a better as well as all conditions. Rather than choice for heavier soil types. “If you really having five cultivators you can have one want to rip the soil up and leave it to that works in five scenarios.” I weather then you can remove the roller altogether.” He-Va’s CombiDisc can subsoil, cultivate and A key aim of many modern cultivators is consolidate in one pass. to loosen the ground and produce a decent seedbed without ‘boiling’ the soil L is a duck foot point as it has a flat profile and mixing the profile. KRM’s Maximulch and cutting action.” It can be mounted to uses a combination of low disturbance achieve either a full or partial working TCS tines with a wide share and 560mm width, depending on requirements. concave discs to lift the soil profile and For something that loosens the soil at create vertical fissuring while leaving a depth, a narrow 40mm tine will do the job level surface behind. The cut-out discs down to 30cm. “By narrowing the point you break up any surface panning and stubble won’t need much more horsepower as it’s residue, while the TCS tines can be The CrossCutter Disc mulches crop residues not moving too much soil. With a slight adjusted down to a depth of 30cm. without mixing too deep. curve you’ll get a little bit of lift, but the aim “The discs are mounted on pigtail tines,

74 crop production magazine july 2019 The systems work“ with a huge amount of data, but the app will just supply the farmer with what they need or want to know. ”

More to the grain Machinery Storage and drying store

Getting a crop to harvest is ambient or gas heater can take the moisture allow for conveyor servicing. It’s bolted enough of a challenge for content of feed wheat down by 2% together, sunk into a vertical concrete pit throughout the whole bin within 24 hours. and then the edges are filled in with cement growers, but for those drying “If you need a slower drying rate for milling so there are no horizontal surfaces. The dry and storing their own grain, wheat, malting barley or oilseed rape, it can pit system fits with the JEMA chain and flight usually reduce moisture content by 0.5-1% conveyors T45, T49 and T57 and capacities the story doesn’t end with per day,” he explains. range from 12.7-48.3m3. the combine. CPM takes a As a contained system, grain is “When it comes to emptying the silo, inaccessible to pests, and in the winter, cold Dangari-3S has a simple sweep auger look at grain stores and air can be vented through to reduce the risk machine which is carried into the silo once gadgets to make the of mycotoxins building up, he adds. the grain has reached its angle of repose,” When it comes to filling the bin, you can explains Mark. “It then circulates and drops process work for you. either use an auger or install an intake pit, down within the remaining grain and augers speeding up harvest operations, says Mark. back to the centre sump leaving only a By Melanie Jenkins There are options of above-floor pits, simple manual sweep-up operation.” level-floor pits or a dry pit system. A more popular method, and the latest trend Above-floor pits comprise a hopper –– in bin emptying, he says, is for a direct drive When operating a grain store, there’s a from 1m to 10m wide –– and are designed Powersweep system to be fitted in the bin. lot to think about; from grain movement for trailers to back up to and dump into. Remaining in the bin at all times it’s operated to drying, moisture testing and system Conveyors with capacities from 25-150 t/hr by an electric motor on the external power L controls. So what options are out there then transport grain to the silo. to maximise grain quality with minimal Level-floor pits are becoming increasingly input? popular where underfloor pits can’t be used due to water table restrictions. The top of the Danagri-3S intake conveyor is placed at floor height and While grain store design hasn’t changed can be 12-30m in length according to its much in recent years, it’s all about adopting strength and capacity. This enables farmers the most efficient system for your farm. to put in a large enough pit to accept a Danagri-3S specialises in silos, with most full trailer or lorryload. The conveyor then sales in the UK from 250-1000t. empties the pit and can be turned off via “With these, there’s the option to include a sensor when it’s empty. an in-bin stirring machine which evens out The latest pit system is a dry pit from As contained systems, grain is inaccessible to the moisture content,” explains the firm’s JEMA. This is a modular build, sunken intake pests in the Danagri 3S silo. Mark Unitt. Using this system, either an pit designed to avoid water ingress and

crop production magazine july 2019 75 Storage and drying

L head. These sweeps are available in 6”, make data on grain more accessible and 8” and 10” diameter for unloading speeds automate moisture readings using sensors,” up to about 80 t/hr. explains Mark. In the next year, Danagri-3S is looking to update its electronic systems to ease the BDC Systems flow of information to the farmer. “This will BDC Systems has developed an automatic sampling unit that can supply farmers with moisture content readings as grain passes through the dryer. It takes samples from the incoming wet grain and outgoing dry elevators, which it processes through a multi-chamber duct The PLC dryer control panel sends alerts on dryer incorporating a Sinar moisture probe status, with all data logged for farm records. specifically designed for this application. Live readings showing the moisture using a 12-inch touch screen to regulate content of both samples are displayed on handling and the dryer operations. The a screen along with a graph showing the system can send over 70 alarms and moisture trend, while historical data is stored messages relating to the dryer status, for future reference. It can also be linked to with all data logged for farm records. BDS’s control panel and data can be viewed The operator can enter crop type, intake remotely. “This information can be used to moisture content and target moisture adjust dryer settings which will save money content, and the panel then sets up the and ensure grain goes into storage at its dryer parameters, with temperature and fan optimum moisture content,” says Matt Graine speed set to suit crop type. of BDC. “The ultimate aim is to automate the The auto discharge control system uses a entire process.” list of adjustable parameters –– including the Perry of Oakley’s automatic moisture control sensitivity, rate of sampling and target hot detects incoming and outgoing moisture Perry of Oakley grain temperature –– alongside the exhaust changes. Perry of Oakley’s PLC dryer control panel air temperature –– to control the process and puts connectivity in the farmer’s hands, maintain a consistent moisture content of the Storage and drying discharged grain. on the farm and could become the data The panel can also provide automatic capture platform for the whole site, moisture control, which monitors the top says Hugh. and bottom of the dryer to detect incoming One of the main changes that end users and outgoing moisture changes, thereby will see is that access to the system is controlling the discharge speed accordingly. available via a new mobile app. “Instead According to Perry of Oakley, the sensor is of going to the unit to change the settings, accurate to 0.5% between 5% and 18% these can all be done remotely, as long moisture content and within 1% between as there’s network connectivity,” he adds. 18% and 40%. Though it’s fully integrated Through the app, users will have access with the PLC control software, it can also to full functionality of their dryer, and will be installed with any make of existing drier also be able to use a limited range of data or standalone system. analysis tools. The unit collects an in-depth Mobile phone app technology has finally range of data, but further analysis and made its way to the grain store with Perry subsequent access are granted through of Oakley’s app allowing farmers to view a subscription service, so the farmer can the plant control panel and have full remote tailor access to their needs. “The systems Dicam 2 has been made to peer-to-peer network, control of the dryer from any smartphone work with a huge amount of data, but the meaning it can connect with other systems or computer. app will just supply the farmer with what like itself. When it comes to physical grain drying, they need or want to know.” I Perry’s Savannah series features fans which are controlled by an inverter, meaning there could be potential to save power and crop lift off by running the fans at a reduced speed. The fan selection has been revised on previous models to reduce overall power consumption, giving a maximum fitted power of 22kW per fan. The drier has been built with a 2mm thick grain column for additional strength and longevity, while the top ducts are 3mm thick to prevent deformation and wear. For handling very wet grain, the dryers are all fitted with Perry’s pneumatically controlled Shutter discharge to keep grain moving down the column.

Farmex Farmex is soon to replace its process controller, Dicam, with an upgraded model. Used to regulate any process involving sensors, actuators, fans, heaters and beyond, the firm claims the product has a strong track record in crop storage facilities. “It was built as a flexible agricultural control unit, so there’s no limit to what sort of sensors can be connected to it and there’s no restraint to the capacity of the load,” explains Hugh Crabtree of Farmex. Sensors can be used in read- and display-only mode or used as a function of process control. Dicam 2 is due for commercial release in 2020. It has been constructed to peer-to-peer network, meaning it can connect with other systems like itself, total flexibility regarding sensors and what it can control. However its processing and memory are more powerful so iIt has many more connectivity options. This means it can connect to other systems

crop production magazine july 2019 77 Bring in the biomass

We’ve “focused on the torque. But you need efficiency too.”

Machinery Forage and balers

Whether for the anaerobic perhaps one of the most powerful Forage Cruiser range brings in a maize digester, silage clamp or agricultural machines likely to pass crop with a fuel expenditure of as little as through Britain’s fields, which is currently 0.45 l/t. The V20 engine delivers its most straw stack, the technology gathering up an organic grass ley of the fuel-efficient performance in the for gathering in forage has Goodwood Estate in Sussex. It’s part of a 1600-1900 rpm working range. This, field day put on by New Holland to together with the low maintenance costs, moved on. CPM attends a demonstrate its range of agricultural results in a low total cost of operation, demonstration day in Sussex equipment. notes Ian. The overall feeding system now features and reviews the latest balers. Chop quality a 12.5% bigger intake channel thanks to Launched at Agritechnica 18 months ago, higher lifting potential of the intake rolls. By Tom Allen-Stevens the FR920 extends New Holland’s Forage There’s thicker steel at the front end, Cruiser range at the top end. It promises particularly on the back roll, which is best-in-class chop quality, with a choice now more aggressive. This upgrade in of two crop processors, all available in metalwork and general build extends The pick-up reel drops into its pre-set different roll configurations, claiming to throughout the direct driveline of the FR position, and the New Holland Forage cover every requirement from biogas Forage Cruiser to ensure that all the power Cruiser settles back effortlessly to a applications to shredded silage. from the mighty V20 engine is efficiently pre-determined working speed, the Underneath the yellow-and-blue livery transmitted to the driven parts. chopping cylinder humming as it chews lies CNH’s all-new FPT Industrial V20 through the grass swath. engine. This 20.1-litre V8 behemoth “If you look at the power curve on the delivers a mighty 911hp (670kW) display, you can see how she makes the maximum power at 1600 to 1800 rpm, most of the torque available,” notes 4095Nm maximum torque and a product specialist Brian Magee. Which is productivity-boosting 48% torque rise all very well, but why is this flagship FR920 at 2100-1500 rpm. self-propelled forage harvester a “she”? The power curve has been specifically Brian smiles. “Because if she wasn’t, mapped to match the precise requirements she’d be nothing like such a joy to handle.” of foraging applications, explains forage and It’s true that this ease of operation, hay product marketing specialist Ian Bourke. underpinned with a plethora of intelligent “We’ve focused on the torque –– you The all-new FPT Industrial V20 engine is a features, has enabled a complete novice to need a good torque growth to handle 20.1-litre V8 behemoth that delivers a mighty take control of its joystick, buttons and lumps as they pass through the machine. 911hp maximum power and 4095Nm maximum touchscreen interface after Brian’s brief But you need efficiency too.” torque. five-minute introduction. These operate DLG tests have shown New Holland’s

78 crop production magazine july 2019 Forage and balers

A new heavy-duty four-wheel drive deactivates the four-wheel drive axle uniform kernel cracking and a better system, developed to deal with the depending on the steering angle setting. processing performance to match the high increased power and traction requirements, Also new for the FR Forage Cruiser are outputs of the most powerful model. The also delivers this to the ground, increasing two new crop processors, bringing a total DuraShredder adds rolls with additional the maximum torque transferred to the of three available across the range. The spiral cuts that shred the crop and deliver wheels by 60% compared with the DuraCracker system has been designed more intensive processing to both kernel standard four-wheel drive system. with reinforced frames and drives, raising and stover.

Terralock automatically activates and the opening force by 50%. This delivers These processing systems, combined L

Intelligent ways to denser bales

Large square bales with a higher density can five tine bar pick-up which incorporates the high reduce transport and storage costs. So how do capacity inline auger and rotor design. the leading manufacturers pack in more punch? The driveline design features individual cam clutch protection on the pick-up, rotor and Intelligent density feeder fork, meaning there’s no downtime Kuhn’s LSB 1290iD (intelligent-Density) baler changing shearbolts should a blockage occur. incorporates the company’s Twinpact plunger The pre-chamber design is fitted with trip plates system to pack in the force required to create positioned at the top, designed to improve bale higher density bales. The machine’s driveline formation and consistency, regardless of swath The Squadra is fitted with an ultra main gearbox and transmission upgrades create further size or forward speed. that packs in a press force of 760kN. benefits, says the company, allowing a 200hp The L1500 Series large square balers are tractor to produce bales of over 500kg. ISOBUS compatible with most adjustments The LSB 1290iD is fully ISOBUS compatible controlled and monitored directly from the cab. and can be controlled from an ISOBUS terminal on the tractor or via Kuhn’s CCI 1200 or CCI 50 Intelligent features terminals. New Holland’s BigBaler 1290 Plus features an 80cm longer baler chamber over the prior Ultra main gearbox model, which, along with a number on intelligent Fendt claims its Squadra 1290 UD square baler features, deliver up to 10% higher density says delivers the best bale density available on the the manufacturer. market today. The Squadra is fitted with an ultra The BigBaler has IntelliCruise that main gearbox that packs in a press force of automatically regulates tractor ground speed 760kN, producing straw densities of up to to maximize baling capacity and uniform bale 245kg/m2. density, and SmartFill feed flow indicators that New on the intake of John Deere’s L1534 is a Hot off the press is a new feature Fendt’s tell the operator in real time which direction driven crop compression roller which improves calling Intelligent Hay, which collects and they should drive over the swath for even bale capacity in large windrows by up to 10%. processes information about each square bale. formation. During the baling process, the baler collects There’s also the MaxiSweep pick-up design bale-specific data on the quality, GPS position, that tackles high tonnage windrows with moisture content, bale flakes, as well as common components –– tine bars and reel information about additives and the bale length bearings –– from the self-propelled forage and weight. With the third or fourth twine, a harvester pick up. The plunger stroke rate special weather and temperature-resistant twine per minute and the in-line crop flow, guided by fitted with an RFID chip is cleverly woven into these features, combine to produce the higher each bale. The RFID chip allocates a metric to output, says New holland. each bale, stored in a cloud memory, that can be The BigBaler is fully ISOBUS compatible for scanned to access its data and displayed in the single screen technology, and be used with the BaleLink app on a smartphone or tablet. IntelliView IV monitor in the tractor cab. Integrated bale weighing Crop compression The Claas Quadrant 5300 now includes New features on the intake of John Deere’s The Claas Quadrant 4200, 5200 and 5300 integrated bale weighing. large square baler range include a driven models now include integrated bale weighing for crop compression roller positioned behind those who want to keep a close eye on bale the standard roller crop press. This improves quality during the baling operation. Using scales directly from the ISOBUS control terminal display capacity in large windrows by up to 10%, fitted in the bale ramp, the actual weighing in the cab or using the Claas Telematics you says the manufacturer. process takes place automatically as part of the can generate the total area yield and the yield The three models in the range are the L1524 formation of each bale. Bales can be weighed distribution by individual field, showing the bale (70x120cm), L1533 (90x80cm) and L1534 at vehicle speeds of up to 20km/h, says Claas. location and the individual bale weights, along (90x120cm). All three models feature a 2.3m The driver can read the individual bale weight with its moisture level.

crop production magazine july 2019 79 Forage and balers

terracotta colour. The new models have a NEF six-pot 6.7-litre engine under the hood, a proven source of power with NEF models widely adopted on T6 and T7 tractors. It features an optimized EGR-free (exhaust gas recirculation) combustion for efficient operation, coupled with an HI-eSCR (selective catalytic reduction) after-treatment system to comply with Stage IV (Tier 4B) emissions standards. The more powerful engine block delivers a maximum torque of 740Nm at 1500rpm, compared with the 700Nm of the The DuraCracker system, has been designed 4cyl. You notice this, with a low-end end with reinforced frames and drives. torque that significantly helps in pulling away performance, and increased torque The terracotta T6.180 is a Special Edition

L with NH’s HydroLoc technology, ensure at mid-engine speeds, which improves tractor rolled out to mark 100 years of parent constant chop length independently of engine lugging in transport and field company Fiat. throughput and crop type, says Ian, while applications. the ActiveLoc system automatically adapts The Dynamic Command transmission headland or field boundary when used in chop lengths to moisture content. lets you shift between eight gears under conjunction with IntelliTurn. The integration Up front, a new 9m maize header load, without having to change ranges. of these two functions results in a equipped with six big drums is designed This is coupled with NH’s Ground Speed completely automated end-of-row turn for a tall crop and matches the capacity of Management (GSM), and at SIMA, GSM II and implement function sequencing. the FR920. The header features a fast was launched. This brings CVT logic to a double-folding function and a fully hands-free powershift tractor –– using a combination Pay attention, 007 support-wheel attaching function. of data relating to engine load, forward The AgXtend range is where New Holland speed and operator setting, it manages places its next-generation and precision Tractor test both engine and transmission speeds to farming gadgets. Sensor-based New Holland has widened its T6 range optimise performance and economy. technology delivers real-time data on crop of tractors with three new six-cylinder The interface is similar to the Auto biomass, soil or surrounding conditions models: the T6.180 Auto Command, Command, with speed adjustment on the that can be used to adjust inputs or inform T6.180 Dynamic Command and T6.160 CommandGrip joystick, target speeds decisions, and it was the CropXplorer that Electro Command. adjustable on a thumbwheel, Cruise was available for a test drive at Seen first at SIMA in Paris earlier this Control, and a logical layout on the Goodwood. year, it was a T6.180 Special Edition with display. The performance can be adjusted This is an Isaria attachment, mounted Dynamic Command that was available for to prioritise Power/output or Economy. on a standard three-point hitch or front a drive at Goodwood. Four Special Edition Where the T6 is optioned with IntelliTurn weight, that comprises two optical sensors tractors have rolled out of the Basildon –– automatic, repeatable end-of-row turns set 6.9m apart on a foldable boom. These plant to mark 100 years of parent –– there’s now the option to automate the have their own light source and scan the company Fiat –– two in New Holland start of the HTS II function (Headland Turn biomass of the crop, sending data back to heritage blue livery and two in a striking Sequencing), based on distance from the the cab via Bluetooth. The Map + Overlay

80 crop production magazine july 2019 Forage and balers mode of the on-board software allows criteria such as yield, moisture as well as farmers to use yield potential maps crop constituents. On forage harvesting in combination with the sensors for machines, it can determine ADF (acid on-the-go adjustments to N applications. detergent fibre), NDF (neutral detergent Designed to be easy to set up and fibre), starch, ash and crude fat. Used on use, no calibration is required, and it’s a slurry tanker, it monitors the amount of compatible with ISOBUS fertiliser nitrogen applied. spreaders as well as most of the The FarmXtend App is a weather station non-ISOBUS spreaders capable of using a number of connected sensors to variable rate application. monitor in-field conditions. WeatherXact SoilXplorer consists of a contactless, measures temperature and humidity at a front-mounted soil sensor using height of 1m and at crop level. RainXact electromagnetism to measure soil is a rain gauge, while SoilXact records soil The Crop Xplorer is an Isaria attachment, conductivity at four different depths: moisture and temperature at different comprising two optical sensors set 6.9m apart 0-25cm, 15-60cm, 55-95cm, 85-115cm. depths. Bringing the data together is a on a foldable boom. These measurements can be used for two clever app that can determine disease main purposes: mapping to determine soil pressure (based on temperature and pollutants or residue. It consists of type and heterogeneity as well as relative humidity) for a variety of crops as well electrodes that pass over and come in water content, and detecting areas of as optimal time for spraying. contact with the weed to complete the compaction for variable depth soil The Xpower’s a little bit different and circuit and deliver the shock that fries it. cultivation. may be the most intriguing of the bunch. Application booms are available in There’s also the NIR sensor that can be It’s an electro-herbicide –– rather than different working width from 1.2-3m. mounted on all types of equipment, such spraying the weed, it zaps them, and is The AgXtend range of products can be as forage harvesters, combines, balers capable of destroying the complete plant fully integrated into New Holland’s existing and slurry tankers, and feed back on down to the roots, with no environmental PLM precision farming platforms. I

Combi solutions to pick up, roll and wrap

Having a separate wrapper in the field when up to 1.25m in diameter. baling up forage ties up an extra tractor and Pöttinger has two baler-wrapper combination operator and causes extra trafficking, but a models in its Impress range of variable chamber number of manufacturers offer combination round balers. The 155 VC PRO produces bales models with their round balers. up to 1.55m in diameter while the 185 VC steps Kuhn’s range of baler-wrapper combinations this up to 1.85m. There’s a smooth bale transfer includes the i-BIO+ and FBP 3135 BalePack. to the company’s twin satellite wrapper unit, All have a standard 2.3m wide pick-up, Integral which features satellite arms mounted from Rotor intake system and hydraulic dropfloor, as below the table to increase wrap stability and well as a choice of two OptiCut intake rotors application, says the company. and Kuhn’s IntelliWrap system. John Deere’s C451R and C461R The FBP 3135 BalePack is a fixed-chamber The i-BIO+ is an ultra-compact lightweight variable-chamber wrapping balers feature a round baler-wrapper combination designed for and manoeuvrable machine ideally suited to full-frame chassis and use the Fast Release high output working. sloping ground, smaller fields and areas with System in conjunction with a high capacity restricted access. The first combination feeding system. The balers now feature a 15% baler-wrapper to offer Kuhn’s film-binding faster wrapper working at 40rpm and an 18% machine. A moving transfer arm pushes the bale system, it also operates with conventional net faster table transfer system compared with the onto the lower table. To prevent it from slipping, binding with a simple switch between them. previous C440R model. These new wrapping the bale transfer ramp is also equipped with The FBP 3135 BalePack is a fixed-chamber balers are also available with a tandem axle as moving side parts. The tilt angle of the main round baler-wrapper combination designed for standard. chamber has also been reduced to 8° to high output working. Both designs handle bales Fendt’s solution is the Rotana Combi improve stability on slopes and the throughput of the combi-machines. all Rotana Combi machines There’s a smooth bale transfer on the 155 VC PRO to the twin satellite wrapper unit. have a film preload as standard and there’s a choice of three different spans, depending on the type and quality of the film. Claas has its Uniwrap, available for the fixed-chamber Rollant 455/454 and 375 balers. The wrapping process has been accelerated by over 30% –– just 23 secs for six layers of film –– while bale transfer takes 12 secs. Pre-stretching of up to 82% ensures airtight bale wrapping and reduced film consumption, says Claas.

crop production magazine july 2019 81 Telematics proves We’re keen “to tap into the data accumulated in its worth recent years and gain more from such technology. ”

Machinery On Farm Opinion The use of telemetry for wireless two-way instant This means wasted time and fuel returning Deere’s AutoTrac technology –– Deere is to base or having someone deliver it to the Sentry’s preferred tractor supplier. More transfer of data between machine. recently we’ve begun variably applying farm kit and computer tech Sentry’s Cambs farming business is seed and nutrients. moving to make the memory stick largely “The development of telematics and the is on the rise. CPM visits a redundant, however, using telemetry to greater levels of data management and Cambs farming operation move, process and present data. It’s analysis it brings means we’re keen to tap valued by arable manager Ed King for into the data accumulated in recent years where John Deere and its its ability to wirelessly and immediately and gain more from such technology. With local dealer are helping to transfer data from machine to computer Ed working alongside Ben Burgess and and vice-versa. This is not just for John Deere to create a model reference get the most from the record creation but also to allow remote farm here for AMS and its FarmSight tools, technology. monitoring of ongoing activities and including JDLink telematics for use in job, machine health both by himself and –– field and fleet management, we have the By Martin Rickatson with his permission –– by the dealer. Under opportunity to find out what’s possible, set the guidance of regional director John Hall, some standards and apply them across Ed’s driving an initiative to help realise the all our farms.” Between thumb and forefinger, Ed King value of this technology across the Sentry Comprising 300ha farmed around holds up and examines a computer business. memory stick. One of the smallest day-to-day implements of modern farm Reference farm management, it’s an easily recognisable With the help of John Deere and its local tool of the trade for those who practise dealer, Ben Burgess, the aim is to create a precision farming, with its ability to store ‘reference farm’ at Sentry’s Chatteris base and transfer records, field maps and a to show the full capabilities of Deere’s suite huge amount of information. of Agricultural Management Solutions Yet for all its capabilities, it’s delicate, (AMS) precision farming systems and easy to lose, can become corrupted and technologies, under which its telematics still has to be moved physically between technology falls. From there, the plan is farm office computer and tractor, sprayer to help roll out use of the technology or combine when up or downloading data. across the wider Sentry business. While the latter doesn’t sound like a big “We’ve been increasing our use of undertaking, you could be left in a field an precision farming technology across Sentry Ed King (right, with John Hall) has been charged hour from the farm, with a corrupted or arable units year-on-year,” explains John. with driving an initiative to help realise the value incorrect stick, or without one at all “That began with yield mapping, and of telemetry and telematics across the Sentry because it’s been mistakenly left behind. progressed to auto-steering using John business.

82 crop production magazine july 2019 On Farm Opinion

Chatteris for multiple landowners, plus a up in its precision farming activity was an further 300ha nearby at Downham upgrade from 15cm auto-steering signal Market, Sentry’s Cambs operation grows guidance to full 2.5cm RTK for the farm’s combinable crops, with crop establishment drilling tractor, in order to also switch to services carried out on another 250ha, controlled traffic. and the business also providing individual “We plough and use an Amazone Cirrus contract operations. With soils spanning cultivator drill for winter barley and peas on clay loam through to sand over gravel, our lighter soils, but are gradually working yield mapping has been used for some towards full direct drilling on our heavier years to identify areas of significant land,” explains Ed. variation. Over the past year, this has AMS allows Ed to monitor ongoing activities and been supported by fully-updated Switch to RTK machine health remotely and – with his SOYLsense soil analysis and mapping “In the same year as the switch to RTK permission – so can the dealer. plus variable-rate drilling. guidance, via a mobile RTK solution signal “Two years ago we began talking with supplied from our dealer Ben Burgess’s Deere and Ben Burgess about the costs RTK network, fields were mapped and, traffic paths and tramlines can be shared and benefits of bringing more aspects pre-drilling, tramlines established on the across all of our tractors via the of precision farming into our everyday farm PC, this information then being MyJohnDeere telematics portal. practices,” says John. accessible remotely by the drilling tractor. A central, secure web portal accessible “The offer was made to help us set up a Wireless data transfer means this mapping, via a PC, tablet or smartphone that L ‘reference farm’ to identify the equipment we required, and increase our knowledge of and confidence in the capabilities and value of telematics, so we could aid the adoption of the technology on other Sentry units. “As a recent recruit to the team, joining us four years ago as a trainee, Ed brings a new skill set, and being young and especially proficient in this area of technology, he’s taken on the mantle of precision farming specialist within Sentry. As he develops his knowledge of its uses and benefits here, he’ll use that experience to help other managers.” With the farm’s purchase two years ago of a John Deere 750A direct drill to minimise soil movement for blackgrass control, one of the first moves in the step

Using the MyJohnDeree app on his smartphone, Ed can remotely check work progress, fuel levels and other data.

crop production magazine july 2019 83 On Farm Opinion

partner by implementing a data owner/manager and/or dealer communication interface to to remotely access the display to the Operations Center in provide operator assistance, MyJohnDeere.com. It also monitor and possibly address created a physical data storage issues with the tractor without location in Europe, in which it attending site, saving downtime promises full data security and service costs, says Paul. and privacy. “The second version, JDLink Paul Moss is FarmSight Connect, which Sentry Cambs is specialist with Ben Burgess, and using, is a subscription-based guided Ed through the initial service that provides all the learning/training process once JDLink Access benefits plus the business had subscribed to wireless data transfer for Land farmed by Sentry Cambs comprises a block around Chatteris and one JDLink and remote data transfer sending/receiving agronomic at Downham Market, plus crop establishment and contracting for others. and analysis could commence. data such as prescription and “A single login leads to the as-applied maps.” various John Deere apps Co-ordinating the farm’s L connects users to data from with a power source, system onMyJohnDeere.com, such as new RTK-accurate A-B lines their machines, MyJohnDeere.com openness, seamless integration the JDLink telematics app and with SOYL-derived nutrient is used for up/downloading of products and systems the Operations Centre app, mapping, both uploaded to field, fleet and machine info, and transfer of data, and which provides an overview of MyJohnDeere.com on the office monitoring machines and comprehensive data privacy machine location and work PC and then accessible through analysing data. Deere’s and security. progress,” he explains. the John Deere GreenStar FarmSight portfolio encompasses The company also promised terminal in the tractor cab, has the maker’s machines, AMS to work with firms such as Data handling meant that this year for the first precision farming technology and implement manufacturers, input “The Data and Account time the farm variably-applied dealer-driven remote services. suppliers and software providers. Management system within nutrients. At JDLink’s launch, Deere It’s taken an ‘open system’ MyJohnDeere.com ensures “Throughout the year, committed to all-makes approach and inviting virtually secure data handling and satellite imagery uploaded to connectivity to any machine any firm to become a John Deere protection, and accounts are MyJohnDeere helped gauge set up so that only the customer each field’s additional nitrogen controls data access. needs, allowing us to “There are two JDLink variably-apply accordingly,” subscription levels. Free, says Ed. entry-level JDLink Access + RDA “Similarly, for pretty much any provides remote machine moni- field task that relies on data, field toring and location-based data. maps and/or guidance, the Using the machine’s CANbus required information is available system, analysis of engine load via MyJohnDeere at the touch helps identify the time spent of a screen button on the doing different tasks and on terminal in the tractor cab as idling, to target improvements in well as on the farm PC and my working efficiency.” phone. The only information The RDA element (remote I can’t see on the latter are the display access) enables the maps.

A move to RTK and progress towards CTF followed the purchase of a John Deere 750A direct drill.

84 crop production magazine july 2019 On Farm Opinion

“Being able to track location is especially useful when carting –– I know exactly where trailers are and how soon one is likely to return. It’s also handy for seeing how much of an operation has been completed, knowing when fuel is required and spotting an issue with a tractor or implement, perhaps before the driver has had time to contact me.” Conversely, he’s also received occasional The Operations Centre app on MyJohnDeere notifications from his dealer of tractor issues A modular telematics gateway (MTG) box will provides an overview of machine location and that required attention. allow the JD StarFire receiver to be used with work progress. “Dealer monitoring, for which we’ve given the tracked tractor hired in this summer. permission to Ben Burgess, has proved its “With the spread of land we work across, worth a couple of times when they’ve notified it’s good to not rely on a memory stick, with us of machine operating issues, which we’ve our system.” the associated risks of damage or the wrong then been able to investigate.” Compatibility will be further tested when information, and it’s reassuring that data the farm takes on a 350hp tracked tractor of transfer is guaranteed 100% reliable and Further support a different make on a short-term hire this instantly up-to-date. In addition to our own Of the further support available from his summer, primarily for soil loosening with a work, that’s particularly important for the dealer, Ed says he has had little need of 12-leg/6m Grange toolbar. contract tasks we undertake when it comes it yet, but reckons the initial face-to-face “We’ll require a modular telematics to logging jobs and billing. With RTK training with someone who knows the gateway (MTG) box to marry the tractor to mapping and instant data recording, system well was useful in helping learn to the John Deere StarFire receiver and we know exactly how much work has been get the best from it. GreenStar terminal that we’ll put on the done.” “We’ve probably not yet used anywhere tractor in order to transfer data wirelessly, but Part of the Operations Centre of the near all of what the system can do –– things while we won’t be able to monitor the tractor user’s personalised MyJohnDeere.com like finding and ordering parts is one area, itself, once this is installed the field data web portal, the MyJobsConnect job although we do use it to check parts transfer to MyJohnDeere.com should work management tool can be accessed numbers when ordering on the phone,” as well as with a Deere tractor,” either from the office computer or continues Ed. says Ed. tablet/smartphone app, with transmitted “The next step would be linking what “As a contract farming company this data information including job type, customer our sprayer is doing wirelessly to management is just as important to us as if and field names, product application (eg Gatekeeper, which we use for crop we owned the land –– it makes us more seed or fertiliser rates) and the equipment recording, and then link to our stock efficient. Our farming is based on short-term used. It also makes possible viewing of recording and auditing through agreements, but we farm for the long term, machine locations and work progress. MyJohnDeere. Currently I’m manually targeting the best returns by using the right entering agronomist recommendations equipment. The management of data into Gatekeeper.” accumulated, though, remains ultimately with Farm facts There is a compatibility issue, however. the farm owner, to whom it would pass were “Although the GreenStar 4600 terminal used we to leave a farm. “Telematics isn’t so much about hardware Sentry Cambridgeshire, Chatteris, Cambs in our sprayer tractor is the latest version, it cannot talk to Gatekeeper, while the older –– we already had the necessary satellite G Area farmed: 600ha plus a further receivers, in-cab terminals, office PC 250ha of contract crop establishment GS2630 used in our other main tractor can. Ultimately this should be addressed so we and smartphone. It’s about a little extra G Soil type: Clay loam through to sand investment in software to help get much over gravel can make this a completely paperless and wireless process, from recommendations to more out of the technology. It means I’m G Cropping: Winter wheat, winter OSR, able to do more management from the winter barley, spring barley, spring peas, job recording.” tractor seat –– there are only two of us plus land let for parsnips and potatoes He notes that Deere’s compatibility claim is borne out by the fact the farm’s trailed full-time.” G Staff: Ed King and one full time arable John says long-term relationships operator 36m sprayer is of a different make. “We run a Horsch, operated via ISOBUS between Sentry, Ben Burgess and John G Tractors: John Deere 7290R, 6215R, Deere have been instrumental in helping 6210R, plus harvest/autumn hire of through the Deere GS4600 terminal, and put in place a system he believes has the 320hp crawler have had no compatibility issues, either with operating the sprayer or recording and potential to bring about significant savings G Combine: 9m Claas Lexion 580+ transferring operating data. Wireless in management and maintenance costs. G Sprayer: 36m Horsch Leeb GS trailed data transfer really comes into its own “This pilot project to allow us to assess G Drills: 6m John Deere 750A, 6m the benefits of telematics required a Amazone Cirrus when spraying, for things like sending field/tramline maps and recommendations. three-way commitment between us, making G Key cultivation equipment: Kuhn 6f dealer and manufacturer trust essential, plough, 6m Väderstad Carrier, 6m Grange Once it’s mapped and its tramlines are but we’ve seen tangible results that have low disturbance toolbar, 3m Sumo Trio placed and recorded the first time, any new contract land is instantly logged into convinced us of its value.” I

crop production magazine july 2019 85 Farmers Mind out in“ 20 years’ time will think of themselves in a completely different for 4IR way. ”

Machinery Digital Direction Photo: Shutterstock (Visual generation) and Tim Scrivener

Politicians enthuse about it, a generation of producers searching for a investors (mostly farmers) as well as but whether farming will new paradigm of what it actually means to government funding through its Industrial be a farmer. Strategy. Some of the UK’s brightest brains embrace the fourth industrial It’s this complete change of mindset in robotics and AI are now working with revolution or sit sceptically that lies at the heart of the farming vision SRC on developing the prototypes and towards which the Small Robot Company algorithms (see panel overleaf). behind the curve may depend (SRC) is striving, explains co-founder and But Sam believes it’s just part of a on a change of mindset. CPM Shrops farmer Sam Watson-Jones. “It’s all seismic change agriculture will undergo very well developing a new concept and a over the next 10-20 years. “The whole explores the World of new service that will carry out field work. Opportunity. But the danger is that the industry will simply look on Small Robots as tractor By Tom Allen-Stevens replacements –– the change is far more fundamental,” he says.

Team of farmbots As a CPM reader, who leans towards SRC launched around 18 months ago with the progressive side of agriculture, that the concept of a new service where field headline probably drew you in. But have work would be carried out by a team of you truly considered what farming’s three farmbots: Tom, Dick and Harry will fourth industrial revolution (4IR) could plant, feed and weed arable crops mean for your business, how you interact autonomously, while Wilma is the AI with your land, with society and your (artificial intelligence) brain behind the family, and how you will exist as a operation, gathering and storing data and farmer? applying algorithms to decide tasks. The That may sound a bit touchy-feely for an aim is to cut chemicals by up to 95%, industry that talks in terms of hp per m prevent soil erosion and run-off, and width, that seeks to shave a few % off fuel reduce cultivation emissions by up to 90%. Sam Watson-Jones believes the change currently use, and which applies an agrochemical Significant cost-of-production savings are underway in agriculture’s fourth industrial just in time for an incremental yield gain. on the cards for farmers. revolution is far more fundamental than just But 4IR could do away with all such Since its launch, SRC has attracted an upgrade in tractor technology. measures and more, and leave in its wake £2.5M in funding, both from private

86 crop production magazine july 2019 Digital Direction concept of the digital farm opens up a completely new range of possibilities,” he says. “The most successful farmers will be those who look beyond the boundaries that currently limit what the business does. They’ll take on new measures towards achieving a different set of goals –– farmers in 20 years’ time will think of themselves in a completely different way.” And there’s the rub –– farming, more than other industries, has historically been relatively reluctant to change, he suggests. “If my great grandfather was to come back to our farm today, I reckon it wouldn’t take him long before he was up Britney (left) and Rachael – the two prototypes of farmbot Tom who will monitor fields on a plant by to speed with how the business operated. plant basis. Compare that to a pre-war doctor or engineer –– technology has transformed know how to market their innovations and closed doors,” explains David. beyond recognition the way in which so have an infrastructure in place that sets Defra-funded work, published in many other industries operate.” out to understand end users, their needs, Nov 2016, identified 15 factors that are It’s a concern shared by Defra and and preferences. This ultimately makes influential in convincing farmers and AHDB –– both have commissioned uptake of their products far more likely.” advisers to use decision-support tools. research to explore farmers’ decision-making In agriculture, however, so often the These are seen as a route to lead users behaviour. Dr David Rose of the University innovations are developed with no farmer through decision-making, but similar of East Anglia has led some of this and involvement at all, so adoption can be a factors influence uptake of innovations. has more recently looked at how the slow process. “The user-centric design is The core factors are: farming industry can overcome some of so important, but one of the difficulties for 1. Performance expectancy – the desire the barriers to change. a manufacturer bringing a new product to for a tool to perform well “It’s a big problem in agriculture,” he market is commercial sensitivity –– that’s 2. Ease of use – instantaneous results says. “Companies like Apple and Google why so much innovation goes on behind from a tool that’s user-friendly L Digital Direction

L 3. Peer recommendation – endorsement A number of factors modify the strength technology –– it’s the enquiring mind,” from another farmer or through an of the core factors: age, farm size, farm David says. “So simply introducing a new adviser network is a key determinant type, and level of IT education. Facilitating system to monitor a key variable, such as 4. Trust – there must be faith in the source conditions, such as broadband availability tiller counts, could be just as innovative as of the tool and ability to use the tool in wet weather, using a drone or an app.” 5. Cost – a free tool is more likely to be affect use. Finally, there are driving factors, Ask yourself if you regularly try tried such as whether its use is needed for something different, he suggests. “If you 6. Habit – whether it fits in with a farmer’s compliance purposes and the level of make mistakes, that’s good, as long as usual routine marketing a tool receives. you learn from them.” 7. Relevance to user – it should be flexible But once it reaches the farmer, how can to serve the needs of the individual you tell if you’re someone who’s more Collaborative outlook 8. Farmer-adviser compatibility – it works receptive to new thinking? “The first point And a crucial aspect is to look beyond well when both use the same tool is that it doesn’t have to be about new the farm gate and to have an open,

The robotic route – evolution of a pioneering technology

–– that technology has come on in leaps and other sectors. We’re looking at how we can use VR bounds so that Tom is now navigating with much for example to give agronomists a better remote greater accuracy and efficiency,” he continues. view of crops than the poor resolution, top-down “He’s also about to acquire a nose –– we’re view offered by satellites and drones. AR could working with partners developing a sensor that give you an insight into your crops you’d never detects volatile organic compounds that will bring get with the naked eye.” valuable data on soil health and nutrient status.” SRC is also working with others across industry The first prototype ‘T4’ has also been trialled. to develop a set of human-robot interaction (HRI) The Tactical Tall-Tom Trolley is a somewhat larger protocols. “We don’t want to be on the back foot four-wheel-steer high-clearance bot, designed to with legislation; that’s already caught out drone capture data from up to a metre above the crop technology. The aim is to develop rules proactively The visibility SRC has had across all sectors later in the season. “Over the summer we’ll be that regulators will accept as industry standard.” has brought in expertise and innovations from working on the redesign of Tom so he’s ready With the technology advancing at such a pace, a far broader field than just agriculture, says to go for the start of the next cropping season,” however, Ben admits it’s a challenge just to stay Ben Scott-Robinson. says Ben. focused. “This is where the farmer involvement The prototype of Dick and Harry –– Jack –– through the FAG has proved invaluable, and where was seen first by farmers at last year’s CropTec. the Hundred Club will also come in –– everything SRC has had an intensive year of gathering data This is an arachnid, four-legged design that folds currently is driving towards delivering a service and putting the technology through its paces, with in for transport and will soon carry up to a that will be valued by farmers as soon as possible. the two current prototypes of Tom –– Rachael one-tonne payload. “We’ve been carrying out It’s a massive task we’ve set ourselves, but I’m and Britney. The engineering and AI team is now load and motion testing with the aim of bringing actually surprised how much we’ve already just about to start a ‘Super Secret Summer Camp’ a moving Jack into the field this autumn,” achieved, and that buoys us towards our goal.” at its new headquarters in Salisbury. he reports. “It’s a bit like a hackathon,” explains SRC “Now electronic weed-zapping technology co-founder Ben Scott-Robinson. “We have a vast is under development for next year.” Jack, the prototype of Dick and Harry, first seen amount of data to process which is shaping the But it’s the AI brain behind the bots, Wilma, at CropTec, has an arachnid, folding design algorithms. There’s also the design of Tom himself who may have received the biggest transformation and will soon carry up to a one-tonne payload. to refine. The team will hunker down and focus on over the past 12 months. “The first step she Photo: StillVision Photography delivering a pre-commercial service to our Farmer achieved last year was to recognise wheat from Advisory Group (FAG) members this autumn.” non-wheat. She’s made huge strides this season Since SRC started, it’s captured huge interest in weed recognition, and our focus now is on and publicity as well as picking up a raft of blackgrass –– the first service we’ll be rolling technology awards. This has been important out will be reliable weed recognition and to draw in funding, as well as to help recruit geo-location.” leading-edge talent in robotics and AI from across Ben’s tight-lipped on details of just what sort of the UK and further afield, says Ben. “The visibility service farmers can expect to see this autumn. we’ve had across all sectors has brought in “What’s exciting is that there really is nothing else expertise and innovations from a far broader field like this in agriculture at present. We’ve also been than just agriculture.” developing a web-user interface that will bring It means the two prototypes are equipped with farmers and agronomists into Wilma’s world.” an impressive array of gadgetry that tells the This is the area that could see a dramatic robot exactly where it is, as well as sensors and leap forward in the near future, and not just in cameras to capture crop growth and status. “For agriculture, he enthuses. “Augmented and virtual full autonomy, precise geo-referencing is essential reality (AR and VR) systems are being developed in

88 crop production magazine july 2019 Digital Direction collaborative outlook. “The peer-to-peer of that, there are fundamental issues that all approach is one of the strongest drivers of operators in this space face –– whether change in agriculture. Those who leave the autonomous technology is safe to use, and farm to go to farmer meetings, who join the socio-economic impact on the industry.” farmer networks, with the aim of learning But David believes some of the something new –– as well as sharing difficulties new technologies struggle with knowledge –– are most likely to catch the may be managed through SRC’s Farming as bow wave of positive change.” a Service (FaaS) concept –– the farmer So what’s his verdict on SRC? “Perhaps doesn’t buy the robots, but pays for a the biggest challenge it faces is delivering service to be delivered, with all the technical on performance expectancy –– proving intricacies of the technology handled by there’s value to a system that’s still very SRC engineers. “This service-based model much at concept stage will be key. On top addresses big barriers, such as lack of technical knowledge, and so long as there’s acost-benefit, the initial cost of buying the David Rose says there’s much to be learned from technology is minimised.” companies like Apple and Google, who know how What makes SRC stand out in his view is to market their innovations. the collaborative approach, however. The concept started through a series of farmer interviews, and a farmer advisory group is making sure you are consulting all types regularly consulted and kept up to date with of farmers, not just the keenest ones,” progress. “There seems to be a real appetite notes David. to consult and engage with the farming Sam points out the farmer involvement is community, shown in the way SRC has set being expanded, through SRC’s Hundred out to understand farmers, the problems Club. This panel of additional farmers will they face and address them. This user-led join the initial 20 and come on board as the Introducing a new system to monitor tiller counts approach has a lot going for it, and I think first to trial SRC’s robotics service when it’s could be just as innovative as using a drone or the work they’ve done so far is interesting, ready for large-scale commercial trials in an app. although there’s always the challenge of 2021, as well as helping the technology take

crop production magazine july 2019 89 Digital Direction

The Small Robot Company – how to get involved

The Hundred Club – a wider advisory panel of three years, starting Nov 2019. Cost: £1200/yr, farmers, who are regularly consulted as the with a tenfold return guarantee. technology takes shape and will trial SRC’s Farmer investors – join the hundreds of farmers robotics service when it’s ready for large-scale who took a stake in farming’s future and invested commercial trials in 2021. Contact SRC for during the recent Crowdcube funding campaign, further information and the application form to which raised £1.2M in equity. The campaign has join the group. closed, but there will be future opportunities to Farm Ambition Blueprint – a business invest. Contact SRC to join the prospective For farmers with the right mindset, the thinking coaching programme designed to develop your investor list. strategies are far more valuable than any thinking about how new technologies could G For more details on how to get involved technology they’ll take on and adapt in the future. change your business and open up new with The Small Robot Company and to view opportunities. Similar to Harper Adams’ new The Ambitious Farmer, a book which explores the L shape. “But we’re very much focused on Adopting Precision Technology in Agriculture personal journal of technological change, go to seeking out the keenest farmers who will (APTA) course, FAB focuses on personal http://www:smallrobotcompany.com/farmambition champion the technology going forward,” development. Full-day quarterly workshops over he adds.

Farm Ambition Blueprint addressing the hundreds of operational which is where SRC’s specialist knowledge He’s taken the focus on mindset one step decisions we take every day, we ignore the comes in. further, too, with the Farm Ambition Blueprint two or three big ones that really point “There’s never been a better time to really (FAB). This is a series of full-day, quarterly towards achieving our goals,” explains Sam. explore this,” enthuses Sam. “We’re living in workshops that take place over the course of So the workshops aim to give an age where robotics are at a level that’s three years. The purpose of the programme participants more clarity about what actually useful for farmers. Couple that is to develop thinking about how new they want their farm to become and a with our ability to gather data, and it now technologies could change your business better focus on activities that add the really is possible to think of a crop on a and open up new opportunities. most value. This is all presented within plant-by-plant basis. But alongside this, AI “As farmers, often we’re so wrapped up in the context of technology convergence, has developed to a level where many of the

90 crop production magazine july 2019 Digital Direction

Digital Direction

As arable farms progress towards a digital Small Robot Company future, it can be difficult to know which forms of is reimagining farming data generation, capture and analysis provide a with robotics and artificial really worthwhile benefit to the business, and intelligence. Its farmbots which are costly and time-wasting distractions. Tom, Dick and Harry will CPM is working with some of the industry’s plant, feed and weed leading companies in this area to bring growers arable crops some Digital Direction. These articles track the autonomously, with significant steps on the journey towards the minimal waste. This will data-enabled farm, and also explain and profile enable farmers to be the technologies involved. more efficient, more precise and more CPM would like to thank the Small Robot productive, and is also kinder to soil and the Company for sponsoring this Digital Direction environment. article and for providing privileged access to staff www.smallrobotcompany.com and material used to help bring it together. hundreds of decisions needed to nurture “Over three years of investing in FAB, What makes SRC stand out is the collaborative each of these plants can be done without we’ll give you ideas and strategies that, approach, with farmers such as Andrew Hoad, farmer involvement.” if executed, can create a minimum of a of Waitrose’s Leckford Estate, one of its farmer And potentially, that redefines entirely the tenfold return on your total investment in advisory group. role of the farmer itself, he argues. “FAB is the programme. If, at the end of the first about focusing on the farm business rather year, you don’t feel that you’re on the way invest in their personal development who’ll be than being lost within it.” He accepts that to realising this and you’re not getting the ones who’ll reap the rewards from 4IR. few farmers, “only the most ambitious”, value from the tools and techniques we’re “For the right farmer, with the right mindset would stump up the £1200/yr total cost of offering, we’ll provide you with a full and right approach, the thinking strategies the workshops, but is offering a tenfold refund,” assures Sam. are far more valuable than any technology return guarantee. But he’s confident that it’s those who they’ll take on and adapt in the future.” I

crop production magazine july 2019 91 yield responses from the seed-borne disease. works at the seedling stage, addition of CTL were on Unfortunately, research to date but plants with this gene are average over 1t/ha. There has not established a good more susceptible to later wasn’t a similar response from correlation between the quantity infections. the inclusion of other multisite of ramularia DNA in the seed Are there other means of fungicides available such as and how much eventually controlling the disease through folpet or mancozeb. appears in the leaf of an an integrated management So what exactly makes infected plant. approach? There’s a definite it a unique and difficult Wheat, oats, and rye can need for investigations of disease to control? all get ramularia, but the drilling date, rotation, cultivation The fungus is whole rubellin mechanism is methods, bio-pesticide use The new global predominantly seed-borne, supressed in those crops, and resistance elicitors such and it grows systemically and resulting in no leaf symptoms. as laminarin. Seed treatments threat to barley asymptomatically in the plant. This maybe an important using microwaves, steam and It’s undetectable until the plant clue to enable scientists to hot water have been tested changes from vegetative to understand how the disease with varying degrees of Have you driven past a crop reproductive growth, and some can be supressed and whether success. of barley as it’s coming into “stress event” takes place. a microbiological mechanism All in all, this is a disease full ear, looking great, then a Stress triggers the production can be introduced genetically with some real concerns in the week later you drive past the of toxins called rubellins, which into barley either through gene absence of the only fungicide same field and it looks as if cause the chlorosis and necrotic editing or genetic modification. that controls it. The only positive someone has sprayed it with spotting on the leaves. There are no varieties with note is that there are many of glyphosate? That’s how quickly Flowering can be enough to resistance to ramularia within the best research scientists and the devastating effects of trigger this response, but the UK, nor globally. AHDB plant breeders in the world ramularia can take place. there’s also evidence that withdrew their resistance working together on developing Ramularia is fast becoming waterlogging and possibly late ratings as they were proving to solutions that will hopefully be a global problem in winter and season PGRs can also act as be unreliable between years, with us in the not too distant spring barley production, and a trigger. and within a season between future. is now present in 14 countries. More knowledge is needed trial sites. One fact that does It’s quite easy to confuse the as to what physiological seem to receive unanimous disease for net blotch and other changes occur in the plant endorsement from the Formerly technical abiotic leaf effects, although the that induce the changes in scientists, is that varieties with director at Velcourt, 5R rule helps (see picture). the behaviour of the fungus, the mildew resistance gene Keith Norman is an Having been to two ramularia i.e. the point it changes from (mlo) are more susceptible independent consultant research meetings in the last endophytic to necrotrophic. to the pathogen, although who avidly pursues six months, agronomists and It’s also thought that the the reasons are not well innovation in agriculture. researchers from as far afield expression of rubellin and the understood. There also seems @KeithNorman_Ag as New Zealand and Uruguay leaf symptoms are dependent to be a resistance gene that are saying the same thing: on light intensity. Laboratory there’s no genetic resistance trials have shown that light The five tell-tale signs of ramularia: Rectangular lesions, Ring of chlorosis and there’s broad-based intensity prior to inoculation around the lesion, necrosis is Right through the leaf, Reddish brown resistance to strobilurins, produces greater rubellin colouration, and Restricted by leaf veins. triazoles and SDHIs. Ramularia production than plants grown is classed as a high-risk under low light conditions. pathogen to resistance, equal Could chlorothalonil be acting to septoria, and investigations like a sunscreen and preventing have shown that many different some UV light penetration mutations to the key fungicides into the leaf tissues, thereby all co-exist. minimising the stimulation The only fungicide that offers of rubellin formation? Leaf any control is chlorothalonil, wetness around flowering is soon to be lost throughout also a key influencer in the Europe due to regulation. This amount of disease expression. is a shame as I’ve seen several Logically, one would have fungicide trials on winter barley thought that a seed test over the past few years, and could determine the risk of where ramularia was present, the disease, with it being a

92 crop production magazine july 2019 When I look“ at wheat, what I see is diversity – all the phenotypes and all the potential. ” The science of Innovation Grow the best wheat selection

There’s an art to choosing NIAB Cereals Cup in 2015 for its outstanding way it grows –– it’s erect with the ears potential winners from the merit and value in the marketplace. But bunched up, unlike others that spread hundreds of crosses a you’d hardly recognise the distinctive parent out into the space available.” from the variety of wheats that scatter this But Skyfall didn’t jump out of the ear rows modern plant breeder makes field. completely by chance. Like most modern every year, but increasingly “When I look at wheat, what I see is varieties, it was screened using genetic diversity –– all the phenotypes and all the markers to help breeders zero in on wheats genetics and clever science potential,” enthuses Célia. “So the height, of interest. The DNA of a variety is assessed put confidence into the the strength of the stem, whether the flag early on for alleles, or gene sequences, that leaf is wide and floppy or narrow and erect. match with known phenotypic traits. decisions made. CPM visits Does the ear have close, compact florets, In Skyfall’s case, the genetic markers RAGT’s UK plant-breeding or is it more lax? I look for the lovely, even identified little more than its resistance to rectangular shape, rather than a tapered ear, orange wheat blossom midge and to station to get an insight. that may produce poorer grain set at its tip.” eyespot. But the technology has come on in leaps and bounds in recent years as more By Tom Allen-Stevens Breeding technology has been understood about the wheat It’s the breeder’s eye, combined with the genome, and the cost of unravelling its latest breeding technology, that delivers complex chromosomes has come down. Rather as a schoolteacher might pass what RAGT believes is its ability to put into “The beauty of our facility here at Ickleton through the classroom, Célia Bequain the marketplace the best wheats in the UK. is that we apply the genetic markers early passes through the ear rows of RAGT’s There are tens of thousands of combinations on. We now have a very strong base of L wheat-breeding program at Ickleton, made every year and it’s the skill of the Cambs. breeding team to whittle that down to the few This is the very first venture out into the star performers that may one day take pole field for these wheat crosses, each row position on the AHDB Recommended List. grown from just a single unique ear, and Skyfall itself is a cross of Hurricane with they’ve recently come into ear themselves. C4148. “It came from our N European As senior wheat breeder, Célia’s checking to breeding centre at Prémesques, near Lille. see how they perform, stooping occasionally C4148 is from an exotic background, bred to take a closer look, to straighten a flag leaf especially to bring in new genetics, and or inspect their stems. that’s probably why Skyfall has been so In one row, she bends a wheat ear and successful,” explains Célia. “It was tested smiles. “It’s lovely to see the progeny of in both France and the UK, but showed up Skyfall. It may be the number one wheat but early on as one that performed well in the I know what I have here is an improvement UK, particularly well suited to our climate. on its quality, yield and disease resistance.” “What I like about Skyfall is the way it Each row in these plots is grown from just a It’s one of hundreds of progenies from the looks –– lovely short, stiff straw, with good single unique ear. landmark variety which was awarded the fertile, well shaped ears. It’s notable for the

crop production magazine july 2019 93 Grow the best wheat

and there are usually seven or eight before a variety enters National List trials, by which time the millions of potential new lines that started off the programme have been narrowed down to just ten.

Single seed descent “We accelerate the programme through single seed descent, which allows us to grow two to three generations in a year, but it still takes over six years to stabilise a variety Plant breeders accelerates the programme enough to meet DUS (distinctiveness, through single seed descent, that allows them uniformity, stability) standards. I prefer not to grow two to three generations in a year. to use double-haploid (DH) techniques, Célia Bequain with the progeny of Skyfall – to give us the chance to observe more good use is genomic selection (GS). “This crosses that promise an improvement on the recombinations –– at early generations I can puts all of our phenotypic and genotyping parent’s quality, yield and disease resistance. choose tens of lines from any of the close to data through a software model –– it’s a bit 1000 crosses we made. With DH, the cost like a virtual breeder, although it relies on the L phenotypic data that gives us real and reduction in genetic variation means skill of a breeder to input good information. confidence in what the data tells us,” that the technique is better limited to specific Initially we used it towards the end of a explains Célia. This is the breeder’s crosses.” programme, but increasingly it’s helping us proprietary knowledge –– RAGT has But one new technique Célia does put to identify parents to cross with.” associated what’s seen in the field by the breeder with the data coming through on its genome. It allows for an effective and reliable way to screen the millions of initial progenies the breeder generates every year and discard those that will clearly never make a variety of note, she says. “We’ve really focused on making sure the phenotypic data is robust. All of our strong base of knowledge is linked back to the genetic base, and we now apply these genetic markers at every level, starting with Florets are more spaced out on a lax ear (left) while a tapered ear (right) may produce poorer grain set the parents.” at its tip. This follows down through the generations Science puts confidence into the art of the breeder

As head of genotyping for cereals at RAGT, Chris resistance is controlled by a number of different afield, such as CIMMYT (the International Maize Burt puts the data behind the breeder’s eye. He genes, which each have a moderate effect –– it’s and Wheat Improvement Centre, based in runs the genotyping lab at Ickleton, one of two not absolute like OWBM resistance. The genes Mexico). We’re constantly looking for novel operated by RAGT in Europe, the other being in also have an effect on yield and other traits. But as material to enrich our breeders’ programmes.” France. Here, winter wheat, winter and spring we understand more about the wheat genome and Chris sits on the breeders’ panel of the barley, pasta wheat and triticale are the main crop apply this though our models, we’re improving the Designing Future Wheat programme –– a types pulled apart, scrutinised and annotated. genetic markers we use, and are getting better at BBSRC-funded programme spanning eight “A trait the breeder spots phenotypically in reliably identifying the varieties with promise.” research institutes and universities which aims to the field, I want to understand genetically, and Increasingly, he also produces whole genome develop new wheat germplasm containing the develop ways to track it through molecular profiles of varieties and breeding lines. “This feeds next generation of key traits. “We prefer to be markers,” he says. our GS models and also helps us focus in on as open and collaborative as possible with our For some traits, this is now relatively easy and specific areas of the wheat genome we’re pre-breeding work.” saves a huge amount of screening and time, he interested in, such as areas we know have a link Chris believes the application of science and explains. “Orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM) with yield.” genetics RAGT puts to its breeding programme is associated with a very narrow part of the wheat The material he receives comes mainly from shows through in the way the company genome, so the genetic marker for this trait is within RAGT, which operates 17 research stations consistently brings forward leading varieties. now well established –– it’s why the proportion of across Europe, servicing the company’s 300 “There’s still every chance we’ll spot the happy varieties offering OWBM resistance has shot up in breeders and technicians. “We also analyse other accident in an ear row or cross made in the recent years. But it’s one of the most difficult breeders’ varieties –– under Plant Variety Rights glasshouse. Now we can apply robust genetic traits to identify phenotypically in the field.” (PVR) any variety on the EU Common Catalogue markers and analysis to what we’re seeing in However, traits such as septoria resistance can be crossed with our lines to generate new the field and that puts more confidence into the and baking quality are more complex. “Septoria varieties. We also bring in material from further decisions made early on.”

94 crop production magazine july 2019 Grow the best wheat

Breeding pipeline leads with strong wheat candidates

RAGT has four wheat varieties vying for a place result. Boasting a bullet-proof Hagberg, it stayed on the AHDB Recommended List for 2020/21: true in 2017, when other varieties lost theirs. RGT Saki – This Cougar/KWS Santiago cross is Baking trials are showing RGT Blossom up as a the one Célia is most excited about. That’s down consistent, top quality performer. to its combination of high treated and untreated yields, which is backed up by an impressive array Horizon hopefuls RGT Saki is a Cougar/KWS Santiago cross with of disease scores. OWBM resistance rounds off a Look out for RW41723, which is currently in NL2 high treated and untreated yields, backed up by promising package. and showing real promise as a good quality an impressive array of disease scores. RGT Wasabi and RGT Lantern – Two hard variety, says Célia. But perhaps what’s most feed varieties yielding a shade beneath RGT interesting here is its complicated parentage Saki, but both with a very attractive agronomic –– it’s part of RAGT’s parental development offering, reckons Célia. RGT Wasabi is a programme which brings in some exotic lines to Revelation/Santiago cross, with OWBM resistance, add some aspects you may not have seen before. as well as the Pch1 gene for eyespot resistance. Current yield scores put it 2% above Skyfall, with RGT Lantern has KWS Kielder and Relay in its a 7.5 for septoria and a 9 for both rusts. parentage, with OWBM resistance, and performs Three RGT Illustrious x Skyfall lines are in NL1. particularly well as a second wheat. They’re all a step-up from their prestigious RGT Blossom – This is the big quality hopeful parents, in yield, disease resistance and quality, One of three RGT Illustrious x Skyfall lines of the 2019 candidates, with a yield matching reckons Célia. All boast good treated and currently in NL1, this is a step-up from its Skyfall. Its parentage is complicated, says Célia, untreated yields and all have Pch1 eyespot prestigious parents, in yield, disease resistance with Gladiator, Solstice and Cordiale crossed with resistance as well as OWBM resistance. and quality. Gallant, and each bringing their strength into the

but it’s one that is constantly evolving and vying for her attention. “Genomic selection improving as we understand more about has undoubtedly helped us select the Skyfall the wheat genome and relate this to our crosses we now have, the first of which have own knowledge on how wheats behave. now entered NL trials. But no matter how far We can now trust it and use it in more technology comes, nothing will replace the creative ways.” feeling you get as a breeder being here in And the fruits of this bold reliance on the field, seeing how the variety expresses technology, backed up with the breeder’s itself, getting to know its character and eye, are in the plots and waving in the wind, where its true strengths lie.” I

Grow the best Chris Burt aims to understand genetically a trait the breeder spots phenotypically in the field, and A modern arable business relies on its main the cereals breeding programme from develops ways to track it through molecular cash crops to deliver to a high and consistent Monsanto in 2004. This brought with it all the markers. standard, and it’s the genetics it uses that breeding excellence and experience from underpin this performance. Modern breeding Cambridge-based Plant Breeding Institute (PBI), techniques have delivered outstanding varieties which defined the post-war UK plant-breeding This allows RAGT to bring greater in recent years, and an insight into how this is scene, and provided the backbone to the cereal diversity into its lines. Célia feels the current achieved can help identify the leading lines of varieties still in use. RL is too reliant on the progeny of just one the future. Today, nearly one hectare in every five growing parent variety –– Robigus –– and believes it’s In this series of sponsored articles, CPM has wheat across Europe has been sown with an through introducing new genetics that will teamed up with RAGT to explore how a variety is RAGT variety, while in the UK strong offerings bring superior performance. selected and how science improves the reliability in wheat, barley, oats and oilseed rape are The GS model is proficient at giving clarity and the speed with which a winner’s found and consistently among the leaders in the AHDB to results that may have been achieved from becomes a farmer’s favourite. Recommended Lists. two very different growing seasons, and this One hundred years of farming excellence gives the breeding team confidence when started for RAGT in 1919, with the creation of they believe they’ve identified a potential RAGT Plateau Central, a farmer co-operative in winner. “RGT Gravity was the first where southern France. It became a private company we really put the model to the test. GS in 1944, with plant breeding starting in 1962. confirmed what we were seeing in the field, Since then, RAGT has built up an enviable and that gave us confidence to multiply up reputation for excellence among the agricultural seed and bring it to market a year early,” and related industries. In the UK, a significant notes Célia. step for the company was when it bought “Gravity has helped validate the model,

crop production magazine july 2019 95 A pellet for all weathers

Research shows“ no increase in efficacy from including attractants in the formulation.”

Innovation Research Briefing

More than 20 years of phosphate that was appropriate for over the years. The most recent formulation, agriculture,” explains Peter Baumjohann, Sluxx HP has improved resistance to research into ferric head of technical support at Neudorff. moulding which means it remains palatable phosphate has resulted in A mutual pedigree in biorational products to slugs even when it’s lain on the soil made Certis the perfect marketing partner surface for several weeks,” he says. a formulation that’s the for a professional ferric phosphate product, A high-quality pellet is a prerequisite for world’s market leader. which was first registered in the UK in 2005 successful slug control and Peter points out for horticultural use as Ferramol, formulated that formulating a palatable pellet is no easy CPM talks to the company with 1% of the active ingredient. task. Sluxx HP contains durum wheat, which that first introduced ferric seems to be a favourite meal for slugs, and New formulation Neudorff have experimented with several phosphate and discovers how “The 1% pellet is applied at a dose rate different qualities of flour to find the one research knowledge has been of up to 50kg/ha which isn’t economic or which they find the tastiest. practical on broadacre crops. So we But unlike other pellets, Sluxx HP doesn’t transferred into successful developed a 3% formulation of ferric contain a specific attractant which Peter slug control in the field. phosphate for use in agriculture which has considers isn’t necessary in their formulation, a dose rate of 7kg/ha and this gained UK an opinion based on both field experience By Lucy de la Pasture approval in 2008 as Sluxx,” he explains. and scientific research. “We set out to find a molluscicide formulation that was suitable for all temperature situations in agriculture. The Ferric phosphate has been available to UK pellet needed to perform over a huge arable growers for more than a decade, but range –– from the high temperatures often its heritage stretches back to 1997 when it encountered where slug control is needed was first introduced as a molluscicide. in potatoes or during oilseed rape The company behind the discovery and establishment, to the much colder patented formulation of ferric (III) phosphate, temperatures when slug control is often is German manufacturer Neudorff, a necessary in cereal crops,” he comments. company that specialises in natural products Peter highlights that Neudorff now have and is better known in the UK for their ferric phosphate registrations in more than presence in the home and garden market. 20 countries and are the market leaders in “Although we introduced ferric phosphate Europe, the United States and Japan. Their in the home and garden market initially, our legacy of research into ferric phosphate and focus changed when we saw a demand in a programme of ongoing studies gives the Peter Baumjohann says independent research agriculture and horticulture for an effective company’s product an edge when it comes shows slugs move randomly and test potential and environmentally friendly molluscicide. to field performance, he believes. food before deciding to eat it. So we set about developing a form of ferric “The formulation of Sluxx has improved

96 crop production magazine july 2019 Research Briefing

“Studies have looked extensively at slug in practice is the key to getting the best behaviour and have found that slugs don’t performance out of ferric phosphate, detect food over a long distance. They believes Laurence Power, technical manager move randomly and test the objects they for Certis. encounter by chance using their lower “Research has shown that when slugs pair of sensory tentacles, only then do feed on ferric phosphate they go below they decide whether to eat them or not,” ground and die which is why there is no he explains. visible sign of dead slugs on the soil “In laboratory studies, there’s been no surface,” he explains. significant difference in slug preference for Sluxx HP or a competitor’s ferric phosphate Pathological changes product, which corresponds with our own The slug behaviour is a direct result of the research that shows no increase in efficacy mode of action of ferric phosphate which from including attractants in the formulation.” acts on multiple organs within the slug, adds Because there is no plan to their Laurence. “At first, ferric phosphate irritates movement it means that the number of the slug’s mouth and crop, causing the slug Laurence Power points out that the Sluxx baiting points is an important factor, to stop feeding. Ferric phosphate leads to formulation performs better than metaldehyde he adds. pathological changes on cellular level in when temperatures fall to 100C. “The more baiting points there are, the the hepatopancreas, the central organ of greater the chance of a slug coming across the slugs, causing the slug to effectively consistently demonstrated an efficacy on a a pellet as it moves around looking for ‘internally bleed out’. par with metaldehyde, he explains. something to eat. The 7kg/ha rate of ferric “The slug can no longer produce the “But the Sluxx formulation has a key phosphate gives approx. 60 pellets/m2, slime that it needs to keep cool, so it advantage over metaldehyde when which provides an additional 17 baiting retreats underground in an attempt to temperatures begin to fall. At 200C both points when compared with a competitive thermo-regulate,” he adds. active ingredients offer similar levels of slug product.” That means the symptoms of successful control, but at 100C the ferric phosphate Another of the challenges in formulating slug control are at the opposite end of the formulation is much more effective. a ferric phosphate pellet is to maintain spectrum to metaldehyde, which causes “The low temperature performance is its palatability while also being able to excess slime production and dead slugs important, especially since the loss of withstand periods of rainfall without losing are readily found on the soil surface. neonicotinoid seed treatments and a shift efficacy. The fact that Neudorff’s ferric “With ferric phosphate the opposite to later planting to help control BYDV and phosphate formulation is used for snail happens, with the only visual sign being that blackgrass in crops,” says Laurence. control in the paddy fields of Japan bears the crop is no longer being damaged so is To get the best levels of slug control it’s testimony to the fact that this balance has growing away,” explains Laurence. important to adopt cultural approaches been successfully achieved. Over the many years of trials that have to slug control and only use slug pellets

Understanding what the research means been carried out, ferric phosphate has as the last resort in an integrated pest L

Electronic tagging reveals slug behaviour

Dr Keith Walters, professor of invertebrate biology field as the slugs were captured, which had an and pest management at Harper Adams University, airspace left above them. has been looking at how slugs behave after “The results were remarkably clear,” says ingesting ferric phosphate. Keith. “The slugs which hadn’t eaten any ferric “Slugs spend a large proportion of their life phosphate seemed to behave quite normally, in under the soil surface, so when you’re trying to accordance with what we know they do in the look at how they move and disperse around a field. They would go periodically beneath the field, it’s very difficult to see what they’re doing. soil surface to hide from predators and avoid We came up with the idea that if we used dehydration but would come to the soil surface radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags, the at regular intervals in order to feed. same kind of technology that the vet uses to “The group of slugs that fed on ferric microchip your cat or dog, and put them into phosphate behaved very differently and they Chipping slugs with RFID tags shows how slugs slugs then we could track them underground eventually retreated below the soil surface and behave after ingesting ferric phosphate, says using an antenna, without having to dig them up,” didn’t come back up again. For the first three Prof Keith Walters. he explains. hours we looked at them intensively and their To carry out the study, a large number of grey behaviour didn’t seem to differ from the control every slug was below the surface 2-3 days after field slugs were collected from a commercial field group. they’d eaten ferric phosphate. and brought back to the laboratory where they “But thereafter they began to quite rapidly “At the end of the experiment, we dug out were left to acclimate and then divided into six move below the soil surface and, after the first every last slug and found very high mortality groups. Slugs were then released five at a time day, 50-60% of the slugs were below the soil in the group which had ingested the ferric into plastic containers, filled with soil from same surface. That proportion increased until almost phosphate pellets.”

crop production magazine july 2019 97 Research Briefing

Does an attractant make a difference? Results showed attractant does not influence slug feeding behaviour

Experimental set-up: G 3 slug pellets of each formulation and plant in the plastic box G the positions of pellets and plants were randomized for every repetition G Pellets and plants were placed with 5 cm distance to the rim

Three slug pellets of each formulation and a plant in the plastic box. The positions of pellets and plants were randomized for every repetition. Source: Certis, 2019 Source: Certis, 2019

L management strategy, he highlights. known to reduce slug damage. “There’ve “IPM is critical to successful slug control even been anecdotal reports that rolling at and growers need no reminding of the crops night can help squash slugs while they are which offer slugs an ideal habitat and food on the surface feeding,” he adds. source. OSR is a classic, being very vulnerable to seedling attack between Significant risk emergence and the four true-leaf stage Even having adopted cultural controls there because the growing point is exposed. may still be a significant risk of slug damage “But OSR also offers slugs the ideal in some fields. In these situations, Laurence habitat for them to survive and breed advises monitoring the slug population throughout the year. OSR debris provides a using traps and then applying pellets prior The way ferric phosphate works means the only good food source, which makes successive to feeding damage and ahead of any visual sign of slug control is the crop growing cereal crops more vulnerable to attack.” predicted periods of wet weather. away. Recognising the fields at increased “Don’t allow slug populations to build risk is a first step and then planning a –– go early and go hard,” he suggests. multi-pronged strategy to limit slug damage. “When you adopt this approach with ferric application is just as critical. “Cereal seed in loose or cloddy seedbeds phosphate, repeated applications are often “Always recalibrate the applicator when is particularly undesirable as the UK’s most not always necessary.” using ferric phosphate, even between important slug species, the grey field slug Sluxx HP is manufactured using a wet different brands as the pellet size varies (Deroceras reticulatum), is responsible for process which provides the pellets with high even if the application rate is the same. most of the grain hollowing and is very levels of durability and rainfastness, as well Quads will spread differently to a active in the layer of soil where the seed as the consistency critical for good ballistics, sprayer-mounted applicator because of the is placed. explains Laurence. As with all pesticides, difference in battery power, which is another “A single slug can hollow out 50 seeds formulation is only half the story and good factor to be aware of,” he comments. I during the vulnerable stage, which means cultivations play an important part in slug control,” comments Laurence. Research Briefing Cultivations directly impact slug populations in a number of ways, including To help growers get the best out of technology high-quality products (like SluxxHP) are equally direct mechanical damage and burying the used in the field, manufacturers continue to effective as metaldehyde. plant debris that acts as a food source and invest in R&D at every level, from the lab to Adopting an integrated pest management provides shelter. extensive field trials. CPM Research Briefings approach will improve overall control. Cultural “The aim should be to create a fine tilth provide not only the findings of recent research, controls are a key part of IPM but choosing which inhibits slug movement and reduces but also an insight into the technology, to ensure the right quality of pellet is also important. the spaces where slugs can hide. My view is a full understanding of how to optimise its use. A good slug pellet needs to be spreadable, that setting up the machinery properly and CPM would like to thank Certis for sponsoring durable, and palatable to work well. working the ground at the right time is much this Research Briefing and for providing www.certiseurope.co.uk/slugforce more important than the type of tillage privileged access to staff and material used practiced. to help bring it together. “There’s an old adage that the most As the market moves from metaldehyde to important day in a plant’s life is the day you ferric phosphate slug pellets the principles of plant it, which is also very pertinent when it good slug control remain exactly the same. comes to slug control,” he comments. Certis have been marketing ferric phosphate In the effort to produce a fine and firm pellets in the UK for over 10 years and today’s seedbed, rolling is an important tool and is

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Attention turns Bracebridge in Lincs and Aspall in Suffolk, had an average of 39% infection in untreated plots. “The average figure hides the true range of to disease disease between sites which was 17% for the Bracebridge trial, assessed on 31 Oct, and 60% for the Aspall trial assessed on 25 Sept,” he says. “The evidence demonstrating the benefits of fungicide protection across contrasting seasons The first is now overwhelming,” “fungicide should he claims.“ For the greatest yield be applied at the protection Escolta initial signs of (cyproconazole+ trifloxystrobin) should be disease. applied at the first signs of ” disease and then again about four Roots Sugar more forward crops met across the row weeks later.” beet fungicides several weeks ahead of the longest day. Where applications of Escolta were Add in the virus threat posed by abundant well-timed –– which was late July and late numbers of peach potato aphids and it’s clear Aug in 2018 –– disease control reached 94%, With sugar beet crops now at that many crops are under more pressure from whereas relying on a single application of the stage where they’ve pests and diseases this year,” says Mark. Escolta in early July meant control slipped to The rain in early June will have helped 65% at Bracebridge and 85% at Aspall into developed mature plant crops move on but has also ensured the early autumn. resistance to aphids and conditions favourable to disease spread. “The point to note is that there’s no set date “Conditions appear to be conducive for when Escolta should be applied, it needs to hence virus yellows, the rust,” he says. “Research shows that if crops be applied at the first signs of disease. This focus turns to disease are to be protected, the first fungicide should typically occurs in the latter half of July, though be applied at the initial signs of disease, crops should be monitored from the start of control. CPM talks to BBRO. typically July, and a second spray applied summer in readiness for fungicide to be about four weeks later,” he adds. applied when disease appears. By Lucy de la Pasture “The advice given to growers over the and Rob Jones Rust concerns past six years remains valid and, where it’s With much to ponder, what are the main points followed, it has consistently delivered high growers need to consider if crops are to be levels of yield protection,” says Ed. Growers will need to monitor crops closely suitably protected? First, rust is still the disease While rust was reported in all fields, there if fungicides are to be well-timed and to look out for. “The threat posed previously were also sporadic levels of cercospora leaf canopies kept clean of disease, according by powdery mildew has not manifested for spot (Cercospora beticola) last season, with to advice from British Beet Research several seasons, with the exception of 2018, the disease found at low levels in Notts, Lincs Organisation (BBRO). Recent weather has so rust should be the major concern. It was and Cambs. provided plenty of moisture and it’s been late coming in last year, but that doesn’t mean “Conditions were largely unfavourable followed by warm air which has created the it will be in 2019,” he says. for cercospora in 2018, its occurrence not L humid conditions that favour disease Secondly, Mark points out that even low development. levels of disease can affect yield. “The impact For those with sugar beet, it means of low levels of disease on crop performance conditions potentially favourable to rust continues to be an area that we’re researching (Uromyces betae) which remains the principal and this includes looking at differences in disease threat to crops based on recent varietal susceptibility. But there is evidence seasons. Many growers will no doubt still to suggest that yield potential is already be concerned by the threat posed by virus negatively impacted before symptoms yellows and the unprecedented numbers of become visible on the plant, in some peach-potato aphids (Myzus persicae), the seasons,” he says. dominant vector for virus transmission, but The third point to consider is the timing of with most crops now at full canopy their fungicide applications, he suggests. Bayer’s focus will switch to disease control, says own fungicide trials last year highlight the Mark Stevens, head of science at BBRO. importance of application timing, adds Edward Mark Stevens says there’s some evidence to “Crops are growing well but some are at Hagues, Bayer campaign manager for root suggest yield potential is negatively impacted various stages of development, with the most crops. before symptoms become visible on the plant. backward just meeting within the row. The The two trials, which took place at

100 crop production magazine july 2019

Sugar beet fungicides

The curious case of silver beet

There’s been a new phenomenon occurring in a few sugar beet fields over the past couple of seasons. Symptoms present as ‘silver’ beet, which starts as a blue-grey matt colour and becomes increasingly silver as the leaf grows. Affected leaves crack in a way that looks Rust has become the principal disease threat in similar to the damage caused by hail or the recent seasons and fungicides need to be applied voracious Silver Y moth. Leaf veins may go A bacterial disease which causes silvering of at the first signs of disease. yellow and roots fail to fully develop, with beet leaves has been cropping up in UK fields browning in the root tissue. over the past couple of years.

L proving damaging to sugar beet crops last So what’s causing it? Researchers in Belgium year,” adds Ed. have concluded that it’s caused by a bacterium, was reported randomly last year across all four That’s not to say the potential impact of Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens, which appears factory areas so BBRO are keeping an eye on it the disease should be underestimated, with to be associated with the seed, explains Mark. but only single plants appear to be at low levels sugar yield losses of up to 40% possible, “It’s not a new disease and was first recorded so we don’t think it will cause significant yield compared with 20% from powdery mildew and in the UK in the 1940s and 1950s in red beet. It issues,” he concludes. 14% from rust, clarifies Mark. It’s the reason why cercospora tends to grab the few new fungicide products on the horizon,” latest problem as they are the foundation of headlines, even though it’s much more of he adds. most UK fungicide programmes. a threat in continental Europe than it has Mark says that fungicides do more than just “As an industry we need an integrated historically been in the UK. protect against yield loss. Fungicides also help approach to disease management and to It isn’t a new disease to the UK and was the crop in other ways –– they can enhance develop disease-resistant and tolerant first identified in the 1930s, he explains. “In plant growth through their physiological effects varieties,” concludes Mark. I 2017, increasing amounts were found in UK and also play a role in reducing frost damage because the warm, moist autumn conditions by maintaining good crop foliage into the were conducive to its development.” winter. Cercospora needs hot and humid Morley trial data from 2016-18 shows a conditions, with periods of leaf wetness. 20.6% uplift in yield from using a two-spray Although the weather was hot in 2018, it fungicide programme, which is the BBRO wasn’t accompanied by moisture which was recommended approach. why infection was only present as a sprinkling One of the difficulties the UK’s European in some crops, whereas levels of powdery neighbours encounter with cercospora is mildew was higher than in the previous five fungicide resistance, though the disease can years and rust came in late. still be managed by alternating fungicides with active ingredients belonging to different “As our climate changes, we need to Cercospora hasn’t been as much of a threat to groups. It’s one of those diseases that has continue to have cercospora in mind, crops in the UK as in mainland Europe but is a shown insensitivity to successive fungicide particularly with a diminishing pool of active disease not to overlook. ingredients, increasing resistance and very groups, with QoI and azole resistance the

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Metabolites Some processors“ have already contacted growers to say they will only accept cause mayhem potatoes treated with the old label.”

Roots Potato agronomy

Since maleic hydrazide’s head of technical services at UPL, to check their labels carefully and keep approval was renewed with Don Pendergrast. records to identify where old and new Like many other active substances label stock has been applied in order to the proviso that treated crops going through the re-approval process, the comply with the legislation,” he advises. can’t be fed to livestock difficulty has arisen not due to the maleic AHDB released a statement last month hydrazide itself but the regulatory focus on suggesting growers should contact their there’s been a lot of its metabolites, he explains. The expert supply chain customers to find out their confusion. CPM gets some review by European Food Safety Authority position on maleic hydrazide treated (EFSA) has identified data gaps concerning potatoes. “It’s anticipated that very few, if clarity on where it leaves the metabolites which has led to the any, will accept crop treated with the new growers this season. imposition of a restriction preventing any label as most businesses are not able to crop wastes (peelings or stock feed segregate waste.” By Lucy de la Pasture potatoes) being provided as livestock feed. Specialist potato agronomist, John Sarup of Spud Agronomy based in Yorks, Incomplete testing As potato crops continue to bulk up this Even though the genotoxicity and toxicity month, thoughts begin to turn to maleic testing didn’t reveal any concerns, the hydrazide application. For many growers testing was viewed as ‘incomplete’, which it’s a useful strategy to suppress in EU regulatory speak means there’s some sprouting during storage and reduce the uncertainty remaining over its probable numbers of volunteers in subsequent safety in the food chain because there’s crops which carry over a host of disease a possibility that 3-pyridazinone ‘may’ be and pest problems. produced during farm livestock digestion. Maleic hydrazide has been winding its The current situation for growers is that way through the increasingly complex there’s ‘old’ and ‘new’ label product corridors of the EU pesticides regulations available this season, with old label under (EC) No 1107/2009. It successfully product in the use up period (which ends gained Annex 1 status on its reapproval on April 30, 2020) and product that’s been last year, but the new regulatory manufactured under the new label. The work is being done to provide the EU with the requirements placed on all maleic “All new label product has a statement data needed to lift the livestock feeding restriction hydrazide products have been causing saying, ‘Do not feed treated crops to on the maleic hydrazide label, says Don Pendergrast. some confusion in the industry, explains livestock’ so growers are going to need

104 crop production magazine july 2019 Potato agronomy

regarding the livestock feeding provision and are now working together as an ndustry task force to produce the data necessary to potentially lift the restriction.” The new maleic hydrazide label situation has a potential knock-on effect for blight control where growers stop applying it this season to ensure their customers will accept the crop, believes John Sarup. “Maleic hydrazide provides control of volunteer potatoes and these are the biggest problem we have as they’re the Heavy rainfall during June has triggered a number primary source of late blight inoculum, as of Hutton Criteria warnings across the country. well as carry-over of rhizoctonia and pest problems such as free-living and potato says many of his growers have a stock of cyst nematodes.” old label product to use up this season. The prospect of large piles of waste “For those who haven’t got any old stock potatoes left to rot down in the corner of John Sarup says most growers have stocks of old maleic hydrazide, there’s always the the farm because they can’t go as stock label product to apply this season. dilemma whether to risk applying new feed, is not going to help the fight against label to crops. But some processors have blight. The first genotyping results from already contacted growers to say they will samples of blight collected by blight advanced warning of the strains in only accept potatoes treated with the old scouts has revealed the aggressive strain their area.” label and will be carrying out due diligence 36_A2, which has proved difficult to control The heavy rain in June has ramped up checks during the course of the season.” in recent years. the blight pressure in many areas, just at The industry statement goes on to say, the time when many blight crops are going “The owner of the potato crop has the Genotype 36_A2 through rapid canopy expansion. responsibility to ensure that potatoes that According to Dr David Cooke, of the In the Waveney Valley, Norfolk, full have been treated with new label maleic James Hutton Institute where the Hutton Criteria were recorded for June 11, hydrazide products don’t enter the livestock AHDB-funded testing is conducted, of the 12 and 13 (just as the heavens well and feed supply chain. This means you must 15 samples confirmed as blight to date, six truly opened), with more occurring during inform anyone who buys potatoes from have been genotyped. The first samples the month as the rainy conditions you if they’ve been treated with new label from cull piles in South East England were continued. products. The owner of the potatoes also genotype 36_A2. Hutton Criteria occurs when a location has the responsibility to avoid on-farm “The other more recent samples from experiences two consecutive days with a waste and out grades being fed Essex and Suffolk have been confirmed as minimum temperature of 10°C, and at least to livestock.” 36_A2 with a further one from Kent being a six hours of relative humidity (90%). This With all the emphasis being on the mix of genotypes 36_A2 and 6_A1. methodology came about following grower, it leaves them in a tricky position “It’s too early to draw conclusions about research funded by AHDB Potatoes, which is something Don fully recognises how the national picture will look, but this undertaken by the James Hutton Institute. and has been working together with other gives growers, particularly those in the It’s believed that this is one of the most manufacturers to get the restriction lifted South East and Eastern England, accurate ways of forecasting potato blight, L by submitting new data, but it has become apparent that there won’t be any prospect Popular products containing MH available in the UK of a label change before application this season. G Gemini Itcan SL270 The necessary trial work on feeding Both ‘old’ and ‘new label’ products share treated crop to livestock and the same MAPP number: 17957 subsequent detailed risk assessment is Read the label unlikely to be complete until later this year. G Certis Crown MH It could then take another 12-18 months Both ‘old’ and ‘new label’ products share for EFSA to respond to the findings. same MAPP number: 18018 “We acknowledge that this is a Read the label disappointing outcome and have worked G UPL (Arysta) Fazor to ensure it’s as easy as possible for ‘Old label’ MAPP numbers: 13617 growers to distinguish between the ‘New label’ MAPP number: 19074 two product variants, by providing an Read the label alternative MAPP number for Fazor. Our G Drexel Source II technical team is also on hand to answer Both ‘old’ and ‘new label’ products share The EU has announced the non-renewal of CIPC questions regarding the product and its same MAPP number: 17858 so this will be the last season of use in stores. stewardship,” says Don. Read the label “We’ve highlighted our concerns

crop production magazine july 2019 105 Potato agronomy

disease. This means that timing of mancozeb is important, as is the selection of partner actives. “A combination of propamocarb with cymoxanil, such as in Proxanil (cymoxanil+ propamocarb hydrochloride), offers excellent protectant and curative properties, which may be crucial this season. With a 14-day harvest interval and a maximum individual dose of 2.5 l/ha, Proxanil can be applied up to four times within a blight programme,” she adds.

Exceptionally dry Pam Chambers reminds growers that as a Last year saw the approval of new blight The aggressive new strain of blight 36_A2 has multisite, mancozeb is a useful tool in resistance fungicide, Zorvec Enicade (oxathiapiprolin), already been detected on early samples of blight management. but the exceptionally dry season meant this season. that the product wasn’t in the demand that it would have been in a more blighty L explains UPL’s Pam Chambers. by the conditions, a product with some season. 2019 is proving very different, with “Despite the warm dry weather last year, curative activity will help tackle any blight heavy rain and waterlogged ground in three newer clones (EU_36_A2, EU_37_A2 infection already developing in the crop, many areas stretching blight spraying and EU_41_A2) increased in frequency. he says. intervals while the crop was growing The survival and spread of these clones, “Choosing an active ingredient with rapidly. when others are decreasing or have curative properties will ensure growers Corteva Agriscience’s field technical failed to establish, suggests they are claw back some of the days of lost manager Craig Chisholm suggests growers evolutionarily fit and could prove more protection.” consider the length of protection they need challenging to manage. Flexibility on timing future sprays is also and whether their chosen blight spray has “Wageningen University carried out a part of the conundrum, he points out. “The any curative properties. number of studies on mancozeb for UPL efficacy of most blight sprays burns out “The potential for a high blight pressure Europe and concluded that the fungicide after seven days. By including a molecule year was already present due to the is effective against all strains of late blight. such as oxathiapiprolin in a programme, increase in volunteer potatoes across the In addition, it’s a critical component of growers will be better able to cope with rotation, coupled with the mild winter. Dry resistance management and integrated inclement weather because it has a 10-day conditions and recent cooler temperatures disease management programmes for both spray interval, providing flexibility for kept a lid on it. early and late blight,” she adds. growers. “But the deluge of rain in June and rising “Although mancozeb prevents spores “Under high blight pressure when temperatures triggered warnings across from germinating and infecting the potato agronomists would generally be looking many key potato areas. Growers will be plant when applied prior to spore release, at reducing spray intervals to five days, the particularly concerned about this as many once infection has occurred and penetrated robustness of oxathiapiprolin will enable crops are at rapid canopy stage and need the leaf, it will no longer control the growers to stick with their seven-day protection of vulnerable new growth.” schedule, enabling crop coverage to Where sprays have been postponed be maintained.” I Last storage season for chlorpropham

On 17 June it was announced that season, especially where maleic hydrazide hasn’t chlorpropham (CIPC) is to be withdrawn after been applied to crops because of the new label it was decided not to renew its approval. The restriction,” predicts John Sarup. European Commission has effectively taken the “We’re looking at storing processing potatoes decision to ban CIPC itself as previous votes on at cooler temperatures and then warming them the matter at EU Standing and Appeal up in store to burn off any of the sugars they’ve Committees failed to reach a qualified majority. accumulated under the cooler conditions, which It’s a move that’s been widely anticipated by would result in dark fry colours normally. It’s a the industry after a draft banning regulation was tricky one because once the potatoes have been put forward by the Commission around the turn brought back up in temperature then they will of the year. The withdrawal period stated within need to be moved out of store in a fairly short the regulation is 8 Jan 2020 with storage and time-frame,” he explains. use-up by 8 Oct 2020 at the least, with CRD still John expects a lot more usage of alternative to confirm the exact dates that will apply to sprout suppressants, such as spearmint, this year Maleic hydrazide plays an import role in products in the UK. as growers move away from CIPC. suppressing sprouting in store. “Early use of CIPC is likely to be needed this

106 crop production magazine july 2019 cheap pyrethroid hard and then melting out of monoculture is possible. It’s has been added sight. a meeting of agriculture and to the mix as ‘an It’s a case of going back to ecology that few have yet insurance’. And the drawing board and learn managed to achieve but the now we’re paying how we can support these knowledge is out there, it just that premium. daredevils that are putting requires embracing –– not But is all lost? themselves on the line to keep as another cost but as an No, it’s not but perhaps there’s our crops safe. That means insurance premium that will another way of thinking that looking after the solitary guys actually pay out in time. puts consideration for predators that prefer to fight their own We’re not there yet –– the at the heart of every insecticide battles but also provide the predator special forces aren’t in spray decision? These little right back up for the ones sufficient numbers to make the guys are actually on the same where teamwork is the order of difference in all crops. But next side but very few of us could the day. These more sociable time it’s ‘back against the wall’ Nature’s special get beyond identifying a hover chaps like to plan their attack time and the first instinct is to forces fly or a ground beetle, let alone from all sides. reach for the insecticide can, know anything about the Not so many years ago spare a thought for these brave countless other invertebrates hedges provided cover for the little chaps who would rescue So far, this year stands out that are capable of interrupting covert ops teams on the your crops in a heartbeat if they for the difficulties being the life cycle of pests through ground. It meant it didn’t take had the chance. encountered controlling pests. many devious and daring long to get to where the action Cabbage stem flea beetle have means. was, no 100-acre fields where captured the headlines and it’s That leaves us playing catch there’s little hope of getting to been a war that some have up and on a steep learning the middle and back to cover lost with many wounded crops curve as to how best to give again without being taken out limping home. these friendly bugs everything by the fella that’s hunting them. Based in Ludlow, Shrops, Aphid virus vectors have they need, recruit them to the While major planting of Lucy de la Pasture has caused sugar beet growers to pest control regiment and hedges is an unlikely scenario worked as an agronomist, be on high alert with regular harness their elite attacking in modern times, perhaps while among the Twitterati, patrols to check for an invasion. force behind enemy lines. For replicating this patchwork with she’s @Lucy_delaP. The one thing both pests have starters, a ‘friendlies’ ID book strategically placed RV-points [email protected] in common is widespread would be useful so we all get to of biodiversity amongst the resistance to pyrethroids –– know what our own forces look these spineless little guys like. We wouldn’t want them actually have so much coming under friendly fire Ladybird larvae are deadly aphid predators but need to be allowed to build backbone that they’re but all too often that’s what’s up in crops. seemingly indestructible. happening, we’re dropping the To add to the growing threat bomb without bothering to of the insect enemy, this discover whether the snipers on autumn will also be the first the ground are actually getting without a neonicotinoid seed on top of the situation. dressing in cereals, meaning These guys need back up. BYDV will have to be in mind That is, food and shelter to when planting decisions are keep them strong and these made. Even though its aphid need to be scattered at vectors aren’t showing the strategic locations so that they same resistance to pyrethroids, can take cover, rest up in there’s no guarantee that spray relative safety and gather applications will be timely at the together a kindred force of time of year. It could be trench other resistance fighters warfare just when they need behind enemy lines. controlling the most. They need to be able to It may be a woeful situation move quickly and take out the but it’s perhaps important to enemy before they even know realise that it’s one of our own they’re there. These elite bugs making where a relatively are experts at hitting the target

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