In this issue... Precision progress page 62 Clover care page 77 Putting N in its place Cropping route to regen ag Net Zero nutrition page 44 Beet for bees page 89 Opinion Volume 23 Number 2 4 Talking Tilth - A word from the editor. February 2021 6 Smith’s Soapbox - Views and opinions from an Essex peasant….. 60 Tech Respect - CPM ’s machinery editor surveys the search for UK Ag’s next step. 91 Last Word - A view from the field from CPM’s technical editor. Technical 8 Weed management - Thinking differently about weeds Is it time to look at managing weeds in a different light? 14 Weed management - Herbicide hints for spring Weeds may need attention as winter turns into spring. 18 Forward-thinking farmers -Tests and tools to track and trace Decent diagnosis of in-field issues ensures the right product is applied.. 22 Theory to Field - Can less be more? Improving productivity is all about using inputs more efficiently. 26 Disease delve - The dynamic force behind yellow rust Editor Yellow rust stood out as the disease to watch of 2020. Tom Allen-Stevens 30 Research Briefing - Emerging from the shadows Technical editor Research shows folpet may be more effective than previously thought. Lucy de la Pasture 34 Real Results Pioneers - Dig down to preserve potential Machinery editor One Cambs grower resolved to get a better understanding of the soil. Charlotte Cunningham 38 BioScience insider - Primed for defence Writers Innate defences against disease come at a hefty price to the plants. 42 Fertiliser advice - Keep the faith Mike Abram Rob Jones Things may be looking up for growers who kept their faith in the crop. Tom Allen-Stevens Lucy de la Pasture 44 Grow the future - The productive plus of a carbon conscience Charlotte Cunningham A focus on climate change could add to your productivity. Design and production 48 Technical survey - Inhibiting climate change? Brooks Design Both the industry and the government are looking to reduce fertiliser emissions. Advertisement co-ordinator 52 Fit for the future - When yield gives way to shield Peter Walker Sow a seed you can depend on over one that may simply fill the barn. Publisher 56 Consultations - Your views matter Angus McKirdy Two significant consultations were launched in the New Year. Business development manager Charlotte Alexander Machinery To claim two crop protection BASIS points, send an email to [email protected], quoting reference CP/100659/2021/g. 62 Fertiliser spreaders - Precision pushes progress To claim two NRoSO CPD points, please send your name, The capabilities of spreader technology have soared in recent years. NRoSO member number, date of birth and postcode to 68 Innovation Delve - Trials uncover secrets to success [email protected] Claydon Drills and Hutchinsons have been carrying out cover crop trials. *the claim ‘best read specialist arable journal’ is based 72 On Farm Opinion - Going to great lengths on independent reader research conducted by The value of low-disturbance kit is rapidly gaining traction in UK agriculture. McCormack Media 2020 Editorial & advertising sales CPM Ltd, 1 Canonbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 7AG Innovation Tel: (01743) 369707 E-mail: [email protected] 77 Climate Change Champions - Regenerative route to Net Zero Reader registration hotline 01743 861122 The Southill Estate in Beds has productive soils that capture carbon. Advertising copy 81 On-farm R&D - Field opens for agri-tech explorers Brooks Design, On-farm innovation is set to get the ELM scheme co-design treatment. 24 Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 1RD Tel: (01743) 244403 E-mail: [email protected] CPM Volume 23 No 2. Editorial, advertising and sales offices are at Roots CPM Ltd, 1 Canonbury, Shrewsbury, SY1 9NX England. Tel: (01743) 369707. CPM is published eleven times a year by CPM Ltd and is available free of charge to qualifying farmers 84 Potatoes - Understanding dynamics aids control and farm managers in the United Kingdom. Nematodes and late blight are two of the big problems facing potato growers. In no way does CPM Ltd endorse, notarise or concur with any of the 89 Sugar beet - Should neonics return? advice, recommendations or prescriptions reported in the magazine. The granting of an emergency authorisation has attracted criticism. If you are unsure about which recommendations to follow, please consult 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 february 2021 3 CPM (Print) ISSN 2753-9040 CPM (Online) ISSN 2753-9059 It’s never a good idea to ask a in the genome is pinpointed damaged or reclaimed soil? plant root to grow through and marker-assisted How do they fair with cover compacted soil, whether or breeding is used to bring crops, companion crops, in a not it’s capable of doing the compaction-busting root blend, planted inter-row or as a so. Organic farmers capability conventionally into perennial understorey? How would rightly scorn a commercial lines. So it seems they do in min-till, no-till, strip-till, system that engineered a little ludicrous to me to restrict controlled traffic farming, on sand crops to allow bad a breeding technique that could that caps, or in deep subsoil practice and such a effect the same change in a layers of naturally compacted notion goes against the fraction of the time, whatever clay? Root to success? very essence of conservation the outcome. Rather than restrict their agriculture. The difficulty is that if you introduction to the field, that’s So should we ban plant over-regulate a technique such exactly where these plants Scientists have made an breeders and scientists from as GE because you fear it may should be. Rather than close our important discovery about plant engineering such an ability into have undesirable outcomes, with minds to them, we should be roots –– it’s not that they can’t crops? That is in effect how EU the same hand you stifle the open to what they can do, share get through compacted soil, they regulation currently works, and potential for that same technique our views and build on one choose not to. The question for the question Defra has now put to do good things. It’s not the another’s experiences farmers is what to do with that in front of us in a consultation is fault of the tool that there’s a bad –– good and bad. And rather information. whether to diverge from this outcome, but the way it’s used. than view them as a binary tool The findings of the research, (see page 56). So rather than over-regulate and that will simplify a system, allow led by Nottingham University, Defra has always believed that restrict its use, we should bring it them to find their place in were published in Science last where a change to a plant’s DNA into the field and develop our a matrix of methods that month. Compacted soil causes could have happened naturally, understanding. complements the rest. ethylene to build up, according to this should not make it a GMO, Coming back to this discovery Here in the UK, right now, the research team, which acts as subject to the tight EU about compaction-busting plant we are in a unique position to a signal to plant roots to stop regulations. The grey area is roots, I don’t think we should unshackle ourselves from the growing. But in plants where a gene-editing (GE) where a cut regulate or restrict breeding traditional view of how farming mutation has been introduced to –– or edit –– is made at a very of plants that have this ability, should be done. We have a new switch off this response, the roots precise point in the genome. The although I thoroughly respect the agricultural policy to put in place, will continue to grow through the slight mutation that results when views of those who’d choose not and there is a genuine call compacted soil. the plant naturally mends this cut to have them on their farm. from Defra that this should be On the one hand, this is known to confer a desired trait. Equally, whether they choose to co-designed with farmers. is potentially a massive Similar mutations happen grow compaction-busting crops The roadmap to its new R&D breakthrough. Increasingly heavy every day in the field –– it’s the or not, the farmers who throw the Innovation package starts this kit has put arable soils worldwide skill of the breeder that spots the good soil management rulebook spring (see page 81). This is under pressure –– more than traits they confer and brings the out the window are fools. surely the time to bring as many half of Europe’s 68M hectares desirable ones into commercial But there is a third way. technologies as we can into the of cultivated land is prone to lines. In fact, it’s quite likely As with any crop bred with new field to explore what they can do. compaction. Farmers spend a there’s a wheat plant somewhere plant-breeding techniques, these fortune alleviating the problem with a natural mutation that’s are not tools for fools but plants and yields could be significantly switched off this rooting with potential. Wouldn’t you Tom Allen-Stevens has a improved if crops could be bred response. It could be in your want to know how they 170ha arable farm in Oxon, that didn’t have this restriction. field and you’re just not aware performed in dry soils, brashy where the main restriction But on the other, isn’t this that the mutation’s there.