Arable Farming

Despite the challenging season, around 90-95 per cent of AHDB Recommended List (RL) cereals trials are on track to reach harvest this summer.

Fungicide active epoxiconazole was not among 30 plus actives which recently had their expiry dates extended to allow the EC longer to consider and process reapproval submissions.

Farmers whose crops have failed or are unable to get seed in the ground are now faced with the added stress of meeting crop diversification requirements in order to qualify for greening payments

The threat posed by potential resistance to key residual herbicide, flufenacet, could bring harvest weed seed management further to the fore in the UK

Integrating livestock into arable systems can improve farm productivity, generate opportunities for new entrants and create diverse rotations that feed and heal soils.

Farmer-driven, independent trials conducted in northern England are showing some encouraging results when using biopesticides against septoria in winter wheat crops.

Late-drilled and backward wheat crops will need careful management to get them kick-started this spring. Arable Farming asked arable nutrition specialist Ross Leadbeater of CF Fertilisers for some pointers.

Keeping on top of weeds will be particularly important this spring after difficulties with autumn control and a wet, mild winter. But a new herbicide is at hand to help.

The twin challenges of increasing CSFB resistance to pyrethoids and the negative impact of these insecticides on natural insect predators of the pest came under the spotlight at the AICC conference.

Dealing with the consequences of crop failure is testing for many growers this season.