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WITH continued pressure on plant protection products, establishing crops this coming season will be as challenging as ever. Growers are encouraged to remember the relevance of rooting and root health to gain rapid establishment and avoid pest pressure. Don Pendergrast explains more.

Don Pendergrast - Product Development & Technical Manager for UK & Ireland

“The role of plant nutrition is well known in early crop development, but now, interest is growing in how best to harness this potential through improved rooting. Plants source nutrients via the root system and leaves, and one method of improving rooting is biostimulants - products that can improve the health, depth and size of roots.

Biostimulants work by improving the plant’s metabolism, facilitating nutrient and water absorption through the root system, and by boosting quality attributes such as fruit setting, grain quality and limiting flower drop. Plant health and vigor improves a plant’s ability to tolerate stress conditions, so allowing yield to reach its potential.

But Biostimulants certainly aren’t a replacement for traditional plant protection or nutrition products, instead they should be used as a complimentary addition to encourage overall health and vitality. Because we know so much more now about how crop nutrition works, we understand that stimulating a plant’s immune system and metabolism is key, and how this can be influenced in a positive manner, such as by using biostimulants.

The biostimulants and biosolutions market makes a considerable contribution to the sustainable agriculture agenda and we are proud to be developing our portfolio to include more of these products, such as active ingredient GA142.

GA142 was developed by Arysta LifeScience for use in biostimulants. It works by unlocking nutrients in the soil which may otherwise be unavailable to the plant, whilst stimulating the enzymes that enhance plant root growth. One of our GA142 products is Rooter. Trials have shown that Rooter increases root weight by up to 40% in a range of crops, allowing better access to nutrition which is vital in breaking yield barriers.

This is a valuable tool available to growers this autumn, an example application being for improving oilseed rape crops resilience against drought stress and flea beetle damage. It works because improved rooting can help crops to survive dry weather and access the moisture needed to grow away from cabbage stem flea beetle attacks. By applying Rooter, growers can help to alleviate both environmental and pest stresses and break the illusive yield barrier.”

Rooter will be among the products showcased by Arysta LifeScience at CropTec on

November 29&30. For more information, visit www.arystalifescience.co.uk

Tickets to the CropTec show are free providing you book your tickets in advance: Book here

Chafer Machinery’s new self propelled sprayer will be on show at CropTec 2016. Designed for the medium to large scale arable farm on display is the Chafer “Interceptor”. The Interceptor can be fitted with a 4000 or 5000L tank and booms ranging in size from 24m to 36m.

The range will be joined by the Chafer “Defender” which will be able to carry a 3000 or 3500L tank and booms up to 30m in width. Both models are due to go on sale for delivery in spring 2017.

Both sprayers will be powered by 6 cylinder Deutz TCD tier 4 final engines which are highly fuel efficient and quiet. The Interceptor is fitted with 215bhp engine while the Defender is powered by a 180bhp motor. A Bosch Rexroth hydrostatic drive train powers both machines.

The Interceptor additionally benefits from automatic dynamic traction force distribution which compensates for changes in terrain automatically adjusting wheel motor displacement to give maximum traction and fuel efficiency.

A dynamic braking system uses a combination of hydrostatic deceleration and independent mechanical braking operated by a foot pedal. This system significantly reduces stopping distances while preventing over revving of the engine.

The spacious cab offers excellent comfort for the operator over a long working day. All round visibility is excellent with clear and unobstructed views of the spray booms through the full wide rear windscreen. All controls including a multifunction joystick are logically laid out in the operator consul, the position of which can be adjusted to suit the operator. Along with full climate control and multi stage air filtration, the cab offers a large buddy seat complete with a refrigerated compartment.

The powerful and efficient chassis is fitted with a high specification Chafer spray pack which incorporates many of the features already successfully introduced on the Chafer Guardian and Sentry trailed sprayer range. Stainless steel tanks incorporate a deep sump for complete tank emptying, aggressive tank agitation and internal baffles.

The Interceptor and Defender will be available with 24-30m F Series booms (Machine displayed fitted with a 24m boom) with the Interceptor also being able to carry 30 – 36m G Series booms. All booms can be specified with Chafer Contour automatic boom leveling which can now offer “Sub Zero” inclination for hilly terrain. For liquid fertilizer users all booms can be specified with duo react air controlled nozzles which can accommodate Chafer Streambars. The sprayer is fitted with a high capacity centrifugal pump for rapid tank filling.

Sprayer control systems featured on Chafer trailed range are now available on the Defender and Interceptor. Most notable of these control systems is the ePlumbing which is controlled via external and in-cab 7” colour terminals. All plumbing modes can be activated by the push of a button. Controlling plumbing electronically removes the chance of moving manual taps into the wrong position, eliminating the possibility of contamination and crop damage.

Recent upgrades to the ePlumbing system include optimizing of the eFill automatic filling software. The eFill allows the operator to preselect desired filling volumes of both the main spray and rinse water tanks, preventing overfilling and leaving the operator free to concentrate on chemical induction.

As well as automated filling, ePlumbing also boasts the eClean system, for fully automated cleaning of the full liquid system. eClean improves the efficiency of sprayer cleaning and reduces downtime.

To complete the comprehensive specification automatic boom section control is fitted as standard to all machines in the range. Hydraulically operated auto steer can also be fitted as an option.

CropTec 2016

Want to test drive Chafer's new self propelled sprayer? Join us this November 29th & 30th at the East of England Showground, Peterborough. Ticket are FREE for pre-registered visitors, book your tickets here.

CropTec’s sprayer demonstration area gives you an exclusive opportunity to test drive and experience on a one to one basis, the latest sprayers in the market from leading manufacturers.

80% of our visitors last year rated the sprayer demonstration area as excellent; we give delegates a unique first-hand experience of the machines, dedicated time with an expert and a place to compare the most up to date innovations and technology in the market.

Simply visit each of the manufacturer’s stands in the exhibition hall to arrange your test drive.

UK farmers face an increasingly uncertain and volatile global market place, exacerbated by the country’s decision to leave the EU. Factors outside their control, such as commodity prices, weather and politics, are set to have even more influence on the bottom line.

Reducing unit production costs and increasing productivity through technical excellence is becoming even more relevant to remain competitive. With that in mind, this year’s CropTec seminars highlight key areas farmers can influence that directly affect business performance, says CropTec development director Stephen Howe.

“The programme focuses on four areas affecting profitability that are well within growers’ control – crop establishment, crop nutrition, crop protection and crop breeding.

“These seminars, in conjunction with CropTec’s specialist hubs and the wide array of technical exhibits from leading suppliers, provides the ideal catalyst for more detailed discussion to help visitors increase yield, improve efficiency and reduce the all-important unit costs of production.”

09.30-10.40

Crop Establishment Sponsored by Horsch and Alliance Tires

Session chair: Hertfordshire farmer Andrew Watts

Soil organic matter – the root to profitability Andy Whitmore, Rothamsted Research

Soil organic matter holds the key to consistent and higher yields. Raising levels can improve soil workability, nutrient release and yields.

Controlled traffic farming Tom Hawthorne, Flawborough Farms, Lincs

Can the advantages of controlled traffic farming outweigh the investment?

Taking the risk out of oilseed rape Andrew Blazey, Prime Agriculture

Key pointers to help oilseed growers mitigate the uncertainty of poor establishment.

Good soil structure and factors that affect it, such as soil organic matter levels, cover crops and cultivation systems, are key to good establishment, says session chair Andrew Watts.

“People accept that soil organic matter is a critical component of soils, but there is still a lot of confusion about managing it.

“I, along with many visitors I’m sure, want to hear more about current thinking and how this will help maintain our soils in the best of health.

11.30-12.40

Crop Nutrition Sponsored by Yara

Session chair: Mark Tucker, head of marketing and agronomy, Yara UK

ADAS - RB209 - What to expect in the next edition

RB209, the long-established guide for crop nutrition, is being revised to accommodate changing requirements, higher yielding crops and more nutritional uptake.

Day 1: Sarah Clarke, ADAS Day 2: Susie Roques, ADAS

Nutrient issues - Learnings from 'Big Dataset'

Nitrogen is the #1 nutrient for achieving average yields, however, consistent high yields are the consequence of understanding and reacting to other seasonal limitations – some we can manage, some we can’t. Jonathan Telfer will explore some findings from a ‘BIG DATASET’ held in the Yara Analytical Laboratory.

Jonathan Telfer - Yara Analytical services

Nutrient management - Measuring to manage and apply - A farmers view

Collating and managing a practical nutrient strategy is a challenging task for any grower. Here’s how one large-scale farmer balances nutrient demand and nutrient supply by integrating soil and crop knowledge with the application of nutrients from AD residue and mineral fertilizers. Here’s how the strategy is implemented at Bedfordia Farms and a description of some of the tools used to fine-tune crop management

Ian Rudge – Bedfordia Farms

The purpose of the crop nutrition seminar is to help farmers to make the best use of crop nutrition products and support services so that not a fertiliser granule or droplet more – or less – than required is applied, says Rosie Carne, communications and PR manager at Yara.

“The RB209 revision is about to be published. Researchers responsible for the rules will describe them, and other speakers will discuss the findings and implications for UK arable farmers.”

13.30-14.50

Crop Protection Sponsored by Belchim

Session chair: Andrew Ward, Lincolnshire farmer

Forces for change: Crop Protection Think Tank Panel:

Bill Clark, technical director, NIAB TAG; Guy Gagen, NFU chief arable adviser;

Jon Knight, AHDB crop protection specialist; Simon Leak, development and marketing manager, Belchim Crop Protection; Rob Edwards, Newcastle University (Weds); Catherine Tetard, Newcastle University (Thurs).

The crop protection arena is undergoing rapid change due to tightening regulatory, legislative and environmental pressure while pest, disease and weed resistance escalates. What does the future hold?

One area session chair Andrew Ward is keen to see discussed is the interaction between resistant varieties and cereal fungicide use.

“We have some fantastic varieties with high disease-resistance scores, but we are still being told we need very robust disease control programmes to get the best out of them.

“I am growing cleaner, newer varieties and have cut back on inputs. Comparative on-farm trials tell me I’m not currently losing out, but it’s an area I’d like to see explored further.”

15.30-16.40

Crop Breeding Sponsored by Bayer

Session Chair: Susannah Bolton, knowledge exchange director, AHDB Cereals and Oilseeds.

Risk-proofing the rotation

Planning the following year’s rotation with regard to cash-flow and longer-term implications for black-grass control and other management constraints.

Will Gemmill, head of farming, Strutt & Parker

High hopes for hybrid wheat

Why hybrid wheat might provide the answer to more profitable times for UK growers.

Bill Angus, independent wheat consultant

Hopes for the future – New breeding technologies

How new breeding technologies could improve growers’ competitiveness and profitability.

Helen Sang, Roslin Institute

A good understanding of variety performance and the options that variety choice offer is critical in making the best decisions for farming businesses, says session chair Susannah Bolton.

“This session explores those options, ranging from rotation planning through to the potential of hybrids to manage sowing date and the exciting future that new breeding technologies could offer in pest and disease resistance and resource-use efficiency.”

Growers will be able to discuss arable advances with a diverse range of experts, when AHDB opens its stand’s door at the CropTec show.

Taking place on 29 to 30 November 2016 at the East of England Showground in Peterborough, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds stand (A25) has been designed to reflect the show’s main technical themes – Crop Breeding, Crop Nutrition, Crop Establishment and Crop Protection.

This year, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds is the official supporter of the Crop Breeding seminar programme. The support sees Dr Susannah Bolton, Director of Knowledge Exchange at AHDB, chair a seminar session aimed at promoting advances in crop genetics.

Dr Bolton said: “Through pre-breeding investment, Recommended Lists trials and in-season monitoring activity, we work hard to make sure growers’ crops have the best genetic underpinning possible.

“As our latest Recommended Lists for 2017/18 will be launched online the day before the event, CropTec provides us with a timely opportunity to discuss the latest varietal developments with growers.”

On the topic of crop nutrition, Sarah Clarke and Susie Roques of ADAS, will be available to discuss AHDB’s extensive review of the Fertiliser Manual (RB209).

Many changes to RB209 have been proposed, including recommendations for additional crops and updated information on the nutrient content associated with organic materials. Visitors to the event will be among the first to hear about these changes and plans to launch the AHDB Nutrient Management Guide in 2017.

On the topic of crop establishment, Dr Amanda Bennett, AHDB, and Dr Andy Whitmore, Rothamsted Research, will focus on soil health.

In recent years, a range of indicators for soil health has been developed. Visitors to the stand will find out about research developing the guidance and tools needed so the indicators can be exploited by progressive arable farmers. Soil organic matter will be a particular emphasis on the stand.

On the topic of crop protection, Dr Jon Knight, AHDB Head of Crop Health & Protection, will outline AHDB’s investment in resistance management, crop protection trials and integrated pest management.

The AHDB stand will also include staff from the Knowledge Exchange team – to discuss the AHDB Monitor Farm programme – and Helen Plant, AHDB Senior Analyst (Cereals & Oilseeds), who will discuss grain market developments.

For further information on AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds activity, visit cereals.ahdb.org.uk

Register today

See us at CropTec

Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 November at the East of England Showground, Peterborough.

Our stand

Biog: Conor Colgan farms at Lowick Hall Farm, near Berwick on Tweed. The farm is 700-acres, and the enterprises are an arable rotation of wheat, barley, oilseed rape, oats and beans. He also has an 80-cow suckler beef herd. Six years ago Conor completed an MBA at the Royal Agricultural University; his thesis was on Lean Management, a technique used extensively by efficiency-critical sectors like the car industry. As part of his study, he undertook a complete Lean audit of every process on the farm. He says that this has made him exceptionally judicious about what system changes he makes and whether the introduction of a new practice will improve the value it delivers to his end markets and business bottom-line. “If it doesn’t, I won’t do it.”

Title: Innovations must be farm-relevant

The innovations that have most benefited my farm all centre on GPS technologies and soil mapping.

I’ve used SOYL to map my fields with the dual aim of generating a more consistent yield from my lower indices fields and adopting a precision approach to applying P to the seedbed and K during the growing season. The net result has been a recovery of soil indices and an improvement in crop yields.

This approach works well for the scale of my operation and because I have a lot of variation in indices. For farms where soils are similar, I suspect that the returns may not be so good.

I feel that the environment for fostering innovation in the arable sector was hit badly when we lost our national advisory service. When ADAS in its old guise went, we lost the prism to assess innovation for our industry.

R&D is now in the hands of the supply chain and its results are used to sell products or kit. There are too few independent trials from the like of AHDB to assess how these new commercial introductions really perform on farm.

So it is beholden on farmers themselves to prove whether a new technology or innovation will actually deliver the purported returns in their own farm situation.

In the future, I think it is really important for organisations like AHDB, TEAGASC and SRUC to analyse the impact of new developments on a range of different farms, soil types and scale of operation. This work would give us the clarity we need to truly compare market introductions, and not take the manufacturer’s word for the projected improvements we’ll gain.

I foresee that investment into genetics and access to GM technologies will become the essential innovation for the coming decades, particularly if issues like Septoria resistance threaten the viability of wheat production in the UK.

CropTec 2016:

Want to find out more about R&D and the latest innovation and technology? make sure to visit CropTec 2016.

To encourage knowledge exchange among the British farming community further, this year’s event is FREE for farmers and agronomists to attend. You MUST pre-register online to ensure you receive your free place.

General pre-registered admission: £12, all visitors will charged £15 on the gate on the day of the event.

New website launches to improve two-way relationship between farmers and beekeepers

The relationship between farmers and beekeepers is a vital one. In the UK around 70 of the crops grown are dependent on, or benefit from visits from bees, a value which is estimated at over £200 million per year.

While the importance of bees to UK agriculture is profound, it has not always been straightforward for farmers and beekeepers to communicate directly with each other. However, a new service – BeeConnected – launched nationwide on the 12th September aims to address this issue by digitalising the process of farmers informing beekeepers of their intention to spray an insecticide.

The project is being led by The Voluntary Initiative (VI) and Chairman Richard Butler says BeeConnected has been designed to work quickly and efficiently for farmers and beekeepers alike. He says:

“BeeConnected operates on a very simple, yet efficient, two-way process whereby farmers identify their fields and, in just a few clicks, are able to inform local beekeepers when they intend to spray an insecticide in particular fields. Beekeepers plot the location of their hives, and will then receive a notification ahead of when a farmer within their locality is planning to undertake a spray event.”

A two-way process
The launch of BeeConnected follows a successful pilot which took place in Hertfordshire during the spring spraying season. Andrew Watts, a farmer with 2250 hectares of combinable crops and grassland in North East Hertfordshire, was one of the participants in the trial. He emphasises that BeeConnected is a useful tool when it comes to improving how both farmers and beekeepers interact.

“The countryside is a shared place, and beekeepers need farmers as much as farmers need beekeepers. It’s a two-way process, and anything that improves the communication there – as BeeConnected does – is a good thing.”

Mr Watts has always had a good relationship with both his Spray Liaison Officer (SLO) and the local beekeepers, but emphasises that these relationships have been built on strong communication and mutual understanding:

“It doesn’t happen overnight; you have to work at it. And we do what we can to help. For example, bees are early risers, but they’re early to bed too. So when we spray our beans for bruchid beetle, we tend to spray late in the evening.”

Open communication
Improving communication is also a key benefit of BeeConnected for Mat Smith, a beekeeper based in Bishop’s Stortford. During the pilot he noted that the website was a big improvement on the SLO system of communication.

“The current SLO system isn’t always effective,” he says, “The BeeConnected website is an excellent tool that can improve both bee health and relations between beekeepers and farmers.

“Honey bees are hugely beneficial to both their keepers, farmers and the larger population as a whole, and open communication between farmers and beekeepers can only be a good thing.”

And for Mr Smith, who tends to three hives in his garden, the website proved to be a success in this regard.

“It was very easy to set up, and the alerts came through in time for me to take action to protect my bees,” he concludes, “I can’t think of any reason for beekeepers not to use this service!”

During the development of the project the VI worked closely with the National Farmers Union (NFU), the British Beekeepers Association (BBKA) who were responsible for the initial BeeConnected proposal, and the Crop Protection Association (CPA), who funded the development of the site.

Mr Butler adds: “This is a great opportunity for all farmers and beekeepers nationwide to improve their communications, for a mutual benefit. We encourage all farmers and beekeepers to make full use of the site and register by visiting www.beeconnected.org.uk.”

CropTec 2016

The Voluntary Initiative will be exhibiting at CropTec and support our Spraying technology hub, if you're interested in talking to the about BeeConnected visit stand 169.

Book you ticket to CropTec 2016

Entrance is free for pre-registered Farmers & Agronomists

Online general admission: £12

ALL admission with be charged at £15 on the day

CropTec, the essential technical event for arable and mixed farmers, their advisers and associated industries, will be packed with innovative features and content when it returns this coming November.

Building on three very successful years, the show promises to be the biggest and most relevant yet. More than 100 exhibitors will display the latest science and technology across the trade stands, while CropTec’s well established seminars and hubs will feature the latest thinking on a range of key arable topics delivered by leading specialists.

Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, Group Head of Events at show organiser Briefing Media Agriculture, said: “CropTec provides farmers with a unique opportunity to find ideas, inspiration and answers on everything from crop protection and nutrition to plant breeding and soil management in one place.

“But it is very much a two-way process – CropTec is all about knowledge exchange, creating the ideal forum for visitors, exhibitors and researchers to exchange ideas and experiences for their mutual benefit.”

CropTec Development Director Stephen Howe said the content reflected the show’s principal aim, to help the combinable crop sector remain profitable, and had been modified following visitor feedback from last year’s event.

“Farmers face a roller coaster world of crop production. Our aim is to help them manage the current agronomic and business challenges and manage their unit costs of production so they remain competitive in an increasingly dynamic global market place.

“The visitor survey confirmed that the seminars formed a major part of the event. But farmers also want to drill down into key aspects of business and pressing agronomic topics such as black-grass, soil health, OSR establishment and how the industry might practically address the loss of key crop protection chemistry.”

Seminar content will reflect this feedback, and two new knowledge hubs have been introduced, one covering grain marketing and storage and one on black-grass. These topical 15-minute presentations will provide plenty of material for detailed follow-on discussions with experts at the event.

To encourage this knowledge exchange among the British farming community, the event remains free for farmers and agronomists to attend, provided tickets are booked in advance.

CropTec 2016 programme summary

• CropTec seminars

The extensive seminar programme will feature over 20 leading speakers covering a wide range of technical cropping issues across four key areas – crop breeding, crop protection, crop nutrition and crop establishment.

• Exhibition halls

More than 100 exhibitors will be on hand to discuss a wide range of developments across the arable sector.

• Knowledge hubs

Two new hubs feature this year, a grain marketing and storage hub and black-grass hub, augmenting the popular spraying technology and business hubs. These feature short, sharp presentations delivering key take-away messages.

• Sprayer demonstration area

Visitors have an exclusive one-to-one opportunity to test-drive the latest sprayers in the market from leading manufacturers.

• Careers forum

The perfect opportunity for students and others interested in a career in the arable industry to network and gain free advice from organisations, exhibitors and industry specialists.

• Opportunities to collect BASIS and NRoSO points.

Adama Agricultural Solutions is pleased to announce that it has agreed a new two-year deal to remain as the headline sponsor of CropTec.

First held in 2013, CropTec has rapidly become established as the arable sector’s key crop protection and technical event.

“We are proud to be associated with such a focused, professional and well-targeted event,” explained Ali Bosher, Marketing Director for Adama.

“With a breadth of industry-leading speakers covering a wide range of technical, practical and business issues, and an extensive seminar programme which provides various solutions to help increase yields and reduce costs of production, CropTec provides the perfect opportunity for farmers, agronomists and professional spray operators to learn more about the very latest developments in crop establishment, protection, nutrition, and yield enhancement.

“We look forward to another successful show in 2016 and are proud to be able to support such an influential event into 2017.”

The 2016 CropTec event will take place at the East of England Showground, Peterborough, on Tuesday 29^th and Wednesday 30^th November.

For further information on CropTec 2016 and to book tickets go to www.croptecshow.com

For further information contact:

Nichola Bell, Marketing Manager, CropTec

nichola.bell@briefingmedia.com 01772 799424

Notes for editors

CropTec is organised by Briefing Media Agriculture, publisher of Arable Farming, AgriMoney, Farmers Guardian and Dairy Farmer and owner of the market-leading LAMMA Show.

Key contacts:

Elisabeth Mork-Eidem, Group Head of Events – elisabeth.mork-eidem@briefingmedia.com

Stephen Howe, Development Director – stephen_howe@btinternet.com

Gareth Jones, Sales – gareth.jones@briefingmedia.com

Nichola Bell, Marketing – nichola.bell@briefingmedia.com

Twitter: @russbmckenzie

Biog: Russ farms 750ha, spread over 17 miles and four units, between Cambs and Beds. He grows predominantly first wheats (mostly for seed) with winter barley, oilseed rape, spring beans and spring barley. He describes himself as not form a farming family, but as having loved everything about farming since a very young age, starting with a harvest job on a local farm when he was 13. He graduated from Writtle College with a BSc in Agriculture and then took on a trainee manager’s position with Albanwise Farming in Norfolk. Russ is BASIS and FACTS qualified and is a partner in his wife’s family farming business which he jointly manages along with John Sheard Farms. He has recently undertaken a Nuffield Farming scholarship, sponsored by AHDB, researching how the best no-till practitioners across the world manage to make the system work in both the wettest and driest of conditions which took him to Australia, New Zealand, the Czech Republic, USA, Brazil and Argentina. “I love being involved in such a fantastic industry and outside of work I am along suffering England Cricket fan, husband and father to two lovely (sometimes) children!” Oh and he’s an avid Tweeter!

Title: Future-proofing cropping hinges on blackgrass, R&D and realistic FBT prices

My mantra has always been to farm everything to the best of my ability; to achieve the best results possible. However, despite wanting to expand the area we farm, I find some of the prices being paid for FBTs on combinable crop land unfeasible to justify and impossible from which to make a sensible return. So, I see no sense in taking on extra land with the potential of making a loss as well as increasing our machinery wear!

I can certainly see rotations developing and changing over the next decade. Oilseed rape’s future has some big question marks over it because of the diminishing returns; also, how much more pulse acreage can the UK market really sustain? I fear that a countryside full of fallow fields could be a reality and will be an indication of the pressure upon farming returns; and very certainly, this will have a very negative impact upon soil structure.

Innovation and R&D is vital for farming to progress. We need to keep looking to improve and cope with the swings in disease ratings and levels of disease control. We have already adopted important technologies like variable rate P&K. More recently we adopted variable rate seeding which is showing some good results on the fields where we have had the most variation, leading to a more even yield across the whole field.

It is crucial that UK continues to be pioneering and innovative in its research and development of future crop production methods. Looking ahead, I would like to see instant yield map overlaying with soil sampling maps to fine-tune areas even more precisely than we are. I’d also like the ability to map blackgrass areas more accurately and be able to spot rate certain chemical applications specific to the weed – for example plant-count or the type of resistance – this could be a real benefit.

The biggest challenge for us is keeping blackgrass under control, a weed that seems to be able to continually adapt itself to any situation and is possibly one of the biggest threats to sustainable wheat production in the UK. Coupled with our unpredictable climate, we need to have a robust crop establishment system that can prosper in both wet and dry conditions.

I see the big issues on the horizon as legislation and pesticide regulation – these factors threaten to provide big hurdles for crop production efficiency and the ability to be able to control weeds, pest and diseases in the future. We need to be able to maintain and use what we currently have, which means that as farmers, it is vital for us to demonstrate judicial and wise use of plant protection products as the pool of resources become more rapidly depleted.

The one thing we are blessed with in this country is a favourable climate, even if August appears to be a regularly dreary month for combining. I believe that the ability to produce decent quality crops with a focus on export will be important to remain competitive; and although we haven’t seen the impact yet, the basic fact of a growing world population that needs feeding cannot be ignored, we will almost certainly need to produce more food for a wider audience.

Here is the link to download Russell McKenzie’s Nuffield Scholarship Report, Success with No-Till – Under any Conditions.

CropTec 2015:

Want to find out more about new legislations, pesticide regulations R&D or if you have issues with black-grass. Make sure to visit CropTec 2015.

In addition to the free advice on offer in CropTec’s topical and technical seminars, there will be numerous exhibitors you can talk to find ideas, inspiration and answers on everything from crop protection and nutrition to plant breeding and soil management in one place, at one time.

To encourage knowledge exchange among the British farming community further, this year’s event is FREE for farmers to attend. You MUST pre-register online to ensure you receive your free place.

General pre-registered admission: £12, all visitors will charged £15 on the gate on the day of the event.

Twitter: @croptecshow

Facebook: /croptecshow

Register today

CropTec 2016 programme summary

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