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Know How / Establishment

Successful crop establishment is crucial to achieving high yields and controlling costs and ensuring the profitability of your business. See the latest thinking this season on cereals, oilseed rape, potato and sugar beet establishment, drilling and seed-bed preparation.

Case studies

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ESTABLISHMENT

Farmer aims to cut wheat inputs with home-brewed inoculant

Microbial inoculants will be part of the autumn drilling campaign on a Cambridgeshire farm this autumn, as Tom Pearson takes the next steps in reducing reliance on artificial inputs. See…

DRILLING

Suffolk farm shifts cultivations to improve soil health

A Suffolk grower’s approach to soil management and cultivation has evolved significantly in recent years, driven largely by cost-saving measures and a commitment to improving soil health and soil sustainability.…

LAND PREPARATION

Grower uses drone to sow catch crop into standing wheat

An East Yorkshire regen farmer is trialling the establishment of a multispecies catch crop into a standing crop of wheat, using the largest UK spraying and spreading drone. Jonathon Hodgson…

BLACKGRASS

Trial leads to shift in blackgrass strategy on Oxon farm

Rotational ploughing and maximising autumn flushes are part of the new strategy at Tusmore estate near Bicester, as its farm manager looks to get blackgrass back under control. The grassweed…

DRILLING

Strip-till cultivator brings big maize establishment savings

The use of a strip-till cultivator has halved the number of maize establishment passes and more than doubled work rate at a Hampshire arable farm – all while maintaining yields.…

PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATION

Why a long-term no-tiller is ploughing again on heavy soils

For more than 20 years, a bare brown field has not been seen on Motts Farm on the Dengie peninsula in Essex, with crops established using zero tillage. But that…

Practical advice

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OILSEED RAPE

3 establishment tips for growers sowing OSR early this year

The early start to harvest and the arrival of rain mean has prompted farmers to establish oilseed rape crops earlier than usual. By the end of July, agronomy firm Agrii…

DRILLING

7 steps for late drilling wheat success

Farmers with winter wheat still to drill this autumn need to be patient and do all they can to ensure crop establishment and soil health are not compromised following recent…

ARABLE

How SFI grassy corners and blocks can work most effectively

Grassy corners and blocks are perhaps potentially one of simplest of all the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) options to implement, but, as ever, to deliver the maximum benefit for the…

DRILLING

What to consider if tempted to drill winter wheat early

Winter wheat growers may be tempted to establish crops earlier this autumn following last season’s washout conditions, but experienced agronomists and crop consultants are reminding farmers of the potential risks…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How to companion crop successfully in winter wheat

Companion cropping is an emerging practice that is recognised in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) with an action that attracts a payment of £55/ha. In its most common form, it…

OILSEED RAPE

Cereals 2024: Why September drilled OSR can boost yield

Drilling oilseed rape from the second week of September rather than the typical August sowing window could be a strategic move for growers to boost yield potential. Latest research from…

Insights

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ESTABLISHMENT

How late is too late to drill oilseed rape this autumn?

While many oilseed rape growers have already drilled their crops, some have been holding back, having noted that later drilling into September has its advantages. Growers may well be wondering…

ESTABLISHMENT

Why good straw management is key to crop establishment

For regenerative farmers, straw provides a valuable source of organic matter for improving soil health, but it can also bring crop establishment problems if not managed correctly. Straw holds important…

MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

How farmers can benefit from growing hemp market

Fast growing with break crop suitability, hemp can produce high-value fibres in a low-input system, with low nitrogen requirement, and minimal chemicals. But one of industrial hemp’s major downfalls is…

ESTABLISHMENT

Cereal seed treatments for farmers to consider this autumn

Seed treatments have many roles, which include fungicide dressings, nutritional enhancers, and in more recent years, the arrival of biological treatments have been added to some agronomy plans. So as…

DRILLING

Which IPM options are best to manage CSFB?

With no single chemical or cultural approach that reliably manages cabbage stem flea beetle numbers, control requires a combination of techniques to suppress populations of the pest. But with dozens…

DRILLING

3 risks to assess before drilling winter wheat early

Winter wheat growers are being advised to think hard about three heightened risks before going for early drilling this autumn – namely blackgrass, aphid-borne disease, and septoria. After a very…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Why slug pressure is intensifying and what farmers can do

A changing climate and evolving farming systems could lead to more frequent slug population explosions, and growers must be alert and ready to react. It is widely accepted that UK…

OILSEED RAPE

Should growers persevere with OSR despite challenges?

The AHDB has estimated a near 30% drop in the UK oilseed rape area compared to 2023, making it the UK’s smallest crop for 40 years – at 280,000ha. With…

ESTABLISHMENT

Why early OSR drilling may reduce yields by up to 1.5t/ha

The trend for milder winters across north-west Europe may mean UK oilseed rape growers need to consider drilling later to maximise rapeseed yields. A major breeder is investigating whether late…

ARABLE

Seed sales show heavy reliance on a limited number of varieties

After a testing season and difficult harvest, growers are sticking to a narrow range of varieties for the new cropping year. Farmers Weekly finds out what’s filling the drills. See…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Survey gives pointers on how to successfully grow OSR

An average 85% of oilseed rape crops are predicted to reach harvest, but some farmers, especially in East Anglia, are feeling the pain. Although the average is down on last…