Crops arable website guide: Potatoes & Seeds

Crops magazine has picked a selection of the key potato and seeds-related websites available and given its opinions (good and bad) on everything from their content, layout and ease of use.

POTATOES
www.potato.org.uk
British Potato Council site providing weekly market and price reports, plus specific growers advice for levy payers. Very good online seed variety handbook available free lets you search for varieties by name, market or specification. Download variety disease tolerance tables. The BPC’s consumer website is www.britishpotatoes.co.uk.

www.potatonews.com
US based site covering news, events and market reports from around the world – users can specify info from UK and Europe only. Bi-weekly newsletter for registered users.

SEEDS
www.advantaseeds.co.uk
Latest news and technical info on the firm’s cereals, oilseeds, sugar beet and pulse varieties. Easy site to navigate and find what you are looking for. Sign up for an arable newsletter.

www.cpb-twyford.co.uk
Coverage of the companies osr, maize, cereals, pulses and oats varieties. Some agronomy tips and trials data. Register to receive e-mail updates on news, events and special offers.

www.elsoms.com
Technical detail on all the firm’s main varieties, but not as comprehensive as some sites.

www.monsanto-ag.co.uk
Good technical info on Monsanto products, crop protection portfolio and varieties. Technical details cover a variety of areas from variety data to tank mixes and spillage procedures.

www.newfarmcrops.co.uk
Cereals breeding arm of Syngenta seeds. Wheat and barley varieties covered, with guidance on drilling rates, combine setup and general agronomy. Good section on cereal micronutrients.

www.nickersonuk.com
Well laid out and easy to use site covering the entire Nickersons product range. The purple and green background may be a bit too much for some though! Online newsletter available.

www.oilseedrape.com
Syngenta oilseed rape site, so only covers their products. Download pdf info on the main varieties. Some useful osr related links within agronomic info.

www.organicxseeds.co.uk
The official UK database of organic seed availability. A DEFRA funded site, managed by the Soil Association, NIAB and FiBL. Search for the availability and suppliers of organic seeds and seed potatoes. Download derogation forms for using non-organic seed.

www.semundo.co.uk
SW Seed Ltd for seed marketing and crop development. All the usual product info, plus interesting details on Semundo projects on energy crops and the environment e.g. Canary grass, willow. A new SW Seeds site is currently under construction.

www.wherryandsons.com
Pulse specialists. Useful general variety info, but generally you need to contact the firm for more details. Plenty of pictures from trials work. For agronomic info on beans go to www.winter-beans.co.uk.