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ARABLE

How arable farmers can turn things around this spring

It may feel like doom and gloom at present, as any rare dry days are predictably followed by another spell of rain – a cycle that has limited field work…

SEED-BED PREPARATION

Pointers on rescuing waterlogged soils for spring barley

The UK spring barley area is predicted to rise 13% this season, and growers are advised to adapt cultivation and drilling methods to resurrect waterlogged soils. Following the wet winter…

SOILS

How to manage waterlogged soils in an autumn deluge

This season’s washout autumn has seen crops battered by flooding and swamped by slugs, in what was the wettest October in England since 2000. In fact, some fields have been…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Why wheat blends outperform individual varieties

A blend of four winter wheat varieties can help increase yields and allow growers to cut back on fungicides costs as it helps to slow down disease cycling through the…

GRASSLAND MANAGEMENT

Agronomist tips on taking reliable soil samples this autumn

Taking soil samples this autumn will only produce useful data for a nutrient management plan if it is done consistently. This means sampling at the same time of year, in…

CROP MANAGEMENT

SFI 2023: The support options for arable growers

Arable growers are being encouraged to enter the new 2023 Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) for England as it is simpler and more flexible than previous financial support packages. The new…

Case studies

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NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

How fulvic acid can cut glyphosate rates and help foliar N

Fulvic and humic acid could be beneficial additions to spray tank mixes, enabling growers to increase efficacy and successfully cut back glyphosate and fertiliser rates by one-third. Both fulvic and…

SOILS

Notts Monitor Farm sees benefits of reduced cultivations

Reduced labour and machinery costs and more resilient soils are some of the benefits being seen since reducing cultivations at Manor Farm, near Bingham in Nottinghamshire. The Fisher family have…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How two farmers are cutting back on fungicides this spring

Two arable farmers are planning to dramatically cut back their fungicide spend this spring, helping to overcome rising chemical costs. Wiltshire grower George Hosier aims to spend the absolute minimum,…

COVER CROPS

International expert's tips on ramping up soil carbon levels

Soil carbon levels can be moved in the right direction by applying a set of five soil health principles and recognising that every green plant is a carbon inlet, according…

ESTABLISHMENT

Drill change improves cereal crop resilience

Spring barley was the last crop to be fully drilled with the 3m Mzuri Pro-till drill and despite the tricky spring, it yielded nearly 8t/ha last summer.  Neil White believes…

POTATOES

How farmers in potato 'world capital' deal with soil erosion

Prince Edward Island in eastern Canada claims to be the potato capital of the world based on production per capita, with an annual harvest of 1.45m tonnes. This equates to…

Insights

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PULSES

Soil conditioner trial lifts vining pea yields by nearly 40%

Applying a phosphate enhancer to vining pea seed-beds led to an average yield increase of nearly 40% in Agrii trials carried out in conjunction with a Yorkshire vining pea co-op.…

SOILS

Sussex soil project aims to increase organic matter

The impact of soil type and land use on the ability of farms to improve soil organic matter levels is being investigated in a five-year project funded by Southern Water,…

SOILS

How FYM can increase soil oxygen and nitrogen use efficiency

Increasing soil organic matter levels through applications of farmyard manure can significantly increase soil oxygen levels, which in turn improves nitrogen use efficiency. The flow of organic carbon through soil…

SOILS

Studies show earthworms can increase crop yields by 25%

Earthworms are fundamental to the delivery of a range of soil ecosystem services such as nutrient cycling and water management, which in turn affects crop development and yield. In fact,…

ARABLE

Why cover crops and reduced tillage is key to soil health

Cover crops can help reduce deep cultivations to improve soil structure and cut expensive machinery costs while tapping into new environmental payments. These overwintered multispecies cover crops encourage earthworm numbers…

SOILS

Zero-till v plough: Differences in soil structure and carbon

A study across the East Midlands comparing the effects of zero-till and ploughing on soil structure has revealed how porosity and carbon accumulation evolves differently according to cultivation management. The…

SOILS

Could compaction-busting plants become a reality?

Soil compaction is a major challenge for many arable farmers, exacerbated by the intensification of operations and trafficking of large machinery – not to mention recent waterlogging leaving soils vulnerable…

SOILS

What is the true value of on-farm soil organic matter?

Increasing soil carbon stocks and organic matter seems to be an industry-wide goal for many farmers, but what value does it really have? Are growers aiming to increase yield and…

Latest soils news

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SOILS

Project explores soil microbiome and nutrient use efficiency

A new research project aims to improve farm productivity by unearthing the secrets of soil and root health through the development of a soil sensor that measures microbial diversity and…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Microbiology experts voice concern over omissions in SFI

Experts from the UK’s oldest microbiology society, Applied Microbiology International (AMI), have voiced concern over the new Sustainable Farming Initiative (SFI), saying it lacks “microbiological considerations”. The organisation has particular…

SOILS

New farm project pays farmers to trial soil health sensor

Farmers are invited to join a new research project that aims to develop a soil health sensor that measures microbial diversity and fungal-to-bacterial ratio to improve farm productivity. The three-year…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Study shows regen farming increases nutrient availability

University research has revealed how regenerative farming can help soils hold nutrients and water around roots for longer, resulting in greater nutrient availability to crops. These are the initial findings…

Video

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MARKET OPPORTUNITIES

Video: UK agroforestry system integrates fruit and arable

First-generation tenant farmer Stephen Briggs planted the UK’s largest agroforestry system, integrating fruit trees and arable cropping to boost land productivity. More than a decade after the 4,500 apple trees…

ARABLE

Video: Why cows and trees are part of Essex arable business

George Young is making big changes to his arable business with nature at its heart. Read the full report and watch the videos for more detail on his tree planting…

ARABLE

Video: Grower undersows with clover to cut fertiliser costs

A regenerative farmer is experimenting with white clover understories to reduce his nitrogen fertiliser bills and provide additional grazing for the ewe flock. The price of natural gas, a key…

POTATOES

Video: How a US potato grower is slashing pesticide use

Growing potatoes on a commercial scale with virtually zero synthetic inputs would seem impossible, but this is exactly what one US farmers has achieved using what he calls “biotic farming”,…