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Know How / Barley / Crop management

With ramularia now more difficult to control and other diseases showing signs of fungicide resistance, there is plenty to consider before deciding on how to manage your barley crop. Get the latest advice and thinking on cost-effective barley agronomy, from pest and weed control, to nutrient planning and fungicide/growth regulator use.

Case studies

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ARABLE

Hants arable farm extends regen approach to two vineyards

The decision to stop pedalling faster without gain and instead change the farming system to one based on regenerative principles was taken more than 20 years ago on a Hampshire…

SOILS

Grower's insights from four-year clover living mulch trial

Matt England, estate manager at the Fring Estate in Norfolk, has been exploring the potential of clover living mulches, testing how ground-hugging clovers can accumulate nitrogen and suppress weeds. The…

COVER CROPS

How Arable Insights farmers are using cover crops in rotation

Whether it is to increase soil organic matter, provide grazing for sheep, prevent nutrients from leaching, or deliver extra income within the rotation, cover cropping has become a key part…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Irish farmer ditches fungicides on marginal crop land

Irish arable farmer Samuel Deane is successfully growing fungicide-free crops on what is considered the very limit of viable arable land in the rain-drenched landscape of County Cork. Sam is…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How integrating livestock in rotations cuts crop inputs

As sustainable farming practices become increasingly important, some agronomists and farmers are exploring how integrating livestock into arable systems can bring both environmental and economic benefits. By combining rotational grazing…

CROP MANAGEMENT

'Mosaic' cropping system helps cut winter barley costs

Cranborne Farms in east Dorset grew a malting winter barley crop for just £65.36/t variable costs last season, some £10.85/t lower than the UK average (Yagro UK). Farm manager Dan…

Practical advice

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WEED MANAGEMENT

New advice to maximise brome control in cereals

Cereal growers can simplify brome weed management post-harvest by responding to environmental conditions, regardless of the brome species present, says John Cussans, principle weed science consultant with Adas. Instead of…

HARVEST AND CROP STORAGE

What's in your grain store? Tackling pests before harvest

It is estimated that 90% of grain stores harbour at least one insect species known to infest grain, underlining the critical importance of good store hygiene in the run-up to…

ARABLE

Expert sets out six steps to better spring barley yields

Spring barley was a get-out-of-jail card for some growers last season after wet weather prevented autumn drilling, yet many crops went on to deliver above-average yields. Why they performed so…

ARABLE

How to plan crop and soil management after a washout season

Soils, rotations and cashflows were all impacted by the 2023-24 growing season washout, meaning there are important decisions to be made ahead of the new cropping year. The smallest wheat…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Tips for spring barley growers as lodging risk rises

Spring barley and oat growers are being advised to use plant growth regulator this spring to avoid yield losses in what could be a higher risk year. Growth regulators can…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How to tackle hefty spring arable workloads after wet winter

Spring workloads are mounting on most arable farms, so sorting fieldwork priorities to ensure optimum return on investment where crops are variable and harvest profitability remains uncertain is a tricky…

Insights

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NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

Benefits of adding manganese to seed-beds after dry summer

Farmers are advised to apply manganese in the seed-bed this autumn, as the dry summer may have left soils depleted of the micronutrient. Origin Soil Nutrition agronomist Toby Ward warns…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Tips on cutting through the marketing hype for biostimulants

After a season when crops gave up in the summer drought, farmers may be tempted to try a biostimulant to help crops cope better next time. Some products can deliver…

WEED MANAGEMENT

How new herbicide aids sustainable weed control in barley

More so than in winter wheat, control of problem weeds in winter barley, such as blackgrass and Italian ryegrass, has been reliant on a narrow group of actives. So, the…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

An in-depth look at stem- and soil-borne diseases in cereals

While foliar diseases often dominate discussions, stem base and root pathogens in cereals require increasing attention as farming systems evolve. Here, we examine the changing dynamics of these diseases. Managing…

BLACKGRASS

Grassweed control - sequencing and timing key

Grassweed control programmes for this autumn need to take account of warmer winters, changing blackgrass behaviour and the increasing threat from brome, say experts. Where wheat drilling is planned for…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

4 key steps to reduce the risk of ergot in grain

Researchers have identified four key areas where farmers can reduce ergot disease pressure, limit crop infection and keep clean grain clean. Adas experts have carried out an AHDB-funded review which…

VARIETY SELECTION

Disease resistance is key for variety choice, reveals survey

Resistance to pests, diseases and virus is the most important factor when choosing which cereal varieties to grow, according to research carried out by Farmers Weekly in conjunction with Syngenta.…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

How the latest fungicides fit with barley ramularia control

Symptoms that are hard to identify, a lack of genetic resistance, and the loss of chlorothalonil have gained ramularia leaf spot a reputation as one of the most notorious diseases…

NUTRITION AND FERTILISER

How microbial seed dressing helps cut nitrogen fertiliser

An increasing number of farmers are looking to cut their reliance on bagged nitrogen fertiliser, and trials suggest a microbial seed treatment could help them achieve this without affecting cereal…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

New cereal fungicide gives strong performance in AHDB trials

Independent trials for the recently authorised cereal fungicide Plaxium reveal that the three-way mix gave strong broad-spectrum disease control across winter wheat and winter barley. In autumn 2023, Bayer launched the SDHI…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Why ergot contamination of grain is higher than expected

Grower guidelines for managing ergot are to be updated by the AHDB, following a steep rise in the incidence of the pathogen over the past three years and confirmation that…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How low-input spring cereals SFI action may fit this spring

Low-input harvested spring cereal crops supported by the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) action AHW10 could be a good option for growers in 2025, given the payment rate of £354/ha. Use…

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