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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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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…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Dorset grower hopes for lift from septoria-hitting SDHI

Bob Rowe is turning to a new hard-hitting septoria fungicide across all his 700ha of winter wheat at the crucial T2 flag leaf timing later this month to gain from…

BARLEY

Greater yield and margin for winter barley grower

Scottish grower Neil Ramsay is pushing the boundaries of winter barley production, striving for both yield and margin. He achieved a top yield of 13.5t/ha last harvest and has an…

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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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…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

AHDB fungicide data reveal how new products performed

The AHDB’s fungicide performance trials confirm that the new SHDI fungicide from Syngenta is a valuable addition for septoria control. Approved in April 2024, Miravis Plus also offers a step…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Improved BYDV tool to give cereal growers better control

Winter cereal growers are set to see a more accurate warning system next season for a key aphid-spread disease. The AHDB’s new Acrobat tool will give a more precise forecast…

WEED MANAGEMENT

How new herbicide will benefit growers in autumn 2025

A new co-formulated pre-emergence herbicide based on two new active ingredients is expected to be available in time for autumn 2025 cereal drillings, reports manufacturer FMC. With one of the…

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…

BLACKGRASS

Blackgrass control as later-germinating populations emerge

Blackgrass emergence patterns are shifting towards later-germinating populations, which are prompting growers and agronomists to adapt control strategies to keep on top of the weed. Evidence is also suggesting that…

ARABLE

Cover crop study shows yield benefits of destruction methods

Research funded by water companies has revealed significant differences between cover crop destruction methods for nitrogen availability in the following crop and weed control. A further project has highlighted the…

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