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Know How / Pest management

Find out about the main pest threats and how to control them in wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sugar beet and potato crops. Get advice on dealing with pests including flea beetle, TuYV, potato cyst nematode, slugs and rats, how and when to apply insecticides and what a permanent neonicotinoid ban would mean.

Advice and tips

PEST MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Top 10 strategies to tackle flea beetle

A list of the top 10 strategies to tackle the critical cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) pest in oilseed rape crops has been released to help reverse the fortunes of…

PEST MANAGEMENT

10 latest tips on managing flea beetle threat in OSR

An industry led campaign launched to reverse the decline in the UK’s oilseed rape area has put together a set of cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) management tips to help…

CROP MANAGEMENT

6 steps to achieve correct sprayer setup this spring

A well-maintained sprayer is essential for accurate applications. We offer six handy tips to help achieve this. The busy spring spraying season is just around the corner, which means sprayers…

PEST MANAGEMENT

How to spot stem weevil in oilseed rape and manage it

Oilseed rape growers are urged to watch out for signs of rape winter stem weevil, following reports of the pest appearing in crops in eastern counties. Despite having potential to…

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Case studies

OILSEED RAPE

Drilling regime and companion crop achieve high OSR yields

Farm manager David Northway’s oilseed rape harvest hit a top yield of 5t/ha in the summer, his highest for nearly 50 years. This was achieved on the farm between Fordingbridge…

PULSES

Why pollinators are key to Scottish grower’s 6t/ha bean yield

Pollinating insects can increase bean yields by up to 50%. Emma Gillbard visits a farmer who is using beetle banks and grass margins to boost yield and cut chemical use.…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Three practical IPM strategies to help growers cut costs

Independent agronomist Ben Burrows of Crop Management Partners has been working closely with Hampshire farm manager David Miller to implement a number of IPM strategies and cut input costs at…

ARABLE

Grower moves to direct-drilled OSR and companion crops

Dorset grower Andrew Fry is growing oilseed rape for the first time and is hoping for a good yield from his new break crop. There is also £100/ha of government…

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Community

ARABLE

Farmer Focus: Surprising slug problem after oats

With all but 25ha (62 acres) of winter beans left to drill, autumn drilling is all but complete. After lessons learnt from last year and rushing to get cereals drilled,…

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Insights

PEST MANAGEMENT

Why leafhoppers are an emerging threat to potatoes

Covering a small patch of potatoes with insect mesh has highlighted the potential damage leafhopper species might be doing to the UK crop. Grown under the mesh, the processing variety…

PEST MANAGEMENT

What first OSR to mitigate flea beetle means for growers

A hybrid oilseed rape that has been bred with resilience against cabbage stem flea beetle could make the difference between crop success and failure when deployed as part of an…

POTATOES

Wireworm in potatoes: Rising threat and how to control it

Wireworm damage is now an increasing risk in potato crops across the country, including eastern counties and up into the Scottish Borders.  This highlights the need to understand the reasons…

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News

PEST MANAGEMENT

Cereals 2025: Send in aphid samples, growers urged

Rothamsted Research appealed for growers and agronomists to send in aphid samples taken from wheat crops at Cereals 2025. Researchers developing species-specific pest management solutions are building a picture of…

OILSEED RAPE

Cereals 2025: Lowest OSR flea beetle pressure in six years

Cabbage stem flea beetle pressure is at its lowest level in six years, with well over half of UK oilseed rape growers reporting little or no autumn challenge from the…

POTATOES

New guide released to help tackle costly potato pests

Two potato organisations have jointly published a guide aimed at helping farmers manage a soil pest that results in yield losses estimated to cost the sector as much as £26m/year.…

OILSEED RAPE

Lower flea beetle numbers found in monitoring project

Results from a nationwide cabbage stem flea beetle monitoring project suggest farmers can approach the growing season with renewed confidence. Assessments of stem larvae levels in the spring of 2025…

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Test and reviews

MACHINERY

A guide to effective bird scaring kits for farmers

New technology for farmers with the age-old problem of scaring birds off crops are constantly hitting the market. From lasers, to acoustic systems, to inflatable scarecrows, to kites, we look…

MACHINERY

Eight of the best slug pelleters on test

We test eight of the best slug pelleters with the help of testing specialist SCS. The test KRM Stocks Techneat Spaldings Logic Bullock Verdict We tested the pelleters with the…

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Video

LIVESTOCK

Video: How to take an integrated approach to rodent control

The best way to deal with rat infestations is not to have them in the first place. Waiting until you see rats running around the farm is too late. Every…

WHEAT

Video: Wolverine wheat looks good in BYDV battle

The first wheat variety with resistance to an important aphid-spread disease is showing a yield of more than 10t/ha in Kent, with some seed available for growers this autumn. The…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Video: Clever electronic bird scarer gets worldwide interest

Farmers are flocking to buy a bird scarer which uses fire alarms and flashing lights to keep pigeons off oilseed rape crops. More than 300 orders have been placed in…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Video: How to properly set up a crop sprayer

Crop spraying is one of the most important and highly skilled jobs undertaken on any arable farm, but it is facing increased public scrutiny. This is why it is vital…

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