Trial plots at Cereals: Opportunity or danger?

Post-dinner wine or whine? Last night’s post-British Society of Plant Breeders brought an interesting discussion regarding the true value of trials plots at Cereals.

Everything to lose, nothing to gain was one breeder’s assessment of the worth of the event’s trials plots. Visitors don’t really remember a good plot was his opinion, or they think it has been ‘manicured’ to look good.

But a poor looking plot – remember the blackgrass poking out of a certain grassweed herbicide plot at his Cereals debut a few years ago? – certainly is memorable for all the wrong reasons, he suggested.

He probably has a point – that particular case got a great deal of press – but is he right suggesting that lorry loads of wood chip arriving on the site the day before Cereals are there to cover up mowed down plots?

Other Cereal Blogs

Biofuels buzz grows at Cereals 2006 – Andrew Blake
Oilseed rape area likely to rise over 10% – Paul Spackman
Sugar beet battle lines – Julian Gairdner