A top-yield competition is expanding its roots, as the Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) introduces a number of new crop categories for growers to enter this season.

Oats, linseed, maize and wholecropped cereals are now added to the 2021 mix in the annual event, to ensure categories are kept relevant to market trends and cropping area.

A new network, known as YEN Zero, is also under development, helping farmers to share information on the industry’s net-zero commitment by 2040.

See also: The new biostimulant that increases wheat and barley yields

The network

Organised by crop consultant Adas, YEN aims to connect agricultural organisations and farmers to help improve crop performance by closing the gap between current and potential yields.

Collectively, the network now has more than 2,800 yields in its database and six main categories. With growth continuing, it hopes to offer more relevant information.

“The power and value of YEN networks depend on their numbers of participants and the data that they share,” says Dhaval Patel, manager of the group.

YEN expansion

Cereal YEN now includes a separate oat category, as popularity of the alternative break crop has risen and market trends indicate increased consumer demand.

Linseed is added to oilseed YEN, and spring-sown linseed crops can be entered for the 2021 season, and winter linseed entered for 2022. 

Grass YEN has been extended to include maize and wholecropped cereals, used for both livestock feed and energy production, under the new name of Forage YEN.

By joining YEN, growers are able to benchmark crop performance, attend workshops, receive a free soil health test and a detailed crop performance report, which contains a range of recommended improvements to be made.

YEN Zero

The new YEN Zero network will provide a platform for industry stakeholders throughout the supply chain to share knowledge and address key agriculture issues, to achieve net-zero carbon targets.

The network will allow benchmarking of greenhouse gas intensities of all arable crops. Users will be able to agree key metrics and test “what works” for them,  identifying farming practices that help reduce carbon intensity and maintain or improve productivity.