Archive Article: 1999/08/13

13 August 1999

What a difference a week makes! Record yields in the earliest harvest since 1976 meant smiles all round on ADASs East Anglian farms last week. But 43.5mm (1.7in) of rain up to Tuesday morning changed all that. "Its very frustrating – we can see quality disappearing as wheats blacken before our eyes," said Simon Ash, manager of 567ha (1400 acres) at Boxworth, Terrington and Arthur Rickwood. "The forecast suggests no progress before next week – you wont be able to see the combines for dust by then." Pre-rain Madrigal averaged 11t/ha (4.45t/acre) and up to 13t/ha (5.3t/acre). Strobilurin fungicides probably helped a lot, Mr Ash said.

&#8226 See p58 for regional roundup and p64 for VarPlan variety results.