bakers
Finding top stimulant for
bakers
On-farm trials have shown a
Gloucestershire farmer
which bio-stimulant gives
his potato crop the
biggest boost.
Andrew Blake reports
THERE is only one sure way to confirm the claims manufacturers make for different growth improvers – test them on your own land, says Reg Watkins who adopted just that approach two years ago. The results were so conclusive that he used just one product on all his potatoes last season, with exceptional results.
Mr Watkins farms 810ha (2000 acres) as F I Watkins and Son at Stone House Farm, Kempley near Dymock, including about 65ha (160 acres) of maincrop potatoes.
His aim is to maximise baker content. The whole crop goes for packing, mainly through Gamber Produce based at Harewood End. Pentland Dell for processing in the trial year has since been replaced by Maris Piper, the other varieties being Estima, Marfona and Desiree which replaces Romano.
In the past he shied away from bio-stimulants. "It is all very well for companies to say you get a 10% yield increase. But that is often difficult to find or assess in the field, unless you have a weighbridge and do comparison digs throughout the season."
A friend has great faith in Maxicrop, notes Mr Watkins. "We had also been using it on our potatoes for a couple of years, but had never had a comparative test." He also wanted to try Fulcrum and Masstock suggested Redicrop.
The large block trials were carried out across 16ha (40 acres) in two fields, one of Marfona, the other Estima. Test weighings were made by crop consultant David Dodson of Dalgety.
All three products, applied from tuber initiation across double 18m (59ft) test bouts, gave positive responses on the light land crop. But not all were cost-effective or easy to apply.
Only one, Fulcrum, gave a noticeable difference in early top growth. "The haulm was much darker and 3in taller," says Mr Watkins.
Later on, Maxicrop Triple applied as a tank mix with four blight sprays, kept the crop greener for longer and there seemed to be a deeper root structure, he notes.
But last seasons decision to use Maxicrop on the whole crop was influenced by the yield results. "We saw a response in the Redicrop, but nothing to repay its use," he says. "The Fulcrum gave a 5% increase in baker potato grade.
"Maxicrop Triple gave a 10% marketable yield improvement." It almost certainly helped the crop overcome late summer drought he believes. "The crop definitely suffered less stress and there was a large increase in baker content at the end of the day."
The farm has no irrigation and the stimulant kept the crop greener and bulking-up for longer, he maintains. "Untreated haulm was noticeably yellower when we started to burn down."
Fulcrum was relatively expensive and hard to justify, he says. Neither was it the easiest of products to apply. "It is a bit treacly and tends to block nozzles."
Last seasons across-the-board strategy was partly for logistical reasons. Further trials could have been enlightening, but staff changes made them hard to justify, says Mr Watkins. However results were encouraging.
The 8ha (20 acres) of Maris Piper averaged 69t/ha (28t/acre). That compares with norms for the farm of 59t/ha (24t/acre) in a good year and as little as 39t/ha (16t/acre) in a dry season.
"I cant say it was all down to the Maxicrop. Compared with the previous year the weather was good for the crop. But I was well pleased with the quality."
Mr Watkins now plans to expand his Maxicrop use to other crops. "We tried it on sugar beet suffering compaction on a headland and found it helpful, though I dont have any yield figures."
It has also been useful on winter wheat drilled late after maize and hammered by rabbits over winter.
"We were seriously considering ripping it up and starting again." But Mr Dodson suggested Maxicrop and the crop took off after using two early treatments. "It appeared to make all the difference." Next in line for on-farm trials may be new fertiliser additive FTC-1, he says. "I am a bit sceptical, but we might try it."
STIMULANT TRIALS
• Sceptical about claims.
• Large scale in-field test of Fulcrum, Maxicrop and Redicrop on potatoes.
• Single season results.
• Biggest benefit from Maxicrop.
Field trialling bio-stimulant products helped Glos farmer Reg Watkins choose the best option for his prepack potatoes. The whole crop is now treated with one product, which is also used on beet and wheat.
STIMULANT TRIALS
• Sceptical about claims.
• Large scale in-field test of Fulcrum, Maxicrop and Redicrop on potatoes.
• Single season results.
• Biggest benefit from Maxicrop.