Choice of variety for min-till can aid establishment success
Choice of variety for min-till can aid establishment success
MIN-TILL farmers can improve establishment success by paying more attention to variety choice, says Monsanto.
Trials run last year and repeated this season are helping to confirm the characters growers need to look for in winter wheats, says the companys Colin Stride.
"Early vigour, a big root system, high tillering and take-all tolerance all help the crop cope with the more adverse conditions," he says.
The findings come from split field trials comparing establishment after min-till cultivation with a plough-based system on five sites across the UK. Speed of establishment, crop vigour, tiller counts and final yield were all assessed.
"It is early days yet, but we can identify trends," says Mr Stride. "Early vigour, fast development and good tillering are important to speed establishment and help the crop compete with the greater weed threat, especially if growers are looking to reduce sowing rates." A tendency to produce a large root system and take-all tolerance also help.
"Hybrids score particularly well on these factors, but there are also differences between conventional varieties, with Napier and Option looking particularly suitable from our portfolio," says Mr Stride.
Full results will be announced after harvest and an expanded trials programme is planned for the coming season. *