Cut in seed rates raises Northern Ireland eyebrows
Cut in seed rates raises Northern Ireland eyebrows
For the seventh in our series
of barometer farm revisits,
Andrew Blake reports from
Northern Ireland
DRILLING wheat as early as Sept 3 has been a significant move for Mark McFerran at Battletown Farm, Newtownards, in Northern Ireland.
"The earliest we have ever sown before, two years ago, was Sept 11, and that was early for us."
With hindsight that attempt to hasten harvest was doomed to failure, he says. "We did not cut the seed rate, it was a second wheat and we did not have take-all dressings then, so it suffered take-all."
This autumns first sowing, 11ha (28 acres) of Claire, was at a much lower seed rate. "We have dropped from nine stones/acre to 3.5 which gives us about 125 seeds/sq m."
With other growers in the area still drilling as much as 188kg/ha (12 stones/acre) the tactics raised a few local eyebrows, he admits. But establishment looks promising, despite a heavy weed burden.
With his seed supplier from Eire busy, thousand-grain weight to determine seed numbers was hard to obtain at first. "But we got the figure in the end."
Spur to earlier drilling, apart from the desire not to be caught again with unsown seed, comes from Arable Research Centre and DARD trials. "If it had not been over-yeared seed I might have gone as low as 100 seeds/sq m, but I did not want to be too daring.
"Normally we would drill winter barley first. But there is no point in going before Sept 15, so we thought we would give it a go with wheat."
Claire, a small area of which did 8.1t/ha (3.3t/acre) from an unsuitable January sowing, was chosen because it is a slow developer. For the balance of that variety drilled on Sept 22 and 23 the rate was increased. "We stepped it up to 4.5 stones or about 160 seeds/sq m."
Napier, the only other choice this season now Consort and Riband have been dropped, will fill the later slot after potatoes at nearer the traditional rate of twice that.
Sowing over a week earlier than normal is unlikely to advance harvest by a week, he admits. "But anything which reduces our usual three-week wait after combining winter barley should help.
"At £250/t for the seed it has also given us a saving of about £8.50/acre, which probably pays for our autumn herbicide."
An anti-BYDV Sumi-Alpha (esfenvalerate) was included with the Cougar (isoproturon + diflufenican) treatment for the considerable flush of meadow grass, chickweed and dead-nettle. "I considered Secur seed dressing, but our supplier Goldcrop is not convinced of its benefits. So I may have to spray again for aphids."
Latitude (silthiofam), at ARCs suggestion, is being tried on two fields of second wheats.
Well-grown wheat from low-rate drilling on Sept 3 looks promising, says NI barometer farmer Mark McFerran. This Claire went in at 125 seeds/ sq m.
Cross-border inputs buying
Inputs continue to be cheaper bought in Eire, Mr McFerran finds. "It is very much to our advantage to buy from south of the border."
This years cereal seed was about £30/t less than it would have been bought locally. "Apart from currency effects, another reason is they are probably better geared up for processing down there."
Independent buyer Ralph Robertson, who has visited the farm for 20 years, is charged with finding the best deals. "We get all our seed, agchems and the bulk of our fertiliser through him. But I do check elsewhere occasionally to see how he is doing."
BATTLETOWN FARM
• Earliest ever wheat sowing.
• Seed rate cut by nearly 40%.
• Promising first potato yield.
• Cheaper inputs from Eire.