Riband shown the exit door

28 September 2001




Riband shown the exit door

ABOUT 95% of this autumns crops are from farm-saved seed, cleaned and dressed by long-time visitor Steven Wade of Fife-based SAS.

Consort is steadily replacing Riband, even though it means having to pay a farm-saved royalty.

"Consort has a slightly better specific weight, though it is swings and roundabouts on yield. I am glad we have the option to pay the royalty on an area basis because up here we would be penalised more than southern growers on a tonnage basis."

With few varieties offering a significant step up in yield in SAC/Scottish Agronomy trials, the only newcomer for his feed wheat outlet this year is Tanker.

Winter barley choice, two-row Intro for Conservation Grade and six-row Manitou and Siberia, remains the same. "I tried to get my hands on some six-row Pict, which has a better bushel weight, but was too late."

Likewise late ordering means Royal, as intended, is missing from the main oilseed rape line-up of Fortress, Pronto and Inca, the latter in its last season.

No min-till here… Les Anderson (right) says it must prove itself better than the plough and power-harrow/drill combination over at least three years.


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