Arable Farming articles from May 2002

Arable Farming archives from May 2002

Fungicide research provides quality clues.(fungicide research, effects on quality of grain)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Research underway at two of the UK's leading universities is providing new information on the effects of fungicides on grain quality. Teresa Rush reports. The yield advances that plant breeding and improvements in agronomy have delivered...

Use T3 to manage marketability.(T3 spray)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 11, 2002... Cereal yields remain a top priority but marketability and customer demands for quality are assuming increasing importance. The T3 spray is critical in terms of managing marketability, maintains Andy Selley of DuPont. In feed wheat DuPont...

Teetering on the edge of a mycotoxin problem?(mycotoxin levels, attention paid due to Fusarium pathogens control)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... The food and agriculture industry is paying increasing attention to control of Fusarium pathogens as the prospect of legislation governing mycotoxin threshold levels becomes more apparent. It now seems likely that the EU will shortly propose a...

Target yield and quality.(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Cereal growers are being urged to maintain yield and quality through cost-effective flag leaf and ear inputs this season in order to counter low grain prices and boost grain marketability in a competitive market. East Anglian independent...

Yield bonus from Opera.(fungicide)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Opera is the only fungicide capable of giving a yield response in the absence of any visible disease symptoms on wheat plants. All varieties give the extra yield, which appears to come from an increase in green leaf area activity. Newly...

New grass-weed combination on show.(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Cereals 2002 will be an early opportunity to learn more about a new concept in grass weed control that looks set to provide effective control of the key grass weeds, says Aventis CropScience. Aventis is featuring its 04H project - based on...

4 x 4 fun, advanced glyphosate launch and a revolutionary nozzle.(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... A CHANCE to win one of several days or a half-days off-road driving fun - linked to a recently launched strobilurin fungicide. The launch of an advanced, fast-acting glyphosate formulation. Plus a preview of a revolutionary new nozzle being...

First commercial take-all control study results.(regarding fungicide for wheat)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Early indications from a nationwide Take-all control study on commercial farms to be featured on Monsanto's Cereals 2002 stand show the specialist fungicide, Latitude (silthiofam) having a major impact on disease levels in one of the most...

Harvest management initiative.(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Harvest management will be an important focus for Monsanto at Cereals in a special initiative to improve harvesting efficiency, cut drying costs and ensure the best possible entry for 2002 cereal sowings. The initiative aims to provide...

Weeds and wildplants.(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... The IACR-Rothamsted "Weeds and wildplants" exhibit at this year's Cereals event will feature: The competition How well can you estimate the yield penalty from chickweed and ryegrass? At the Cereals site IACR-Rothamsted has a series of...

Bayer in support.(Bayer AG, support of fungicides)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Bayer is supporting the Velcourt Arable Event at Cereals 2002. Current fungicides feature on the variety plots and products in development are compared to existing standards and new strobilurins on the treatment plots. - providing topical...

High technology meets commercial practice at the Arable Event.(Velcourt, services information)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Velcourt's area extends to 1.5 hectares. The company has established a tradition with its Arable Event demonstration at Cereals, bringing together high technology and commercial practice. This year, small plot trials put some of the latest...

New ploughing record.(for Gregoire Besson)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 11, 2002... Did you know that French plough maker Gregoire Besson has just broken its own world ploughing record? The successful record-breaking attempt - right - took place close to Bordeaux, and the new record of 251 hectares in 24 hours is an...

Theft proof telehandler.(from Manitou Corp.)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... Other news from France includes a simple lock system to prevent telehandlers from being stolen. Developed by Manitou, and called Securilock, it is designed for fitting to the steering rams where it prevents the wheels from being turned....

Self-propelled sprayer.(from Deere and Co.)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 11, 2002... John Deere has a new self-propelled sprayer. No, not the eagerly awaited machine to come out of the company's Dutch sprayer factory, but a US-built model for the North American market. Called the 6700, and superseding the previous 6500 and...

New Holland clones sold.(Buhler Industries Inc. now owns New Holland tractor plant)(Brief Article)
May 11, 2002... By now, it is no secret that the former New Holland tractor plant, at Winnipeg, Canada is in the hands of Canadian-firm Buhler Industries. It is also well known that this company got off to a bad start, as a strike-crippled new tractor...

Oilseed markets.(production in the UK)(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 11, 2002... The potential increase in the UK oilseed rape production for the coming season, up by 12 to 15%, and the anticipation of good crop quality, should help growers maximise their returns on rapeseed. This year, home grown seed production will...

Overhaul electronic IACS, demands NFU.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... NFU President Ben Gill is calling for an overhaul of the on-line IACS submission service after putting the system to the test himself. Mr Gill has written to the Rural Payments Agency (RPA) with a list of changes that he says are needed to...

Wheat blossom midge alert.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Growers of quality milling and seed wheat should be aware of the threat from wheat blossom midge this year. Last year, unsettled weather made it difficult to predict adult emergence. Many poorly timed or inappropriate treatments gave...

Game cover crops covered.(herbicides)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... A range of new `read-across' herbicide approvals will ensure that growers can legally use a range of commonly used herbicides in commercial oilseed rape, forage maize and cereal crops in game cover including sorghum, clover, quinoa, sunflower,...

Demonstration of UK wheat.(baking workshop in Madrid)(Abstract)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Millers from many of the most important grain buying countries in the world got a chance to see the quality of British wheat at a baking workshop held by HGCA in Madrid earlier this month. Held in conjunction with Spain's own milling...

Date for potato event.
May 25, 2002... British Potato 2003 will be held on September 3 and 4 at the Newark Showground, Nottinghamshire. Organised by the British Potato Council (BPC), all the activities at the bi-annual two-day event will be designed to benefit the entire...

Plight of bumblebee.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... To recreate ideal bumblebee habitat and encourage population increases, SCATS Agriproducts, has launched a `Bumblebee Mixture' containing traditional grass, clover and flower species, Of the 16 UK bumblebee species only 6 can easily be found...

Safety on screen.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has secured funding for a project aimed at helping farmers avoid accidents and save lives. Under the government's Invest to Save Budget (ISB) scheme, HSE will receive #90k to develop an electronic means for...

New Yearbook out.(Dalgety Arable 2002 Yearbook )(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Designed to help farmers make informed decisions when choosing crop varieties, the latest Dalgety Arable 2002 Yearbook - a desktop reference for the coming months - is now available. The 2002 NIAB and SAC Recommended Lists for wheat,...

More rainfastness.(Dithane NT from Dow AgroSciences)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Dithane NT is eight times as rainfast as wettable powder mancozeb fungicides, says Dow AgroSciences who market the product for the protection against blight in potatoes. "Whether it be from rain or irrigation, rainfastness is a key feature of...

Long haul for blight.(potato growers need to spray for disease)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... With 90% of this season's crop planted by the end of April and earlier- than-usual emergence, BASF warns potato growers to make a prompt start to the blight spray programme - well before the crops meet in the rows if growers are to keep on top...

DuPont approves.(cultivator for use with nematicide)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Vydate being applied in conjunction with a Baselier bed-forming rotary cultivator to P J Lee & Sons' potato land at Sutton Gault, Cambridgeshire. In a move away from more traditional nematicide application methods, local firm Techneat...

Send in your ICM survey.(Integrated Crop Management survey)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... A survey is underway to assess awareness and uptake of Integrated Crop Management (ICM) and, within it, Integrated Pest Management (IPM). One of 27 projects in the Voluntary Initiative, the survey has been jointly commissioned by DEFRA and...

On the margin.(commenting on the Countryside Stewardship Scheme)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Farming opinion from Essex-based Guy Smith One perk of writing this column is that come late spring and summer we usually have a few farmer groups who want to look round the farm. I am the first to confess this is not an award winning farm....

Indecent exposure.(to pesticides)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Farming opinion from Essex-based Guy Smith Like most farmers I have handled and worked with pesticides all my working life. I am pretty relaxed about their safety. If there was one group of pesticides I am a little wary of it is the...

What future for milling wheat?(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... HGCA, in association with NABIM, brought farmers, economists, traders and millers together in Cambridgeshire recently to discuss the potential and pitfalls of growing wheat for human consumption. Teresa Rush reports. Wheat producers must...

New race to win.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... In the first of a series of reports on findings from HGCA-funded research, John Blackbeard visits NIAB to find out about work to stay one step ahead of wheat pathogens. A relatively new race of yellow rust, that can infect one of the most...

More grist to the mill.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Millers are making it clear to growers what they want. John Blackbeard reports. The milling industry body nabim - the National Association of British and Irish Millers - which represents the majority of UK millers, especially in terms of...

On-the-spot blackspot bruising assessment.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... The BPC Potato Storage Event, held at Sutton Bridge Experimental Unit in Lincolnshire, provided growers with an opportunity to catch up on the latest storage developments and advice. Teresa Rush reports. Blackspot bruising is a major...

Dry rot problems on the increase.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... Dry rot appears to be becoming more of a problem for UK potato growers. That's the view of British Potato Council pathologist Dr Jeff Peters, who notes an increased incidence of dry rot reports from pre-packers and seed merchants following...

Get storage right for skin finish quality.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Good store management can be the difference between protecting the premium available for a good crop or losing the value of the crop altogether, believes British Potato Council plant pathologist, Dr Jeff Peters. "Stringent market...

Aid to skin blemish identification.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... BPC has produced a series of potato skin blemish disease fact sheets to help growers and store managers accurately identify the six major causes of rejection by pre-packers. Individual fact sheets show the effects of infection by silver...

ARC invites you around trial sites.
May 25, 2002... If you are giving the Cereals 2002 event a miss this year through lack of time, you may be interested in visiting one of Agriculture Research Centre's (ARC) 'mini Cereals' open afternoons, to see variety and management trials work. ...

Creative thinking for cutting costs.
May 25, 2002... Planning for and maintaining a low cost base for an arable business is a huge challenge. Teresa Rush asked agronomist Bridget Carroll what advice she is giving wheat growers. Be innovative. Be opportunistic. Share ideas and work together...

Oscillating management on winter weather data.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... National forecasting, developed at Harper Adams University College, to predict likely specific weight and Hagbergs up to 6 months before harvest, is providing UK growers with a way of maximising the value of Group 2 wheats by manipulating...

2002 quality forecast.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... The signs are set fair for a higher high quality wheat harvest this season, according to Peter Kettlewell's latest annual prediction. His forecasting model suggests specific weights are most likely to average between 75.5 and 77.2 kg/hl...

Hagberg heaven.
May 25, 2002... Hagberg consistency has to be one of the single most important objectives in today's wheat market, according to grain marketing specialist, Andrew Sedgwick of Notts-based, G. Williams & Co Grain. It gives buyers confidence in a particular...

Time to rethink milling wheat management?(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... Have you switched some of your milling wheat acreage into one of the new varieties, or considering a switch this autumn? Then be prepared to make some major changes to the way you manage crops. Teresa Rush reports. "Milling wheat works if...

Cutting out biomass.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Large scale, commercial farm trials with the low biomass winter rape, Canberra across the country in the past year have reinforced the variety's claim to be the Apex successor. The trials, involving 0.5 - 1.0 ha strips of the RL variety...

Reverting to rape in rotational choice.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... Higher yields from emerging varieties, coupled with a recent resurgence in OSR prices, has prompted Norfolk seed grower, Robert More to reconsider the crop as a high gross margin break at Tunstall near Norwich. Last year Mr More included a...

Techniques to control weeds.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... Wheat growers are facing serious perennial and annual weed problems unless they find ways of creating time to control them effectively in increasingly high pressure autumn cropping regimes. "Most growers used to have time to deal with grass...

Early experience.(management of seed rates)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Confidence to reduce early drilling seed rates should be growing, but, as Edward Long found out from independent agronomists, this approach is not without risk and crops need a higher level of management input. "The main lesson growers...

Yielding to pressure.(Brief Article)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... Suffolk-based AICC independent agronomist, Steve Cousins has established a link between the theoretical weather-based risk of take- all and actual second wheat yield losses in practice on a Suffolk unit. At the 1998 British Crop Protection...

Take-all awareness.(threat of take-all increases)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... The shifting weather pattern and trend to earlier drilling mean the threat of take-all this season is at its highest level since the epidemic of 1998 and the equally disastrous year of 1987, believe plant pathologists. "After a wet autumn...

Tailor-made tillage train triumphs.(Raynham Farms)(Statistical Data Included)
May 25, 2002... Looking for a piece of cultivation kit and drill but can't buy exactly what you want off the shelf? Then make it yourself. That's precisely what Norfolk farming company, Raynham Farms did with remarkably good results. John Blackbeard reports....

Talking Arable with our Suffolk-based farmer John Kerr.(William Kerr (Farms) Ltd.)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... 9TH MAY 2002 This week a neighbouring farm manager remarked that the tone of my contributions to this publication are optimistic rather than pessimistic. That may be so and I make no apologies if that is the case. However, I would qualify...

Nozzles and sprayers on show.(Amazone offers spraying systems)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Amazone's Intelligent Nozzle Selection system - above - allows nozzle combinations to be switched in work so that the full spectrum of required spray rates are continuously covered and optimum droplet size is always achieved. Booms are...

WHERE'S THE BEEF?(Steve Townsend, tillage and soil husbandry consultant)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Down-to-earth views on making `more from less' in crop establishment from leading independent tillage and soil husbandry consultant, Steve Townsend. I'm confused. Everyone is demanding something different of us these days. Be more...

Volatility makes marketing more important.(Velcourt Group plc)(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... Events of the last 12 months should have forced us all to think more carefully about our marketing strategy, says Brian Redrup, farms director for Velcourt Group plc. In the space of a few short years, UK farming has moved from guaranteed...

Talking Arable with our Shropshire-based farmer Arthur Hill.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... 9TH MAY 2002. Farmers are never happy with the weather and at the moment I am no exception to the rule. We have at last had a significant amount of rain, probably about an inch over the last week. Judging by the River Severn, our Welsh...

Talking arable with our North Lincolnshire-farmer Ambrose Fowler.(Brief Article)
May 25, 2002... 8TH MAY 2002. I was told the other day that farmers no longer trust merchants; merchants don't trust farmers; consumers don't trust farmers; farmers are very wary of consumers, and then to cap it all one of my cousins suggested that...

Colin Myram's CROP TALK.(farm management and crop disease control)
May 25, 2002... Former technical director of Crop Care, Colin Myram is an East Anglian- based consultant to the agricultural industry, including farmers and suppliers. 12TH MAY 2002 Brooms Barn reports early beet and potato greenfly appearance which...