Crops articles from August 2007

Crops archives from August 2007

Pre-em herbicides earn their keep: pre-emergence herbicides are gaining even greater importance in the fight against grassweeds. Louise Impey reports.(WEED CONTROL)
August 11, 2007... Assume the worst and hope for the best. That's the view of TAG's Jim Orson, who believes the key to future weed control strategies depends on how serious the resistance to Atlantis turns out to be. "As far as pre-emergence herbicide use...

Pre-em options: Mike Abram profiles the main contenders.(WEED CONTROL)
August 11, 2007... PRODUCT LERAP USE IT FOR ALPHA CHLORTOLURON None For grassweeds, particularly ryegrass, as (Makhteshim) part of overall strategy. Useful pre-em Contains 500g/litre option, although best applied...

Controlling OSR weeds: like to know what options are available for oilseed rape weed control? It's all here in the Crops guide.(OILSEED RAPE HERBICIDES)
August 11, 2007... PRODUCT LERAP USE FOR Alpha Trifluralin None Resistant blackgrass control as well (Makhteshim-Agan) as cost-effective broad spectrum trifluralin 480g/litre pre-em weed...

Bran byproduct may improve viability: to promote bioethanol production in the UK, scientists are identifying viable added-value materials to process from wheat. Sarah Henly reports.(BIOETHANOL FROM WHEAT)
August 11, 2007... If we can recover more from wheat during bioethanol processing than just its starch, we can increase the crop's value. It will also improve the economics of the system to drive the commercial realisation of bio-refining in this country. ...

Targeted approach to control pays off: about half of the UK's cropped area is treated with slug pellets each year. Paul Spackman looks at what's available and ways growers could cut their use.(SLUGS)
August 11, 2007... Slugs might pose a real headache this autumn thanks to wet weather during much of June and July. There are plenty of pellet options to suit every budget (see table below), but more accurately targeting applications and fully utilising cultural...

Know what's best for oilseed rape: using a subsoiler and seed broadcasting system to establish oilseed rape fast and at low cost is being used more reliably and with greater confidence now that more is understood about the potential pitfalls of the approach. Peter Hill reports.(OSR ESTABLISHMENT)
August 11, 2007... Sowing oilseed rape from a subsoiler has produced mixed--sometimes alarmingly bad--results. But with more experience of the technique now under growers' belts, it is being used with greater confidence to good effect. According to James...

Getting the most from new varieties: Oakley and Humber are the most popular new varieties being drilled this autumn, so how do you maximise their potential from year one? Mike Abram reports.(SEEDS FOCUS)
August 11, 2007... Humber Right off the bat, Humber appears to be a farmers' variety. It yields and stands well, and is flexible enough to be a first or second wheat, early or late-sown. It bodes well for a successful introduction to the market this year....

Biscuit market could be the lifeline for Group 3 wheats: as higher-yielding feed varieties take an increasing share of wheat plantings, is there any way back for Group 3s? Paul Spackman finds out.(SEEDS FOCUS)
August 11, 2007... There has been an unmistakeable move away from Group 3 wheat varieties over recent seasons. Just three years ago, they accounted for about 55% of the GB wheat crop, yet by harvest 2007 this had fallen to nearer 30% (see table). Opinions are...

Northern starch plant seeks grain closer to home: Cargill's Manchester starch plant will take 700,000t of wheat from the north of England. Mike Abram finds out more.(SEEDS SUPPLEMENT)
August 11, 2007... Late last month the first intakes of wheat--sourced from the 2006 crop--were being processed by Cargill's starch plant in Manchester. It promises, along with the new bioethanol plants being built in other areas of northern Britain, to bring...

Deluges won't drown push to drought-resistant wheat: after one of the wettest summers on record, wheat drought tolerance may be far from growers' minds. But it remains a key area of research for a plant breeder. Andrew Blake reports.(SEEDS FOCUS)
August 11, 2007... Detailed studies of wheat performance by RAGT Seeds over the past two seasons highlight key factors the firm hopes will allow it to breed varieties better suited to dry conditions. The studies suggest there is good correlation between...

Drill date determines variety choice: if you are planning to drill very early, or from November on, wheat variety choice gains even more importance. Louise Impey reports.(SEEDS FOCUS)
August 11, 2007... Very early drilling requires a special variety; there are certain characteristics it must have, researchers and breeders agree. By very early drilling, Clare Leaman of NIAB means the end of August or first week in September. "Start...

High demand sees barley price surge: after a decade of poor prices malting barley values have made a resurgence in the past year. Mike Abram looks at the impact.(SEEDS SPECIAL)
August 11, 2007... For 10 years malting barley prices have been in the doldrums. But not any more--this year the going rate is nearer [pounds sterling]140-[pounds sterling]150/t. The turnaround in prices is partly down to good old-fashioned supply and...

Confidence fuels diesel popularity: once diesel-engined utility ATVs were rare. Now there's a healthy choice of nippy load-lugging vehicles, as Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY: ATVS)
August 11, 2007... It's the name that gives it away--"Big Country" by Cub Cadet. This bright yellow utility ATV, also available in a more sober camouflage green, is built primarily for the North American recreational market, where such vehicles are commonly used...

Establishment competition heats up: what drill innovations are coming to the market to help you speed crop establishment? Peter Hill describes the latest candidates.(MACHINERY: DRILLS)
August 11, 2007... A new crop of seed drills will be out to woo growers away from their established machines this autumn, as manufacturers follow trends by bringing out designs that mirror the best-selling formula or look to new ideas and concepts with the hope...

Losing our head with set-aside: the rush to remove this supply control tool is misguided, says Stephen Carr.(CARR'S CORNER)
August 11, 2007... "Arable fortunes are changing fast and for the better. A UK average feed wheat price in late July that has moved from [pounds sterling]71/t to [pounds sterling]129/t in the space of a year speaks louder than words. While this is most...

New regulations on the horizon: pesticide use is in the spotlight, warns Paul Chambers.(Podium)
August 11, 2007... "Pesticides seems to be getting more than their fair share of attention--witness the recent decision to ban old faithfuls like IPU and trifluralin. But this is nothing compared with the much bigger and blacker cloud looming over the...

Harvest Highlights.(BRIEFING)
August 11, 2007... Don't miss our popular Harvest Highlights pages on FWi to help you keep tabs on harvest progress in your region and nationally (visit www.fwi.co.uk/harvest2007). If you want to report your harvest results or get something else off your...

FWi hit parade.(BRIEFING)
August 11, 2007... Weather was the common theme linking all top five arable stories over the past fortnight. The immediate impact of the floods attracted most visitors, but attention soon switched to the rain-lashed early days of harvest. Every month...

Time to lock into some profit.(VIEWPOINT)
August 11, 2007... Many wheat growers loading lorries over the next few months will be kicking themselves for selling too early. As futures prices touched new highs on Tuesday, equating to an ex-farm price for feed wheat of about [pounds sterling]137/t for...

Exposed at last--I have King Canute complex.(JUSTIN MCDONALD'S DIARY)
August 11, 2007... MONDAY * Combine rolling into standing dry wheat. Thank goodness August has got off to a promising start. What a contrast with July, which was a matter of water, water everywhere and not a crop fit to cut. I did eventually manage to scrape...

Climate change: Adapting spray regimes to cope; Spray strategies may need to become increasingly adaptable if erratic weather patterns become more common, says Bill Clark.(PERSPECTIVE)
August 11, 2007... Long-term changes in climate will affect the diseases that we face. Some diseases will become more important; new diseases will appear. Background climate change will also interact with agronomic changes such as cropping frequency, cultivations...

Do you know your farm's carbon footprint? Working out your farm's carbon footprint can help to satisfy your buyers, give your business green credentials or simply save you money. Suzie Horne finds out what's involved.(YOUR BUSINESS)
August 11, 2007... Most arable units could cut their energy bills and fuel consumption by 15% through minor changes such as better records, scrutinising power use and better maintenance of moving and static machinery, says SAC engineer Rod McGovern. The...

Be aware of kit condition when offering to help out: lending machinery is commonplace at this time of year, perhaps to help out a neighbour. But the practice could spell trouble for the unwary, as Suzie Horne discovers.(LENDING MACHINERY)
August 11, 2007... Allowing others to use your machinery has been brought into the spotlight by a civil court case following an injury which blinded a farmer in one eye when a spring broke and a piece of metal ricocheted out of a haybob. Machines used in a...

Slug haven in oilseed rape.(SLUG CONTROL)
August 11, 2007... If ever there was a year which offered slugs the perfect conditions to thrive, then 2007 is it. On top of record summer rainfall, high humidity and high temperatures (especially at night), the trend in arable farming rotations to grow more and...

When the going gets tough--a pellet to depend on.(SLUG CONTROL)
August 11, 2007... Slugs love the wet--it's a fact. Under cold and wet field conditions everything is running in their favour: crop growth slows right down and the wet surface is ideal for the menacing mollusc to enjoy a "right to roam" over and under moist...

Hit the target the precision punch.(SLUG CONTROL)
August 11, 2007... In the battle against slugs, the terms "surgical strike" and "zero collateral damage" are just as applicable among UK crops as they are in a combat zone. For growers increasingly the aim is to deliver a precise punch with as little harm to the...

Be aware--not all pellets are the same.(SLUG CONTROL)
August 11, 2007... You wouldn't buy cheap seed and then expect top quality crops; you know that quality machinery lasts and has greater reliability. So it is then with slug pellets, as in all other goods, you get what you pay for. And in a season like this, when...