Crops articles from February 2008

Crops archives from February 2008

Be careful when trimming down P and K applications: given rocketing fertiliser prices many growers will be reassessing applications, especially of phosphate and potash. Andrew Blake asked specialists to highlight key points to consider.(TECHNICAL)
February 9, 2008... Recent hikes in the cost of phosphate and potash, driven by rapidly rising world demand, are bound to have an impact on the use of straights such as muriate of potash (MOP), triple-superphosphate (TSP) and compounds like 0:26:26. But growers...

Devastating rust strain threatens to hop the Pond.(WHEAT DISEASE)
February 9, 2008... European wheat could be potentially at risk from a new strain of yellow rust that has caused largescale yield losses across the major wheat belt in the USA, according to a leading researcher. The strain survives at higher temperatures than...

Spraying for hidden disease: an early fungicide application to barley may prove cost-effective, particularly in potentially high risk seasons like this. Sarah Henly reports.(RHYNCHOSPORIUM)
February 9, 2008... Spraying a clean barley crop would be wasteful. Wouldn't it? Bruce Fitt and his team at Rothamsted Research are using molecular techniques to measure the most important and damaging barley pathogen, Rhynchosporium secalis, in plants. It turns...

Tailor fertilisers to suit crop and soil conditions: accurately targeting fertiliser use makes economic and environmental sense. Rothamsted Research's Keith Goulding (left) and Johnny Johnston explain.(FERTILISER 1: NITROGEN MANAGEMENT)
February 9, 2008... Effective nutrient management has always been a crucial part of good farm practice, with the underlying principle of fertiliser use to supplement the supply of nutrients available from the soil. The economic response in crop yield far...

CTF--would it work in the UK? Controlled traffic farming systems are used in other parts of the world. Mike Abram finds out whether they would work in the UK.(CONTROLLED TRAFFIC FARMING)
February 9, 2008... In theory, controlled traffic farming--a system that confines all field vehicles to the same permanent traffic lanes each and every year--seems like an obvious idea. Being able to restrict traffic to the same parts of the field improves soil...

Water audit might be time well spent: an irrigation water audit could improve farm profitability and help your case when it comes to licence renewal. Paul Spackman learned how at a recent grower meeting organised by Laurence Gould.(IRRIGATION WORKSHOP)
February 9, 2008... New Water Framework Directive legislation, tighter NVZ rules, climate change... there's no getting away from the fact that pressure on water resources is getting tighter. Agriculture is the third biggest user of water and, said Cranfield...

No need to be afraid of early control: many growers may be reluctant to apply cleavers sprays too early for fear of missing later-germinating plants. But there may be no need to worry, says Louise Impey.(SPRING HERBICIDES)
February 9, 2008... There is far more flexibility with the control timing of cleavers than many growers believe, Rothamsted Research weed scientist John Cussans believes. Although cleavers have two distinct germination flushes, with 10% of the total...

Spring weed killing made easy: do you have weeds left to kill? Crops industry-leading tables summarise the main options.(HERBICIDES)
February 9, 2008... Compiled by Mike Abram PRODUCT LERAP USE IT FOR DON'T FORGET GRASSWEED ACTIVITY Axial None Wild oats and Must be used with (Syngenta) ryegrass in wheat ...

Standing power: Cereal PGRs; Paul Spackman profiles the options to manipulate growth.(GROWTH REGULATORS)
February 9, 2008... PRODUCT USE IT FOR CROPS PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS 5C Cycocel Enhanced CCC formulation Winter wheat, spring (BASF) CCC plus (645) for use in the same wheat, winter barley, Also sold as...

Four ways to reduce your greenhouse gas footprint: so you want to reduce your farm's contribution to global warming? Mike Abram reports from the HGCA's R & D conference on four possible options.(HGCA R & D CONFERENCE)(Conference news)
February 9, 2008... Agriculture's contribution to global warming might be relatively minor, compared with the energy sector, at just 7% of the total UK greenhouse gas emissions. But have no doubt, climate change is already having an impact on farm businesses,...

Waste not, want not: it's been said many times before, but is worth repeating--losses due to inaccurate fertiliser spreading are easily avoided by good maintenance and regular testing. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY: SPREADERS)
February 9, 2008... With grain prices and fertiliser costs continuing to rise, and farm assurance schemes wanting evidence of good spreading practice, the arguments for having fertiliser broadcasters properly maintained and set up for their all-important role are...

Speed and good results in one pass: growers looking for more output than their one-pass power harrow-seed drill combinations can provide are turning to machines designed to get the job done faster, but just as well. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY: DRILLS)
February 9, 2008... Versatility is an attractive feature of a power harrow-based seed drill and, for many growers who keep the plough as their primary cultivation tool, it remains an integral part of their crop establishment system. But modest working speeds...

Last stop on the Biofuel Express: Stephen Carr faces some awkward moments on the biofuel gravy train.(CARR'S CORNER)
February 9, 2008... "All aboard" shouted the conductor of the Biofuel Express. I am a great one for climbing on gravy trains, so it was with high hopes that I settled into my first-class seat. I'd paid my fare with my 2007 crop of oilseed rape, sold for a...

Keep an eye on grain prices: what goes up can come down, warns Tom Chapman.(Podium)
February 9, 2008... Arable farmers are enjoying an unprecedented rise in crop values. While the good times seem to be here for the foreseeable future, it is vital not to be lulled into a false sense of security. Prices could fall as quickly as they have risen. ...

The lowdown on non-food crops.(ON-LINE BRIEFING)
February 9, 2008... Are you interested in diversifying your cropping and accessing new markets? Doing so could not only help overcome disease and weed pressures, but also avoid putting "all your eggs in one basket". What's more there are some exciting new markets...

FWi hit parade.(ON-LINE BRIEFING)
February 9, 2008... Crops' website, www.fwi.co.uk, averages over 250,000 visits a month. Below are the five most popular arable stories for the past four weeks. Top of the hit list was the Royal Society's report that suggested biofuels risked failing to...

We can't ignore climate change.(VIEWPOINT)
February 9, 2008... It's easy to dismiss climate change as someone else's problem. Especially when those of us approaching or in middle age are likely to be long gone before its physical effects are felt. But its political impact is already very tangible....

Knowing when to sell proves tricky.(JUSTIN MCDONALD'S DIARY)
February 9, 2008... MONDAY * 2008 has begun in much the same vein as 2007 left off--no sooner have I sold a tonne of something than I wish I hadn't. First I panicked about a brief dip in the wheat futures and sold 400t of feed wheat for November 2008 for...

Climate change: opportunity or threat? Does climate change offer UK farmers more opportunities than threats? That was the motion for the after-dinner debate at the HGCA R & D conference. Crops presents edited versions of Paul Temple's motion in favour, and Guy Smith's summing up against.(PERSPECTIVE)(Conference news)
February 9, 2008... Opportunities: Paul Temple, vice-president, NFU "Farming is about making the most of any opportunities; climate change is one of those opportunities. Just look at cereal prices--which came first--was it high prices on the back of...

British Sugar's balancing act: the 2009 beet price looks to be just enough to keep the crop on their land--for now, growers tell Johann Tasker.(YOUR BUSINESS)
February 9, 2008... Sugar beet growers are divided over prospects for the crop, despite the announcement of better prices for 2009 than many had dared hoped for. By announcing a potential price of [pounds sterling]24/t for 2009, British Sugar appears to have...

Agronomy decisions vital to success: crop values may have risen dramatically in the past year, but canny agronomy will still pay better than a splash-it-all-over approach, says TAG's Richard Overthrow.(CROP INPUTS)
February 9, 2008... After many years of screwing down expenditure and paring agronomic inputs to the bare bones, many growers now feel like the shackles have been thrown off and they can treat their crops like they always felt they needed to, to get the best out...