Crops articles from May 2009

Crops archives from May 2009

Midge threshold changes no surprise to agronomists: a different approach to orange wheat blossom midge control is being advocated this season. Louise Impey finds out more.(TECHNICAL)
May 9, 2009... Findings from the latest HGCA LINK project on orange wheat blossom midge have confirmed what agronomists and growers have known for some time. The previous spray thresholds of 20-30 male midges trapped over a two-day period were too low....

Are Irish right to cut key azole sprays? Septoria resistance is in the headlines again. Mike Abram reports.(T3 INPUTS)
May 9, 2009... Irish farmers are being advised to only use the key two azole fungicides, prothioconazole and epoxiconazole, a maximum of twice in fungicide programmes this season. Other azole fungicides should be used at T3, while no triazole should have been...

Keeping on top of mycotoxins: Lucy de la Pasture finds out how the grain chain coped with the mycotoxin problem last year and what it means for growers this season.(T3 INPUTS)
May 9, 2009... THE MILLER'S TALE Challenging, that's how Martin Savage, trade policy manager for the National Association of British and Irish Millers (Nabim), describes his members' experience of grain from the 2008 harvest. Alarm bells rang early...

Metaldehyde rule change gives growers more choice: given fresh restrictions on metaldehyde Andrew Blake examines this season's options for slug control in potatoes.(SLUGS)
May 9, 2009... Last autumn it seemed potato growers might have to live without slug pellets containing metaldehyde after new EU maximum residue level proposals led to its temporary withdrawal. In 2006-2007 the chemical accounted for about half the slug...

Growers air direct drilling experiences: five growers with experience of direct drilling were quizzed by attendees at the first No-Till Alliance meeting in a question-and-answer session. Mike Abram reports.(NO-TILL ALLIANCE)
May 9, 2009... More than 130 farmers attending the recent inaugural No-Till Alliance open day at Motts Farm, South-minster, Essex, were keen to find out more. The five farmer experts--Jim Bullock, Worcestershire; Simon Cowell, Essex; Andrew Kerr, Essex;...

Barley breeding takes fast track to find desired traits: molecular techniques could halve the time it takes for new varieties to reach the market. Sarah Henly reports.(RESEARCH IN FOCUS)
May 9, 2009... What we want from a cereal variety changes continually as new markets open and growing conditions evolve. High yield was the most important target for the barley breeder; then, for a time, quality took priority. Although yield is now back...

Step up to bigger sprayer pays off: practical considerations can have a big influence on choice of sprayer--not least when railway bridges are frequently on the yard-to-field route. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY)
May 9, 2009... Is there enough power for hilly ground? Will it take big enough tyres to avoid making a mess? Just two of the many considerations to take into account when planning to shift up to a bigger sprayer. In Jim Bryce's case, the size of local...

Latest versions make their debut: sprayer makers have been developing new and improved machines. Most will be showcased at Sprays & Sprayers next month. Peter Hill rounds up the highlights.(NEW PRODUCTS: SPRAYERS)
May 9, 2009... SAM VISION Operators benefit most from the package of improvements to the SAM self-propelled sprayer. The Vision models have a more spacious cab with more glass between less-intrusive pillars and spars for improved visibility....

Spraying pattern 'holds up well': unlike conventional flat-fan nozzles the output of one air-inclusion nozzle design can be very different from another. Peter Hill finds out how operators are getting on with the latest introductions.(AIR-INCLUSION NOZZLES)
May 9, 2009... Last year's introduction of a range of air-inclusion nozzles based on the design of Syngenta's Amistar tip opened up the benefits of that technology to a bigger range of applications using different sprayers and speeds. Despite producing...

Come and see the sprayer technology 'must haves'.(SPRAYS AND SPRAYERS)
May 9, 2009... With more and more growers making use of computerised technology to aid spraying operations, Sprays & Sprayers is really the place to come if you are looking to invest in a new sprayer or even upgrade and existing one. Some of the latest...

Event information.(Interview)
May 9, 2009... * Sprays and Sprayers takes place at Cereals 2009 * Vine Farm, Wendy, near Royston, Cambridgeshire * Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 June OPENING TIMES Wednesday 8 am-6pm Thursday 8am-5pm HOW TO BOOK TICKETS Save...

Arena programme 2009.(SPRAYS AND SPRAYERS)(Interview)
May 9, 2009... ARENA PROGRAMME WEDNESDAY 9am Self-propelled > 3100 litres 10am Mounted 11am Trailed 12.15pm Farm Sprayer Operator of The Year award presentation 12.45pm Skid units, air-assisted, twin fluid and self-propelled ...

Exhibitor's showcase--who's who.(SPRAYS AND SPRAYERS)(Company overview)
May 9, 2009... AGRIHOLD FARM MACHINERY UK 1108 Martin Avenue, March Trading Estate, March, Cambridgeshire PE 15 OAY 0134 660 552 ernie@agrihold.co.uk www.agrihold.co.uk Importers of Agrifac self-propelled and trailed sprayers. Also...

Top spraying kit.(SPRAYS AND SPRAYERS)
May 9, 2009... Here's your definitive Crops guide to help you pick your through the masses of spraying equipment offered by exhibitors at Sprays and Sprayers 2009 BUYERS' GUIDE Price Model Boom width Tank size Pump...

Machinery a necessary evil? Stephen stars to feel uncomfortable about his limited machinery investment.(CARR'S CORNER)
May 9, 2009... Unusually, for a keen arable man, I have a strong aversion to new kit. Show me a polished bonnet and I get a headache from the thought of the depreciation. Give me a sniff of new plastic inside a cab and I'll go dizzy trying to calculate the...

Innovation--a Cereals mantra: make the most of this key event, urges Jon Day.(Podium)
May 9, 2009... Arable farming, like may other business, has to keep moving forward to secure sustainable profits. Without innovation, a business does not stand still, it stagnates and eventually falls behind. After 15 years in the agricultural events...

Birthday honours for Hereward growers.(BRIEFING)
May 9, 2009... * All those who have grown Here ward at any time since 1991 are in line for a special birthday honour in this summer's special Farmers Weekly/RAGT Seeds awards to celebrate the bread wheat's 16th consecutive year on the Recommended List. ...

Spray alerts need a simple fix.(VIEWPOINT)
May 9, 2009... Top brass at the NFU have come in for a fair bit of stick recently over whether farmers should alert neighbours before spraying crops. Few could argue with the union's reasons for canvassing views on a voluntary approach by growers. The...

Wail of a siren heralds new era of spray regulation.(JUSTIN MCDONALD'S DIARY)
May 9, 2009... MONDAY * Received a request from the NFU for my views on whether I'd be willing to alert my neighbours voluntarily before going crop spraying. This all goes back to the judicial review last year which found in favour of long-term...

Synchronising transport cuts grain chain costs: a unique agreement between openfield and logistics experts DHL promises to make big savings for the co-op's farmer members.(YOUR BUSINESS)
May 9, 2009... When Openfield enlisted global logistics expert DHL to improve the efficiency of its gram transport around the country, it became the first UK grain business to outsource its haulage scheduling. The move, Openfield says, will allow it to shift...

Demand for healthier oils pushes Vistive's popularity: speciality oilseed growing for healthier food oils has taken off in the USA over the past three seasons. But there have been challenges, too. John Middleton reports.(SPECIALITY OILS)
May 9, 2009... The area of land sown to Vistive low linolenic soyabeans in the USA has increased sharply to meet escalating food industry demand. In 2005, about 100,000 acres of the speciality crop were grown on contract for two processors in a single...

Our pick of the best at Cereals 2009: Cereals, Europe's biggest arable farming event, is just a few days away. Crops picks some of the highlights from the 400 exhibitors across the 64ha site.(TECHNICAL)
May 30, 2009... CROP PLOTS Crop plots--the technical heart of Cereals--put the Cereals visitor in direct contact with some of the country's leading researchers, plant breeders and technical managers. This is what brings these small areas of crop alive....

Cereals 2009: event information.(TECHNICAL)
May 30, 2009... Vine Farm, Wendy, Cambridgeshire SG8 0HJ When Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 June OPENING TIMES * Wednesday 8am-6pm * Thursday 8am-5pm HOW TO BOOK TICKETS Save money, book in advance at the website...

Robust rotation vital in tough times: making the most of opportunities is the mantra for Cereals 2009 host farmer Tim Whitehead, as Charles Abel found when he visited the Velcourt-managed farm.(CEREALS 2009 PREVIEW)
May 30, 2009... Squeezing more out of a robust rotation is the key to coping with tough economic conditions, says Vine Farm's Velcourt farm manager Tim Whitehead. And the arrival of sugar beet, min-tilled rape and stricter attention to spray windows help, too....

James Townshend's view.(CEREALS 2009 PREVIEW)
May 30, 2009... With 45 years of experience in the UK and a continuing desire to develop the business, Velcourt chief executive James Townshend believes opportunities remain strong. "There are good UK arable businesses without succession in management, even...

Getting the right advice to tackle today's challenges: cereals provides the perfect shop window on the UK's arable research--and a great venue to find out how to put the results into practice, as crops finds out.(CEREALS 2009 PREVIEW)
May 30, 2009... Visitors to Cereals 2009 will find practically every arable technical topic they want to discuss covered by at least one of the 90 crop plots presented by 28 companies. And some of the country's leading researchers, plant breeders and...

Pelleting arena promotes better slug control: a major new feature at Cereals 2009 is the Pellets and Pelleting arena. Charles Abel finds out why it will be well worth a visit.
May 30, 2009... Don't let regulators deprive the industry of a key input. Get along to the new Pellets and Pelleting arena to find out how you can help safeguard the future of metaldehyde and all slug pellet products. The Pellets and Pelleting arena...

How to breed a winning hybrid oilseed rape: oilseed rape breeder DSV will be demonstrating the steps involved in breeding a hybrid variety at Cereals 2009. Mike Abram had a sneak preview.(CEREALS 2009 PREVIEW)
May 30, 2009... SELFING BAGS Hybrid oilseed rape breeding all starts with the breeder's eyes pickingout individual plants for the attributes he is looking for, says DSV's Mike Mann. Identified plants are then self-pollinated to ensure the seed is a...

Timetable offers chance to see tackle in action: it's all very well kicking tyres on shiny machinery shown in static exhibits at Cereals 2009, but what some visitors want to see is some action. Peter Hill reviews what will provide it at this year's event.(CEREALS 2009 PREVIEW)
May 30, 2009... Although manufacturers that have booked demonstration plots at the Cereals event will be able to put their machinery through its paces at any time, the organisers have introduced a timetable that guarantees a plot will be in action with a...

No-till seed drill set to make UK debut.(CEREALS 2009 PREVIEW)
May 30, 2009... A new no-till seed drill set to make its UK debut at the Cereals event features a minimum-disturbance arrowhead opener for both seed and fertiliser placement and is designed to work without any closing device. The Quasar seeder is made in...

There's no quick fix for herbicide resistance: many growers were reportedly shocked at the levels of blackgrass in their fields last summer. Herbicide resistance was partly to blame. Sarah Henly finds out how to minimise the risk of it developing.(RESEARCH IN FOCUS)
May 30, 2009... Now is the ideal time to assess how well your herbicide strategies have worked this season, and to formulate plans for the autumn, suggests James Clarke of ADAS Boxworth. It is in June that blackgrass heads. Resistance is continuing to...

BCN-tolerant variety shows potential: farm trials with the UK's first commercially available beet cyst nematode-tolerant sugar beet have given exceptional yields on infested fenland. Andrew Blake reports.(SUGAR BEET FOCUS)
May 30, 2009... Trials at Southery Road Farm, Feltwell near Downham Market, Norfolk, last season showed roots from Fiorenza KWS in the severely infested soil yielding 34% more than conventional variety Bobcat. With its higher sugar content, the beet cyst...

3C--more with less.
May 30, 2009... In these difficult times it is more relevant than ever that we look to reduce input costs still further--and as you can see from the front cover, this is what our aggressive AMAZONE warrior has in her sights at present! Enormous savings are...

Cost cutting concept.(3C)
May 30, 2009... 5% more yield with 50% less fuel and 60% less working time Detailed results can be found at www.amazone.co.uk/3C * Yield index based on; 5 yearly average (2002-2006) Conventional (plough / drill combination) = 100 % on basis...

Catros--for a quick, shallow, intensive mixing soil tillage!(Catros compact disc harrow)
May 30, 2009... * Very shallow, even soil mixing * Neat, compact and manoeuvrable * Maintenance-free, reinforced disc bearings * Ideal seed/soil contact for maximum germination of weeds and volunteers * Farming 2,700 acres of which 1,700...

KG rotary cultivator--the original is always the best!(KG rotary cultivator: after the plough or in min-till)
May 30, 2009... KG rotary cultivators; strong as an ox, that perform day in, day out, independent of whether the ground has been ploughed, cultivated, or hasn't even been moved at all. The working depth is maintained, even in heavy ground, through the...

Centaur tine & disc cultivator--for all applications.
May 30, 2009... The machine for all seasons: Shallow stubble chitting, primary stubble cultivation, deep soil loosening * Well suited to difficult soil conditions: 3D-tines offer 500 kg of overload protection and three-dimensional tine pivot movement ...

KW wedge-ring packer; roll first, then sow.
May 30, 2009... The perfect combination: Rotary cultivator with wedge-ring roller * Optimal planting depth control * Ideal seed/soil contact * Weather-safe sowing Wedge-ring roller; perfect germination guaranteed! In dry conditions; water...

AD gravity seed drill combinations.
May 30, 2009... Vario-Control system: Harmony, that pays off! * Optimum distribution down the row * Precise seed rates even on low seed rates * Gentle handling. No damage to the seed * Even drive through the step-less Vario gearbox With...

AD-P pneumatic sowing combination.
May 30, 2009... AD-P Super: the high speed combination * High performance metering system maintains seed spacing * Ro [TeC.sup.+] coulter gives optimum planting depth control at maximum forward speed * Rotary cultivator ensures constant soil flow...

Shorter days and a later sowing season provides the background to a continuing use of fertiliser down the row for farmers in northern Scotland.(Combination grain & fertiliser sowing)
May 30, 2009... * Faster germination * Improved take up of trace elements * Earlier harvest potential The drill has covered over 1,500 acres in 2008; drilling winter wheat & barley and oil seed rape but predominantly spring barley. We have a...

Cirrus pneumatic sowing combination.
May 30, 2009... Cirrus Special large area sowing combination; roll first--then sow! With the Cirrus, two rows of Catros-System discs create the perfect seedbed preparation. In particular, the 800 mm [empty.set] wedge ring tyres firm the seedbed precisely...

Trap cropping is usual defence.(SUGAR BEET FOCUS)
May 30, 2009... There are no chemical means of control and Mr Holman already uses catch crops of resistant mustard to encourage hatching of the pests, which then die off due to lack of a host on which to feed. But finding land free early enough in early...

Nematode threat well known.(CONTIENTAL EUROPE)
May 30, 2009... Beet cyst nematodes (BCN), Heterodera schachtii, have been recognised as serious sugar beet pests for nearly 140 years, says KWS product manager Volker Utesch. "The tiny 0.05mm long worm-like nematodes--or eelworms--invade beet roots...

Shifting rhizo highlights 'complacency'.(SUGAR BEET FOCUS)
May 30, 2009... The longer sugar beet farmers delay switching to rhizomania-tolerant varieties the more the inoculum in soils will build, increasing pressure on varieties and hastening the spread of newer, more aggressive types of the disease where the virus...

Three newcomers on variety list.(SUGAR BEET FOCUS)
May 30, 2009... Three new varieties have been added to the 2010 BBRO/NIAB Recommended List of sugar beet varieties, giving growers a total of 17 varieties to choose from--six fewer than last year. Saracen, Aimanta and Fiorenza are the new additions, the...

Auto-steer pays dividends in cost and accuracy: two Scottish growers are appreciating the accuracy and cost savings from using auto-steer systems. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY)
May 30, 2009... Seeing an operator demonstrating auto-steer by driving with his hands clear of the wheel is becoming a bit of a cliche. But it is a good way of illustrating a technology that promises a whole bunch of benefits-from reduced input costs to...

Farm walks mark second phase for be precise project.(MACHINERY)
May 30, 2009... The HGCA's Be Precise campaign, designed to help growers get to grips with precision farming technology in all its various forms, moves into its second phase with a series of farm walks through June and July. The campaign will also feature...

Much in common with MPs: a decent salary might reinstate reputations of growers and MPs, says Stephen Carr.(CARR'S CORNER)
May 30, 2009... "I know it's probably not " the time to raise this--but has it ever occurred to you how much we arable farmers have in common with MPs? Those engaged in both professions suffer from a permanent state of insecurity. MPs have to face a...

New pricing model, please: it's time for rethink on fertiliser, says Jim Alston.(Podium)
May 30, 2009... "From information available so far it seems the relationship between farmers and our indigenous nitrogen fertiliser manufacturer (GrowHow) isn't about to change. But it needs to. The pricing model used last year antagonised customers and...

What's had the biggest effect?(BRIEFING)
May 30, 2009... What do you think is the single greatest innovation in farming in the past 75 years? Is it the three-point linkage, GM technology or semi-dwarf wheats? Perhaps it's something that has revolutionised farm work-the mobile phone or the...

FWi hit parade.(INSIGHT)
May 30, 2009... An illegal rave at a Cambridgeshire farm was the most popular story on Fwi since Crops was last published. 1) Police look on as rave wrecks crop 2) New-season fertiliser prices heading for [pounds sterling]200/t 3) No decision in...

Cereals 2009: the place to be.(VIEWPOINT)
May 30, 2009... Only a year ago many pundits believed the era of cheap commodity prices had come to an end. The wheat price, the barometer of arable farmers' fortunes, might have slipped from its dizzy heights by Cereals 2008, but [pounds sterling]140/t and...

Choice of product names suggests the good life.(DIARY)
May 30, 2009... MONDAY * I can never suppress a chuckle at the names plant breeding and agro-chemical companies come up with for their new varieties or products. I presume Syngenta has put a lot of thought into selecting "Gallant" as the name of its...

Closing science communication gap: NIAB and TAG look set to merge to create a national, independent centre for applied crop research and information. What benefits will the merger bring to farmers?(PERSPECTIVE)
May 30, 2009... NIAB was established 90 years ago to help boost food supplies at a time of shortage after World War I. Today, food security is again high on the agenda, and improved crop production -through better seeds, varieties and agronomy--is recognised...

Capital plan eases machinery policy: a well thought-out capital budget will help any business prepare and cost its machinery replacement plans much more effectively. Suzie Horne reports.(YOUR BUSINESS)
May 30, 2009... Labour, power and machinery costs offer the greatest scope for bottom 25% producers to cut wheat production costs per tonne. Property and admin costs should also be a target, but these account for a much lower overall proportion of cost. ...

Aim for peak workload efficiency.(LABOUR AND TACKLE BUDGET)
May 30, 2009... The peak July to October workload on most arable farms is where most labour and machinery costs are incurred, so this must be as efficient as possible and under regular review. Labour and machinery account for 40% of costs per tonne under a...

Euro exchange: opportunity or risk? Is a weakened sterling good for farmers? John Barker, corporate agrifood manager at HSBC, explains the implications.(CURRENCY)
May 30, 2009... Anyone lucky enough to take a holiday in the eurozone in the past few months will have realised just how expensive things have become when converted back to sterling with the marked change in the exchange rate. But does this represent an...