Crops articles from September 2008

Crops archives from September 2008

Yields stand firm against wet weather: exceptional yields, but a hugely difficult harvest, not to mention expensive, will be the overriding memories of 2008. Olivia Cooper assesses the highs and lows of this year's harvest.(TECHNICAL)
September 6, 2008... High yields should have dominated talk of harvest 2008, but in the end growers will remember harvest 2008 most for being a pig of a year. The wettest, dullest August on record played havoc with combining and hit quality hard, particularly in...

Top yields for six-row hybrid barley's.(HARVEST 2008)
September 6, 2008... Both winter and spring barley have performed well this year, with above average yields and good malting quality. Winter barley yields were 2% above the five-year average, at 8.9t/ha (3.6t/acre), according to HGCA trial results. Topping...

North/south split for oilseed rape.(HARVEST 2008)
September 6, 2008... Oilseed rape yields have been extremely variable this year, with crops ranging from bumper to diabolical. Poor winter establishment was to blame for most of the problems, said independent crop consultant Tod Hunnisett. "I have never seen...

Bucking the trend: pea performance jumps back to a high.(HARVEST 2008)
September 6, 2008... Peas have performed outstandingly well this year, bucking the trend of the past four years, which have seen a sharp decline in yields. Since 2004 average pea yields have fallen year on year, from 5.08t/ha (2t/acre) to just 3.92t/ha...

Time to put record straight on pre-em herbicides: as the cropping year approaches, a leading independent weed scientist urges cereal growers to seek impartial advice on the use of herbicides for resistant grassweeds. Louise Impey reports.(WEED CONTROL)
September 6, 2008... Don't be misled by agrochemical manufacturers on the impact that herbicide resistance can have on the efficacy of pre-emergence herbicides, warns Stephen Moss of Rothamsted Research. Despite claims by some companies to the contrary,...

Herbicides only part of the armoury: the fact there is far more to weed control than spraying came at a recent specialists' meeting on a nottinghamshire farm. Andrew Blake reports.(PRACTICAL WEED CONTROL)
September 6, 2008... For Peter White, director at Leyfields, Kneesall, good competitive crops are all part of his strategy to keep on top of weeds, especially blackgrass, in his mainly wheat/oilseed rape heavy land rotation. So when ADAS's James Clarke pointed...

Pre-em options: Louise Impey profiles the main contenders.(WEED CONTROL)
September 6, 2008... Pre-em options Louise Impey profiles the main contenders PRODUCT LERAP USE IT FOR DON'T FORGET Alpha Chlorotoluron None Ryegrass control Varietal (Makheteshim-Agan) mainly, but...

Control strategies change as key herbicides are lost: two familiar herbicides, isoproturon (IPU) and trifluralin, will be withdrawn next spring. Andrew Blake gauges farmers weekly barometer farmer reaction.(BAROMETER VIEWS)
September 6, 2008... SOUTH WEST IPU and trifluralin will definitely be missed at North Farm, Horton in Dorset. "They're the foundation of our herbicide strategy in cereals and well-priced," says Peter Snell. "We've used them year in, year out on pretty...

Benefits becoming more appreciated.(COMPOST)
September 6, 2008... Rocketing fertiliser prices are making composts increasingly attractive to farmers, both as slow-release nutrient sources and soil conditioners. More composts are becoming available and recent ADAS trials are confirming their benefits. ...

Oats may do well as wheat replacer: breeding cereals for better consistency of nutritive value is a long-term commitment. Sarah Henly reports.(RESEARCH IN FOCUS)
September 6, 2008... Demand for oats has been rising, thanks to product innovation after recognition of the crop's high nutritional value. And it is set to increase further as the OATLINK project comes to fruition. Improving the economic efficiency of oats by...

Event sites strike the right balance: the Tillage 2008 event organisers reckon to have found two sites that strike the right balance between workability if the wet weather continues and presenting a decent challenge to the implements on show. Peter Hill reports.(TILLAGE 2008)
September 6, 2008... As long as the corn comes off in time--and event organiser Duncan Russell is pretty confident it will--the Tillage 2008 events being held in Northamptonshire and the Scottish Borders will present another excellent shop window for anyone...

Updates meet demands of biofuels: as DIY biofuel becomes a realistic option with the launch of tractors capable of running on unprocessed oils, firms are updating conventional tractors for better performance and to meet emissions standards. Peter Hill reports.(MACHINERY: TRACTORS)
September 6, 2008... Just as farmers are getting used to the idea of running tractors on biodiesel, engine maker Deutz has come up with a system that allows a diesel engine to run on raw rapeseed oil. The "green" credentials of such a system outweigh the much...

Novel exhaust cleaner meets tough standards.(MACHINERY: TRACTORS)
September 6, 2008... The forthcoming Massey Ferguson 8690 Dyna-VT may not be powered by a fuel cell, but it does use an engine with novel exhaust-cleaning technology to meet increasingly stringent exhaust emissions. The 8.4-litre Sisu six-cylinder engine is...

CX 'Tier 3' upgrades add to reputation.(MACHINERY: TRACTORS)
September 6, 2008... Alonger wheelbase for improved stability with heavy mounted implements, together with improved brake performance on CX models are part of a package of "Tier 3" upgrades for McCormick's two lines of four-cylinder workhorse tractors. ...

Change of engine for smallest in Claas range.(MACHINERY: TRACTORS)
September 6, 2008... A change of power unit from Deere to Perkins four-cylinder engines is the principal change highlighted by a change of name and styling for the smallest field tractor in the Claas range. The Celtis has become Axos and the new one-piece...

NH software gives T8000 CVT-like performance.(MACHINERY: TRACTORS)
September 6, 2008... New software controlling the full powershift transmission installed in the New Holland T8000 series tractors can be used to emulate CVT drive. Ground Speed Management, as the new feature is called, complements the existing auto-shifting...

Another controversial year for GCSEs: emotions ran high as this year's General Crop Sampling Exam results were handed out.(CARR'S CORNER)
September 6, 2008... "There were emotional scenes up and down the UK last month as this year's General Crop Sampling Examination (GCSE) results were handed out to nervous arable farmer candidates. In recent years there had been suggestions that examiners had...

Biofuels: where did it go wrong? We need to change perceptions or the industry will stall.(Podium)
September 6, 2008... "Biofuels: Fill your tank with Nature's Goodness". This was a headline from The Times in 2005. Soon after at Weald Granary grain storage co-op we started a biodiesel trial. Earlier this year The Times printed, "Rush for biofuels threatens...

Weather delays cultivations work.(ONLINE BRIEFING)
September 6, 2008... * It has been a bittersweet harvest. Yields on the whole appear to have been pretty good, and quality, particularly barley crops, has been high. But that's only if you managed to get into the shed in quite simply appalling August weather....

FWi hit parade.(ONLINE BRIEFING)
September 6, 2008... * FWi's arable pages continue to go from strength to strength, with record numbers of page views in the past month. Harvest pictures are a huge draw for site visitors, with the gallery (www.fwi.co.uk/harvest2008) containing more than 1200...

Save our Sprays--act now.(VIEWPOINT)
September 6, 2008... Seven years in the making, the denouement in the next few months of the EU's attempt to modernise pesticide legislation could radically alter arable farming in the UK. If the legislation, agreed by the EU Commission and the agricultural...

Weather brings change of behaviour.(DIARY)
September 6, 2008... MONDAY * There is, as the old saying goes, many a slip betwixt cup and lip. Perhaps the gods spotted me licking my lips at the prospect of a bumper harvest, because I now find myself in the position of still looking at hundreds of acres of...

Compost industry is fertile ground for agriculture: farmers can benefit from the rapidly evolving compost industry, says Richard Swannell.(PERSPECTIVE)
September 6, 2008... Agriculture is the UK's biggest market for compost, using nearly half of all compost products made of source-segregated waste, says a recent report.* Scientific trials undertaken in recent years, sponsored by Waste & Resources Action...

Merger adds to buying power: the merger of Atlas Agriculture and Framlingham Farmers has created a new buying and marketing giant in the farming world. Suzie Horne reports.(YOUR BUSINESS)
September 6, 2008... July 1 this year marked the birth of the AtlasFram Group after the merger of Atlas Agriculture and Framlingham Farmers. The buying and marketing group has a turnover of more than [pounds sterling]120m, over 1000 members and aims to break new...

Meet bank's criteria for right answer.(OVERDRAFTS)
September 6, 2008... Calls requesting increased overdraft facilities are more frequent than ever these days. Shorter payment terms for higherpriced fertiliser and other inputs are affecting viability and cash-flow, but as long as your relationship with the bank is...