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Know How / Pest management

Find out about the main pest threats and how to control them in wheat, barley, oilseed rape, sugar beet and potato crops. Get advice on dealing with pests including flea beetle, TuYV, potato cyst nematode, slugs and rats, how and when to apply insecticides and what a permanent neonicotinoid ban would mean.

Advice and tips

PEST MANAGEMENT

10-point plan to beat flea beetle in oilseed rape

Oilseed rape growers are being urged to follow a 10-point plan to limit damage from cabbage stem flea beetles, with the most important factor being choosing a drilling date. AHDB's…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Potato growers reminded to follow 6 steps for nematicide use

Potato growers are being urged to follow the Nematicide Stewardship Programme (NSP) best practice guidelines ahead of spring planting to optimise inputs, protect crop health and support profitability. With input costs…

PEST MANAGEMENT

OSR growers advised to tackle CSFB with early nutrition

Oilseed rape growers are advised to apply a nitrogen-sulphur combination, once conditions allow, to boost spring growth and strengthen defences against pests like cabbage stem flea beetle. Will Oliver, Warwickshire…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Wetter weather could see slug rise in newly drilled wheat

With more unsettled weather forecast across the UK following recent rain, slug activity is expected to rise, posing a threat to newly planted wheat crops. The hot and dry summer…

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Case studies

SUGAR BEET

Suffolk beet grower counts huge cost of beet moth

Beet moth was responsible for a sugar beet yield reduction of 25%, a drop in sugar content and a forced switch to earlier lifting at Troston Farms in Suffolk, where…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Wilts OSR grower reveals lessons from sheep grazing trials

If the timing is right, grazing oilseed rape with sheep in the autumn can improve crop evenness and deliver yield benefits, according to one Wiltshire farmer. At East Farm near…

OILSEED RAPE

Drilling regime and companion crop achieve high OSR yields

Farm manager David Northway’s oilseed rape harvest hit a top yield of 5t/ha in the summer, his highest for nearly 50 years. This was achieved on the farm between Fordingbridge…

PULSES

Why pollinators are key to Scottish grower’s 6t/ha bean yield

Pollinating insects can increase bean yields by up to 50%. Emma Gillbard visits a farmer who is using beetle banks and grass margins to boost yield and cut chemical use.…

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Community

ARABLE

Farmer Focus: Surprising slug problem after oats

With all but 25ha (62 acres) of winter beans left to drill, autumn drilling is all but complete. After lessons learnt from last year and rushing to get cereals drilled,…

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Insights

PEST MANAGEMENT

How odour, sound and vibrations can control crop pests

Could weaponising odour, sound or microbes found naturally on crop leaves be the solution to some of the toughest pest challenges growers face?  From scent-based repellents that disguise crops from…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How climate change is reshaping agronomy

Evidence from long-term trial data and climate modelling shows that warmer summers, wetter winters and more extreme weather events are affecting yield reliability, disease pressure and pest risk. The key…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Beet moth threat: What farmers can do to mitigate risk

Beet moth has jumped up the risk agenda for sugar beet growers, as the 2025 sugar beet season marked a shift from isolated cases to economically damaging infestations in parts…

PEST MANAGEMENT

How beneficial rhizobacteria can reduce insect pests

Inoculating crops with beneficial rhizobacteria has been shown to reduce insect pest damage by priming natural plant defence pathways. Certain bacterial strains can activate internal defence mechanisms of plants, altering…

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News

OILSEED RAPE

Destroy cover crops now to tackle flea beetle, farmers urged

Farmers growing cover crops are advised to destroy them in the coming days to help break the cabbage stem flea beetle cycle and minimise the size of the next generation…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Rat infestations on rise as new control rules take effect

Resistance to rodenticides, the increasing complexity of effective control programmes and recent warmer winters have led to a rise in rat and mice infestations across UK farms. This is according…

PEST MANAGEMENT

New slug pellet with novel active ingredient available

A new slug pellet with a novel active ingredient will be available to UK farmers in autumn 2026, offering greater choice and efficacy for slug control. Ferrabait developed by Adama…

NEWS

Crop pest Colorado beetle successfully eradicated in UK

A major potato pest has been officially eradicated from the UK, the government has confirmed, following two years of investigative and surveillance work in Kent. The Colorado beetle was first…

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Test and reviews

MACHINERY

A guide to effective bird scaring kits for farmers

New technology for farmers with the age-old problem of scaring birds off crops are constantly hitting the market. From lasers, to acoustic systems, to inflatable scarecrows, to kites, we look…

MACHINERY

Eight of the best slug pelleters on test

We test eight of the best slug pelleters with the help of testing specialist SCS. The test KRM Stocks Techneat Spaldings Logic Bullock Verdict We tested the pelleters with the…

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Video

LIVESTOCK

Video: How to take an integrated approach to rodent control

The best way to deal with rat infestations is not to have them in the first place. Waiting until you see rats running around the farm is too late. Every…

WHEAT

Video: Wolverine wheat looks good in BYDV battle

The first wheat variety with resistance to an important aphid-spread disease is showing a yield of more than 10t/ha in Kent, with some seed available for growers this autumn. The…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Video: Clever electronic bird scarer gets worldwide interest

Farmers are flocking to buy a bird scarer which uses fire alarms and flashing lights to keep pigeons off oilseed rape crops. More than 300 orders have been placed in…

CROP MANAGEMENT

Video: How to properly set up a crop sprayer

Crop spraying is one of the most important and highly skilled jobs undertaken on any arable farm, but it is facing increased public scrutiny. This is why it is vital…

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