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Know How / Wheat / Establishment

Bringing establishment costs down, without affecting yields, is one of the main priorities on arable farms today. Cutting costs by reducing the number of passes, but without cutting corners, is the focus for many. See the most recent guidance on cost-effective establishment systems and how they are performing in a range of soil types.

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DRILLING

2 farms' autumn drilling plans after last year's wet weather

As the impact of last season’s challenging growing season remains firmly in farmers minds. Farmers Weekly catches up with three farmers to find out about their plans for this season’s…

ESTABLISHMENT

Drill change improves cereal crop resilience

Spring barley was the last crop to be fully drilled with the 3m Mzuri Pro-till drill and despite the tricky spring, it yielded nearly 8t/ha last summer.  Neil White believes…

ESTABLISHMENT

Video: 3 growers reveal impact of rain and spring plans

Relentless wet weather has not only reduced the UK winter cereal area, but hampered yield potential. With costs high and market prices low, we find out how crops are fairing…

ESTABLISHMENT

How one grower tackles late drilling of wheat on heavy soil

De-risking late drilling of wheat is at the heart of Brixworth Farming’s strategy, and catch crops are the key to extending the drilling window on the heavy Northamptonshire soil. Tackling…

ESTABLISHMENT

Direct-drilling wheat into clover ley saves farm £100/ha

Listen to Richard Allison read this article or see the text below. Farmers Weekly · Direct drilling wheat into clover ley saves family farm £100/ha Direct-drilling winter wheat into a…

Practical advice

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DRILLING

7 steps for late drilling wheat success

Farmers with winter wheat still to drill this autumn need to be patient and do all they can to ensure crop establishment and soil health are not compromised following recent…

DRILLING

What to consider if tempted to drill winter wheat early

Winter wheat growers may be tempted to establish crops earlier this autumn following last season’s washout conditions, but experienced agronomists and crop consultants are reminding farmers of the potential risks…

CROP MANAGEMENT

How to companion crop successfully in winter wheat

Companion cropping is an emerging practice that is recognised in the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) with an action that attracts a payment of £55/ha. In its most common form, it…

WHEAT

Top tips for late-drilling wheat growers

Late-drilling winter wheat growers on heavy soils need to focus on crop nutrition as rapidly cooling soils give slow availability of nutrients, and so feeding crops is key to preventing…

ESTABLISHMENT

Why field loss is important for seed rate calculations

Calculating the correct seed rate is essential in achieving optimum wheat plant populations and, therefore, must be accounted for each year. Thousand-seed weight (TSW), field losses, soil type and sowing…

ESTABLISHMENT

4 ways to maximise rooting in wheat crops this autumn

Increasingly unpredictable weather and sky-high nitrogen fertiliser prices are two significant challenges for growers in the 2022-23 cropping cycle. To make winter wheat crops more resilient to weather extremes, particularly…

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ESTABLISHMENT

Cereal seed treatments for farmers to consider this autumn

Seed treatments have many roles, which include fungicide dressings, nutritional enhancers, and in more recent years, the arrival of biological treatments have been added to some agronomy plans. So as…

DRILLING

3 risks to assess before drilling winter wheat early

Winter wheat growers are being advised to think hard about three heightened risks before going for early drilling this autumn – namely blackgrass, aphid-borne disease, and septoria. After a very…

PEST MANAGEMENT

Why slug pressure is intensifying and what farmers can do

A changing climate and evolving farming systems could lead to more frequent slug population explosions, and growers must be alert and ready to react. It is widely accepted that UK…

ARABLE

Seed sales show heavy reliance on a limited number of varieties

After a testing season and difficult harvest, growers are sticking to a narrow range of varieties for the new cropping year. Farmers Weekly finds out what’s filling the drills. See…

PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATION

How a new soil scoring tool picks the best cultivation option

A new crop establishment tool which assesses a range of soil management factors is set to help farmers identify whether a change in cultivation may benefit their soils. There is…

DISEASE MANAGEMENT

Is there still a need for costly wheat seed treatments?

Cereal growers are increasingly questioning the need for chemical seed treatments as they continue to improve soil health, encourage soil biology and drive down costs. With autumn drilling under way,…

SOILS

Is regenerative agriculture the future of arable farming?

A growing number of farmers are overhauling their systems and are now farming in a way that has little impact on soil health, includes greater diversity and leads to more…

DRILLING

Video: High-pressure water tech aids direct drilling success

Replacing drill coulters with a high-pressure jet to open up the soil will not only improve germination, its inventors believe it can aid rooting by cracking compaction and aerating soils.…

PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATION

Why no-till is profitable despite having a yield penalty

As machinery costs are the main driver of arable profit, no-till farms can afford to produce 1t/ha less wheat than their more conventional counterparts. Speaking at the Groundswell event in June, accountant…

ESTABLISHMENT

On-farm establishment trial shows best system in a dry year

Dry conditions for the second year in a row have highlighted the importance of establishment method. Systems which allowed crops to get their roots down in search of moisture were…

PLOUGHING AND CULTIVATION

Plough, min-till and no-till compared: year one

A major trial has been set up to find the most profitable and sustainable way to grow arable crops by comparing three different establishment systems over five years. Establishment systems…