Lincolnshire farmer Mark Stubbs took the top prize in this year’s Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) Awards, with his winter wheat crop yielding 16.6t/ha.

The Lincolnshire Wolds grower also won gold for his crop of spring barley, which yielded 10.6t/ha, and had the highest yield percentage for both categories.

Annabel Hamilton © YEN

Northumberland entrant Rodney Smith came second in the best cereal yield with a 15.4t/ha wheat, while Annabel Hamilton from Berwickshire took third place with 14.4t/ha.

See also: Why urea fertiliser use is changing this spring

Winning ways

Mark puts his success down to a strong focus on soil health over the past decade, which has seen organic matter levels increase from below 2% to more than 10% across much of the 700ha farm near Louth.

“Incorporating cover crops for rooting benefits and applying either poultry or farmyard manure has really improved soil fauna,” he says. “It’s a whole other world below ground.

“I’m very pleased to win these awards. It goes to show all the hard work I’m doing is being rewarded.

“The YEN is excellent – it shows you how to benchmark things you wouldn’t normally consider and you get to understand more about nutrition and learn from other farmers.”

Nutrition

The winning Skyscraper wheat received 210kg N/ha in liquid form, along with 90kg/ha of sulphur at Manor Farm, Calcethorpe.

Mark favours a “little and often” approach, with the first fertiliser application in early February to get crops going.

“We find that the nutrition contained in the manures also kicks in early, giving the crop a good start,” he says.

This is followed up with two applications four to five weeks apart, aiming for the last spray at the end of April to get the crop ready for flowering.

“We also soil test and use the Yara N-tester to gauge how well the plant is doing and address any shortfalls,” he says.

Fungicide and herbicides

Marks opts for a late drilling window – about the last week of October – which not only reduces blackgrass risk but helps with disease control.

“I drill later than most other growers in the area, so if I suddenly hear of a septoria outbreak it gives me a chance to check my crops.

“I might then go with a T0 followed by a strict spray programme every three to four weeks after.”

The winning wheat crop was drilled on 11 November – later than usual because of wet weather – at a rate of 250kg/ha, aiming for a plant population of 300 plants/sq m.

The crop followed oilseed rape that was allowed to “green-up” and act as a catch crop, before cultivating with a tine disc cultivator and packer, followed by a shallow disc cultivator.

The crop received a standard four-spray fungicide programme:

• T0 – Tebuconazole
• T1 – Bixafen and fluopyram + prothioconazole and fluoxastrobin
• T2 – Fluxapyroxad and mefentrifluconazole + tebuconazole
• T3 – Tebuconazole + prothioconazole.

Given the high blackgrass burden in the area, Mark aims to produce a thick, competitive crop. Pre-, peri- and post-emergence herbicides were applied to keep on top of grassweeds.

Harvest took place on 10 August – which Mark notes was relatively early for a late-drilled crop, with a specific weight of 80kg/hl. “It literally turned overnight,” he says.

“It wasn’t ripe when we checked it two days before, so I think we caught it just in time.” 

YEN Innovator of the Year award

David Bell © YEN

The 2023 YEN Innovator of the year award went to mixed farmer David Bell of Upper Magus Farm, Fife for his commitment, innovative ideas and use of trials to drive yield enhancement and crop nutrition.

Dr Sarah Kendall, crop physiologist at Adas, says: “David’s inspirational collaboration with others in on-farm trials, including cultivation systems and varieties, showcases a commitment to driving innovation.”

What are the YEN Awards?

The annual Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) Awards conference, held in Peterborough, celebrates the best of arable cropping, with this year’s focus on the impacts of variable rainfall on crop yield.

Dr Roger Sylvester-Bradley, director and founder of the network, explains: “In 2023, the persistent warmth posed a challenge by shortening crop lifespans, notably impacting the critical grain-filling phase of wheat.

“Despite this climatic hurdle and substantial monthly fluctuations in rainfall, the agricultural landscape witnessed commendable yields. The highest-performing farms continue to make strides in productivity,” he says.