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* Good OSR establishment is key to beating beetles this autumn * Two year EU ban on neonicotinoid seed treatments * Some rape crops were decimated by flea beetle last [...]

What would you do if Atlantis resistance was confirmed on your farm? For at least 80 growers it is no longer a theoretical question, and the likelihood is many more [...]

Slugs might pose a real headache this autumn thanks to wet weather during much of June and July. There are plenty of pellet options to suit every budget (see table [...]

Typically in the UK, less than a third (28 days) of the key spraying period March to May has suitable weather for spraying, according to Syngenta. Cutting the amount of [...]

* Paper passports may be replaced by an online system * Farmers being consulted on AHDB proposals * Could be in place for 2018, saving 1.9m £/year in waste * [...]

* Mild weather has seen an explosion in slug numbers * Direct-drilled crops at particular risk in high-pressure years * Consider how land is managed between harvest and autumn drilling [...]

* Gene editing brings traits such as blight resistance in potatoes * US authorities not subjecting it to same rules as GM * EU decision on legal status expected later [...]

* Where next for precision farming? * One contender is variable rate plant growth regulator applications * Increase rapeseed yields by 0.2t/ha and wheat by 0.4t/ha Anyone fanning on mixed [...]

* Leek production has become much more concentrated and specialised * Labour intensive with costs accounting for half of turnover * Weed control is a growing challenge Like wheat, leeks [...]

* Establishing beet well is crucial to maximising yield * Also an important way of reducing harvester losses * Practical advice for this season Good sugar beet establishment will be [...]

The past few months have seen a raft of changes to renewable energy support, many of which come into effect this year. Payments for renewable electricity and heat have been [...]

* Spring beans on the up with area set to increase again in 2016 * They are renowned as an unpredictable break crop * Consistently high yields are possible if [...]

* Losses can vary by almost 10t/ha * Crop uniformity a key factor * Adjust harvester settings to minimise beet left in the field * With pressure on sugar beet [...]

* Resistance testing is the first step in tackling the weed * Interpreting results can prove tricky * Tailor agronomy based on test results Herbicide-resistant blackgrass affects most wheat-growing regions [...]

* Establishment similar to potatoes * 10% of production is lost to cavity spot each year * Biological control being trialled Carrots are one of the UK's most important root [...]

Hybrids looked set to dominate, but conventionals are fighting back with new high-yielding varieties on the Recommended List. Paul Spackman looks at two grower approaches Conventionals mean less risk ANDREW [...]

On-going cuts to support for renewable energy may lead many farmers to think there is little point in investing in new projects. But, while the Feed-in Tariffs (Fits) and Renewable [...]

Growing oilseed rape without neonicotinoid-based products poses real challenges for growers this season. Paul Spackmon discovers what the ban means for four farmers RICHARD COTTON, DEVON Business as usual despite [...]

* Spraying opportunities at optimum fungicide timings limited * Application and formulation technology can help maximise sprayer output There are precious few decent spray days around the key wheat fungicide [...]

* Next-generation precision farming technology * Potential ranging from driverless tractors to robotic crop analysis * What are growers likely to see in the next decade? * From those early [...]

Some new biomass combined heat and power (CHP) energy projects face being scrapped following unexpected changes to the way renewable heating support is calculated. An amendment to Renewable Heat Incentive [...]

* Taking longer to get new pesticides to market * Process also costing manufacturers more * Only one out of 150,000 potential actives will reach market * It takes about [...]

* Potential new source of income selling water for cash * Collaboration spreads infrastructure investment * Water can be managed within farming year * The increasingly unpredictable weather in the [...]

* Straw for energy an expanding sector * More growers tempted to remove straw * Pros and cons of this growing market * There is just one large-scale dedicated straw-fired [...]

The first step in understanding and improving energy efficiency requires knowing how much is used, where and when, advises independent consultant Stephen Raasch. This can be done at a basic [...]

* Robots close to commercial operation * Driven by improved efficiency and optimising crop growth * Automated and targeted herbicide Legions of small robots trundling across fields killing weeds with [...]

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. [...]

Anyone growing sugar beet in 2009 will have plenty of varieties to choose from, as Paul Spackman reports There are 23 varieties on the new NIAB/BBRO Recommended List for 2009 [...]

About half of the UK's breadmaking wheat receives late nitrogen as foliar urea, but with prices soaring and increasing environmental pressure on growers to justify all nitrogen inputs, accurately targeting [...]

The UK wheat crop is widely predicted to exceed 16m tonnes this harvest--3m tonnes more than last year--which will add yet more pressure to an already stretched grain haulage sector, [...]

Early sowing and relatively damp, mild weather last autumn/winter mean many crops could be at greater risk from eyespot, says Scottish Agricultural College plant pathologist, Fiona Burnett. 'There were reasonable [...]

Agriculture has to take the initiative on climate change and devise its own greenhouse gas strategy without jeopardising yields and profits, according to Norfolk arable farmer Ed Buscall. If it [...]

PRODUCT USE IT FOR CROPS PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS 5C Cycocel Enhanced CCC formulation Winter wheat, spring (BASF) CCC plus (645) for use in the same wheat, winter barley, Also sold [...]

Proposed changes to the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) are likely to mean growers will have to cut the total energy used when producing biofuel crops if the UK is [...]

There was a strong feeling among attendees at this year's Cereals event that NRoSO had to become more professional and respected if it was to attract new members and stand [...]

For the first time in the UK, the A2 mating type of the potato blight pathogen has become the dominant strain, according to British Potato Council-funded research. The A2 type [...]

ROBIGUS Robigus' two main weaknesses--yellow rust and eyespot--and its comparative strength against Septoria tritici mean spending early on a robust early season programme is crucial, according to independent consultant Bob [...]

One in 10 UK wild oat populations is estimated to have enhanced metabolism resistance and 3% fop-specific target site resistance, according to Syngenta. This may seem insignificant compared with blackgrass [...]

Demand for irrigation water in southern and eastern England could rise by 20% by 2020 and the pressure on water resources--not just from agriculture--is increasing. That is why growers must [...]

Most modern oilseed rape varieties have the genetic potential to yield over 5t/ha, yet the current UK average is 3.4t/ha. So what's holding us back? 'The key to making the [...]

There is little doubt that Atlantis is, and will remain, the number one option for post-emergence grassweed control for many growers this season. It has quickly proved itself an extremely [...]

NOTE: This table is a guide, not a recommendation. Cost is an estimated value per hectare only Product LERAP Use it for AUTUMN BARCLAY EYETAK (Barclay) N/A Autumn, spring and [...]

Growing agricultural and amenity grasses for seed production could offer some growers a viable way forward in an unsubsidised agricultural industry. That is the view of Herefordshire farmer Philip Gorringe, [...]

Ever raced across the field on the quad bike spreading slug pellets? Well if the answer's yes and you've been clocking speeds of up to (or beyond) 12kph, then you're [...]

The HGCA says it welcomes DEFRA's announcement (Farmers Weekly, 30 June 2006) to restructure the five levy boards to provide better value and greater accountability to levy payers. 'The HGCA [...]

Thirty-five EU sugar beet factories have closed or are scheduled to close due to rationalisation of the industry over recent years, yet there are a number of emerging opportunities, according [...]

Up to half of UK sugar beet growers never use a fungicide, industry estimates suggest. But there can be significant yield gains from well-timed treatments, say experts. While disease pressure [...]

New environmental regulations mean restrictions on water abstraction are set to get even tighter, so growers must ensure they are managing their irrigation licences professionally. So says Andrew Alston, who [...]

Potato growers need to focus on the cost effectiveness of blight fungicides and be more flexible when choosing products this season. That is the advice from independent agronomist, John Keer, [...]

Applying pesticides during potato planting is a complex task. No surprise then that growers need to be PA12 certified to maximise tuber protection in a way that is safe to [...]