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Farmers Weekly’s Crop Watch experts are back for another season, sharing their latest insights and advice on various agronomy practices across the UK.
In the South, Justin Smith from Procam in East Sussex reflects on the challenges of a wet start to autumn, which has impacted the drilling campaign. Despite the weather obstacles, discussions on Sustainable Farming Incentive options have helped farmers make decisions for this autumn. Smith remains optimistic as they prepare for the traditional October drilling campaign.
In the East, Ryan Baker from Frontier in Suffolk/Norfolk reports that winter barley has been successfully drilled into good seed-beds, while wheat drilling on cleaner blackgrass land is ongoing. Slow blackgrass emergence and recent rain have prompted some farmers to wait for a further flush before drilling. Baker emphasizes the importance of caution this autumn due to significant soil moisture and advises on higher seed rates to compensate for slug damage.
Moving to the West, Dominic Edmond from Matford Arable in Devon/Cornwall provides a background on his experience as an agronomist covering a wide geographical area with various soil types and crops. Despite a challenging harvest season, Edmond expresses concerns over drilling opportunities following wet autumns in previous years. He hopes for favorable weather conditions to kickstart the drilling campaign and allow for timely herbicide applications.
In the North, Mary Munro from Munro Agricultural Consultancy in East Lothian discusses the completion of harvest season and the start of a new business venture. Oilseed rape crops are thriving, with successful management against cabbage stem flea beetle. Munro highlights the use of metazachlor and Belkar herbicides in her new tactics for the season. Drilling is in progress with a focus on newer wheat varieties and the use of autumn herbicides to target weeds.
Overall, the Crop Watch experts offer valuable insights and advice on navigating the challenges of the autumn season in different regions of the UK. Embracing change, adapting to weather conditions, and making strategic decisions are key themes running through their observations and recommendations.
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SOURCE
Maria Sanchez completed her Bachelor’s degree in Plant Sciences from the University of California, Davis, in the USA. Her studies focused on plant genetics and biotechnology, with an emphasis on developing disease-resistant crop varieties. Maria has contributed to several research projects aimed at improving crop resilience to climate change and is now pursuing her Master’s degree in Plant Breeding.