Premium Organic Spring Wheat and Bean Bicropping Generates Significant Profits
A successful organic harvest of spring milling wheat intercropped with beans at Devon farmer George Greed’s farm near Exeter is poised to achieve a substantial milling premium. The hard, red population wheat variety Mariagertoba, known for its exceptional baking quality, was cultivated alongside Fanfare spring beans, producing 13-16% wheat protein without the use of artificial nitrogen. Mariagertoba is a genetically diverse variety with superior resilience to varying weather conditions, nutrient levels, and disease pressure.
The crop was harvested at 14.5% moisture and yielded 3.35t/ha, garnering significant interest from bakers in a southwest grain project producing flour in Dorset. Mariagertoba boasts high gluten content and resistance to mildew, rust, and common bunt, with origins in Manitoba flour. The crop was planted following a four-year herbal ley, receiving muck and manure applications before being shallow ploughed and drilled. The spring beans, sown as a companion crop, were separated using a gravity separator.
Establishment efforts focused on achieving a good start for the crop, with volunteer herbal ley plants acting as weed suppressants and biodiversity enhancers. A clover understorey provided nitrogen fixation benefits, complemented by the presence of plantain and kale. The use of a traditional straw walker combine, specifically a Class Tucano, proved beneficial for harvesting organic crops, ensuring efficient feed intake and minimal tangling. Future plans include planting winter wheat population YQ alongside winter beans, with the aim of sustaining a diverse cropping system for continued benefits such as weed suppression, disease control, and improved protein content.
Overall, intercropping wheat and beans offers a range of advantages, including enhanced Sustainability, reduced reliance on artificial inputs, and increased market appeal to premium organic milling customers. The practice also supports biodiversity by attracting beneficial insects, reducing pest risks, and promoting crop resilience in the face of changing environmental conditions.
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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.