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In this issue... Innovation showcase page 45 Climate coercion page 72 Latest and greatest ideas put in print Persuasive plans for policy-makers Nurturing crop potential page 8 Battleplan on blight page 85
Opinion
4 Talking Tilth - A word from the editor.
Volume 22 Number 6 6 Smith’s Soapbox - Views and opinions from an Essex peasant…..
May 2020 46 Tech Respect - CPM ’s machinery editor surveys the search for UK Ag’s next step.
99 Last Word - A view from the field from CPM’s technical editor.
Technical
8 Crop Doctor - Nurturing through to full potential
Another virtual tour of UK crops to assess disease and progress.
12 Spring barley disease - All it needs is love
An insight into the problems growers face from the UK to New Zealand.
16 Real Results Pioneers - Ahead of the game
In Scotland, a focus on efficiency ensures the best use of new technology.
20 Fit for the future - Flexibility in the face of upheaval
The wheat that goes in the ground this autumn faces an uncertain future.
24 Battling the beetle - The pieces of the OSR jigsaw
Placing the right pieces of chemical and cultural control.
28 Insiders View - The triple threat
Dekalb has been focusing on breeding even more resilience into its varieties.
Editor 32 Innovation Insight - Breeding “built-in” resistance
Tom Allen-Stevens Varieties that can withstand TuYV pressures are more important than ever.
Technical editor 36 Tech Talk - Zip it up
Lucy de la Pasture Getting oilseed rape crops safely through to harvest.
Machinery editor 39 Theory to Field - Forensic dig into soil biology
Charlotte Cunningham Are we any closer to finding out more about the make-up of the microbiome?
Writers 42 Beans - Tiffany finds favour
Tom Allen-Stevens Lucy de la Pasture Spring beans grown for animal feed on a special contract in Yorkshire.
Charlotte Cunninghan Paul Spackman
Rob Jones Special
Design and production 45 CPM special insight - Innovation showcase
Brooks Design 12 pages of the latest and greatest thinking in cereal varieties and arable kit.
Advertisement co-ordinator
Peter Walker Machinery
Publisher
Angus McKirdy 57 On Farm Opinion - More than just a familiar space
Business development manager A contract farmer in Berks has invested in the latest spraying technology.
Charlotte Alexander 62 On Farm Opinion - Nine times the precision
A self-professed desire for perfection drives one grower in Scotland.
To claim two crop protection BASIS points, send an email to
linda@basis-reg.co.uk, quoting reference CP/84198/1920/g. 66 Machinery Masterclass - A step on in performance
In sugar beet, could it be the seeder that holds the key?
To claim two NRoSO CPD points, please send your name,
NRoSO member number, date of birth and postcode to
angus@cpm-magazine.co.uk
Innovation
*the claim ‘best read specialist arable journal’ is based 72 Climate Change Champions - The influence of balance
on independent reader research conducted by A farm in Northants has also been a demonstration site for policy-makers.
Research Engine (Mar 2018) 76 Technology on trial - When precision becomes exact
Editorial & advertising sales Tailoring inputs to crop requirements makes sense, but what is its value?
PO Box 4856, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 9NX 79 Meeting tomorrow’s challenge - The measure of a sustainable soil
Tel: (01743) 861122 E-mail: angus@cpm-magazine.co.uk Research unearths some eye-opening new data.
Reader registration hotline 01743 861122 82 Inside traits - Vigour to vie with farming’s foe
Can plant genetics deliver to growers the tools required against CSFB?
Advertising copy
Brooks Design,
24 Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 1RD
Roots
Tel: (01743) 244403 E-mail: fred@brooksdesign.co.uk
85 Potato blight - Blight strategies evolve
CPM Volume 22 No 6. Editorial, advertising and sales offices are at A robust blight strategy is more essential than ever.
PO Box 4856, Shrewsbury, SY1 9NX England.
Tel: (01743) 861122. CPM is published eleven times a year by 90 Pushing performance - Strengthening the blight crusade
CPM Ltd and is available free of charge to qualifying farmers A drift retardant is proving to be a knight in shining armour.
and farm managers in the United Kingdom. 95 Potato blight - Right product at the right time
In no way does CPM Ltd endorse, notarise or concur with any of the It’s become the norm to start programmes early and keep intervals tight.
advice, recommendations or prescriptions reported in the magazine.
If you are unsure about which recommendations to follow, please consult
97 Virus yellows - Living with virus yellows
a professional agronomist. Always read the label. Use pesticides safely. The threat is a very real one this season after a mild winter and spring.
CPM Ltd is not responsible for loss or damage to any unsolicited
material, including photographs.
crop production magazine may 2020 3
of yellow patches across the points to the problem being indeed cause widespread
Oxon landscape, knowing cabbage stem flea beetle, and harm to bees, the use of the
that mine will return next it originates from the ban on the chemical group was so
May to reward me. use of neonicotinoid seed widespread that it would
Except those dressings, brought in to protect have seemed, in retrospect,
comforting yellow bees. The hypocrisy of the monstrously immoral for a
patches are now few situation is that the shortfall in government not to have acted.
and far between, and our domestic use is made up You can question the science
I’m not sure OSR will from imports that have been all you like, and call out the
Can we be trusted return to this farm next year. grown using neonics –– we hypocrisy. But the fact remains
The crop that used to be the don’t want to put our own bees that just one tool was taken
with OSR? most profitable in the rotation at risk, but we’re perfectly from the OSR toolbox and UK
has become the least. The happy for bees elsewhere in growers’ capability to bring a
risk of growing OSR has now the world to be put in harm’s crop to market fell from 2.4Mt
This is usually the time of year overtaken the reward. way to satisfy our need for to 0.9Mt. What does this say
when all that anxiety you’ve It’s a problem nationally –– cheap rapeseed oil. about our ability to manage this
gone through with the oilseed the UK has only 361,000ha of The logical reaction then is wayward child of a crop, not to
rape finally rewards you. OSR in the ground, according to call for a ban on imports mention our over-reliance on an
It’s the crop you’ve vexed to AHDB’s Early Bird Survey. treated with neonics –– we did individual tool?
about for months –– never sure That’s around half the area this with chlorinated chicken I’m currently undecided
if it had enough moisture at grown in 2014 when the crop and hormone-treated beef, about whether OSR will return
establishment, that you kept it was at its most popular. Facing so why not neonic-treated to our farm this autumn. On the
from cabbage stem flea beetle, a total UK rapeseed crop as rapeseed? But quite apart one hand the risk of growing it
that it wasn’t beset by phoma, low as 900,000t, that means UK from the fact this is almost is immense, and I’m not sure
hammered by pigeons, infected crushers may have to import impossible to enforce, and we’ve yet learnt enough about
with turnip yellows virus. Is it more than half their requirement questionable whether how to mitigate this. On the
growing tall enough? Is it in 2020/21, while in the crop’s consumers are that bothered, other, I can’t help feeling it’s a
growing too tall? Thick enough, hey-day, we were exporting it wouldn’t be allowed under fascinating voyage of discovery
too thick? Is it crippled with around 500,000t. current WTO rules. we’re on to find a new way to
disease or overlaced with It’s prompted the NFU to The other fascinating twist grow this curious crop –– there
fungicide? Eaten away by propose a bold scheme to in this is that it’s never been are many pages of this issue of
pollen beetle or starved of Defra that would see the conclusively proven that CPM and others that explore
pollinators? government underwrite up neonics are to blame for the the latest ideas. Those who
Suddenly the crop breaks to 80% of growers’ costs of apparent drop in bee numbers. stick with OSR, prepared to try
into a glorious yellow and like establishing OSR. This, the Defra, famously “guided by the a different approach, may reap
the smile of a wayward child, NFU estimates, would help the science”, initially opposed the even greater rewards each May
it takes all your worries away. national crop balance out at ban when it was introduced as they’re greeted by a sea of
How could you ever have around 500,000ha, and is by the EU in 2013. But the glorious yellow.
considered that a crop that envisaged to be a short-term department’s former chief
looks so stunning doesn’t have measure until the industry can scientist then changed the
a future on your farm? find a long-term solution to the position on this and Defra
This year, though, it’s a bit difficulty of growing oilseed now supports the removal of
Tom Allen-Stevens has a
more poignant. We don’t rape. Failure to do so could neonics.
170ha arable farm in Oxon,
currently have OSR on the farm result in processing plants This was not because some
and its only yellow patches
here –– a reasonably regular closing with the loss of UK jobs, piece of overwhelming science
are flowering wild bird cover.
occurrence as the rotation and a continued reliance on has come to light, however.
drops a crop out of the picture imports. Defra changed its mind tom@cpm-magazine.co.uk
every year. Ordinarily I’d look And this is where it becomes because if it did one day @tomallenstevens
across the view and see plenty interesting. All the evidence transpire that neonics do
my mind –– at least Mother Nature look passable and hopefully their
decided to change my mind for Guy Smith grows 500ha of
hungry roots are now channelling
combinable crops on the north
me. With less than 5mm of rain in into the subsoil to find the
east Essex coast, namely
the seven weeks from early moisture the very wet winter has St. Osyth Marsh –– officially the
March to late April we will left behind. In hindsight I’m glad driest spot in the British Isles.
not be seeding the heavy we decided not to try to achieve Despite spurious claims from
land. Where we did drill billiard table seedbeds with others that their farms are
those fields that have a additional cultivation passes. The actually drier, he points out
mix of soils, the seed in the policy this spring was one pass that his farm is in the Guinness
lighter land has chitted but the with the Horsch and a quick roll Book of Records, whereas
others aren’t. End of.
Furloughed fallow more difficult clay is very patchy. up behind. Things may be a bit
So for the first time I can ever rough for the combine but at least @essexpeasant
remember we have 25% of the there will hopefully be a crop as
About a month ago I was farm down to fallow. This makes moisture was conserved.
debating the relative merits of the place look dispiritingly idle As for the fallow, being heavy The word ‘fallow’ comes from the
spring cropping versus fallow. even by comparison to the days land it will make a good old English ‘fealgian’ meaning
Back then I was firmly on the of set-aside 15 years ago. opportunity to control the to prepare land for sowing.
side of getting the drill out to fill The switch in the weather from blackgrass. As you can see from ‘Furlough’ in contrast comes from
its hopper with peas or spring two to three times the rainfall norm the picture of some of our old Dutch meaning ‘leave of
wheat –– with fixed costs to to a twentieth of the monthly sprayed-off fallow adjoining some absence’. So that’s my etymology
justify and with crop prices on average is remarkable to say the winter wheat, plenty of blackgrass corrected.
the rise it seemed the right thing least. Looking on the bright side, has germinated with the soaking The other thing furloughing and
to do. the spring crops on the lighter the land got through the autumn. fallowing have in common is that
But now I’ve largely changed land that were drilled into moisture After the glyphosate the fields despite the fact both denote
now look a garish orangey brown circumstances where something
that makes a sight for sore eyes. or someone is taken out of work,
The other silver lining is that this both have government financed
level of blackgrass would have schemes which mean money can
been expensive to control amidst still be received. With furloughing
a crop. I might scratch the it’s the scheme recently
land around in the summer to announced by the Chancellor.
encourage a bit more to chit. With fallowing it’s called BPS. You
Hopefully we are now working to could argue both have the same
a bumper harvest in 2021 rather purpose. They allow resources to
than in 2020. be put back to work the moment
Fallowing is a difficult decision the adverse circumstances that
if your fixed costs are high. take them out of work are lifted.
Although we only use contractors Maybe after 2020 we will start
for spraying, I’m conscious that calling our fallow ‘a furlough’.
while a large chunk of the farm Or maybe not.
stands idle then so does a barn
full of expensive machinery. I’m
also glad we don’t rent much land
and where we do it’s done on a
profit-share basis where our
costs are paid at first charge at
a contractor rate.
In these strange times it’s good
to learn a new word, namely
‘furloughing’. At first, I assumed
it had the same derivation as
‘fallowing’ in that both words Whether the land is furloughed or
sound familiar with a similar fallowed, it relies on government
meaning –– suspending finance to keep it in a condition that
something from use on a can put it back to work the moment
temporary basis. But it would adverse circumstances are lifted.
seem this is just a coincidence.
6 crop production magazine may 2020
“ The dry
weather is not a
get-out-of-jail-free card
for disease.
”
Nurturing through to
full potential
Technical
Crop Doctor
As the key flag leaf timing Variation in Oxon largely cleared up, following a T0 application
“The wheat varieties are all over the place,” of tebuconazole plus chlorothalonil. “All
approaches, the Crop Doctors comments Bayer’s Ben Giles, who took a wheats are putting on rapid growth and
have taken another virtual detailed look at plots at Hinton Waldrist, near we’re just making the T1 applications,”
Oxford, on 20 April. The sandy land site he reports.
tour of the UK’s trial plots to hadn’t seen any rain at all over the past He brings a leaf for inspection, showing
assess the issues growers three weeks, with some varieties showing signs of discolouration. “It doesn’t look
signs of stress, although 20mm fell just after pathogenic –– more stress-related or signs
face and encourage peak Ben’s assessment. of earlier disease,” Fiona diagnoses. “You’d
performance from Britain’s KWS Extase is the most forward of all, hope that adult plant resistance to yellow
he notes, with leaf three just about fully rust will now be kicking in on most varieties,
cereal crop. CPM joins the emerged, but Skyfall is noticeably further but you can’t rely on it, so it’s important to
discussion. back in the plots that were drilled on 21 Oct. keep walking crops and keep an eye out for
“There’s septoria infection on lower leaves of any signs.”
By Tom Allen-Stevens pretty much every variety –– even Extase. Nevertheless, Colin is applying an SDHI
Theodore gets the prize as the cleanest in to his Revelation and LG Skyscraper wheats,
the plots. Any early sign of yellow rust has mixed with an azole and CTL, while the less
largely cleared up, although RGT Wasabi is disease-susceptible wheats are getting
It’s been three weeks since the Crop badly affected.”
Doctors –– Jonathan Blake of ADAS and Fiona notes it can be hard to distinguish
SRUC’s Prof Fiona Burnett –– took a crop stress from actual disease lesions in
virtual ‘tour’ of the UK’s cereal crops to current conditions. “But the dry weather is
assess levels of disease. Hardly any rain not a get-out-of-jail-free card for disease,
has fallen since then, but crops have and that the weekend’s rain will have fuelled
moved on significantly and there’s plenty infections that won’t be evident until the
of potential to protect as thoughts turn to beginning of May.”
the key flag-leaf timing. Jonathan adds that many crops inspected
Following COVID-19 lockdown at T1 will be hiding a level of latent septoria
restrictions, trial plots at each of four sites in infection that will be within the leaf, but not
Herefordshire, Oxon, Lincs and Yorks have yet showing as lesions. “If you tested Extase,
Growth stage and ground cover varies
been visited by Bayer field representatives. Graham and KWS Barrel for latent infection,
considerably across varieties in the winter wheat
They assessed disease levels, took samples that’s when the differences would show,”
plots in Oxon, although in this drone picture,
and photos and joined a web conference he notes.
taken on 24 April, a week after 20mm of rain fell,
with the Crop Doctors, along with a local Calling in from the nearby Great Tew
some are catching up. Skyscraper and Graham
grower or agronomist to gain a true picture Estate, Colin Woodward reports that yellow
(marked) stand out as the greenest.
on the state of the UK’s crops. rust found earlier on his Revelation has now
8 crop production magazine may 2020
Crop Doctor
the disease had dried completely, leaving
old necrotic tissue. The septoria is there at
the bottom of the crop and ready to go.”
Fiona remarks that the yellow rust evident
across the sites visited previously had not
taken hold. “The septoria will continue to
hang around and will require attention when
wetter conditions return.”
Jonathan notes that raises a question for
the T1 spray. “If you wanted to create a
season to minimise septoria pressure, you
couldn’t come up with better conditions than
we’re seeing at Long Sutton. There’s every Disease levels were low and all wheats were
Discolouration on leaves of Revelation at the reason to cut back on the T1 and just apply looking fairly healthy, including this plot of Extase
Great Tew Estate are put down to crop stress an azole and a multisite, especially where at Long Sutton.
or previous infections, rather than active yellow you have the varietal resistance.”
rust lesions. A dose of tebuconazole at T0 dealt with Jonathan sounds a note of caution over
the early yellow rust, reports David. High interpreting results. “An infected leaf could
Prosaro (prothioconazole+ tebuconazole) winds and work priorities drawn to the potato be a high level of infection early in the cycle
plus CTL. “On the flag leaf, in most years crop have meant T1 timings are slightly or a low level that’s just about to appear.”
we’d go with an SDHI across all the wheats, later than he’d planned. “About half of our
but we may have a rethink if this dry weather wheats are looking good, and these have Disease climbs in the West
continues.” received Ascra (bixafen+ fluopyram+ Independent agronomist David Lines, looking
Fiona agrees that the T1 timing is the best prothioconazole). The thinner wheats have after crops in Shrops and Herefordshire joins
one to hold back on an SDHI, with the T2 just had azole plus CTL. About 10% of the the web conference for the region. “The
timing most likely to give the best response. crop is quite backward and not yet had its main issue we have is the massive variation
“From a resistance point of view, dropping T0 –– we’ll roll this into the T1. in crop growth –– the timings are sure to be
an SDHI from one of the timings is the best “We already have our stock in the compromised for some of the T1 sprays
strategy when disease risk is low. You’d look spray shed for the T2 application, based going on,” he says.
to include an azole and multisite at both, and on Revystar XE (fluxapyroxad+ Bayer’s Gareth Bubb has been to the trial
tailoring azole dose to disease risk is the mefentrifluconazole), Adexar (fluxapyroxad+ site at Hartpury College. “There’s quite a
best strategy. The real dilemma at T2 this epoxiconazole) and Firefly (fluoxastrobin+ lot of active septoria in untreated plots
year is whether it will still be in scope to use prothioconazole). What we actually apply and we’re still seeing yellow rust in a few
CTL as the multisite fungicide.” will come down to crop potential, as well as varieties, although the T0 spray, where
CTL loses its approval and cannot be disease, and we’ll relate that to total spend.” applied, has dried the disease up. We had
applied to crops after May 20. Colin plans Darren reveals there are plans to carry out 10mm of rain over the weekend which has
to use folpet after that date, although Ben latent septoria tests on crops in the region, freshened everything up and will aid spread
wonders whether a T1.5 application, timed hoping to get results back in time to inform of disease.”
at around leaf two emergence, is a wise what’s applied at the T2 and T3 timings. He reckons varieties with a more upright
choice for those growers with CTL to use up. “Tests last year showed low levels until June, growth habit will be particularly susceptible
It’s a good idea, agree both Crop Doctors, but exploded when the rain came, which as a result of leaf-to-leaf contact, and that’s
but not a good reason to stretch timings, shows it’s important to consider not just where infection will be building. “Latent
and the T2 must still go on at flag leaf fully the weather you’ve had, but also what infection testing we carry out always shows
emerged. “Watch in particular for yellow rust might come.” there’s a higher level than you think there is,”
between the T1 and T2, and if you’re putting Fiona agrees latent disease testing will be adds Gareth.
on CTL at T1.5, add in a rust-active a useful tool to “add to the suite” used to It’s a point Jonathan picks up on. He’s
component if you find it,” advises Jonathan. apply inputs appropriately, although also visited the Hartpury site and found
septoria on Santiago. “Where you find it’s
Dry in the Wash active on leaf five, you can be sure it’s
At Long Sutton in Lincs, the last rain to fall brushed up against leaf three, especially in
was just 4mm on 18 March. “We’ve had to upright varieties. But if it’s no higher than leaf
irrigate land just to get it ploughed in front seven, that’ll probably be below the danger
of potatoes,” reports David Hoyles of GH zone. Importantly, just the low amount of
Hoyles, who hosts the trial site. rainfall we’ve had, or even the morning dew,
Bayer’s Darren Adkins has walked the can bring on this leaf-to-leaf contact and
plots. “Generally disease levels were low spread infection, particularly in susceptible
and all wheats were looking fairly healthy,” varieties,” he points out.
he reports. “I found low levels of yellow rust Most at risk are early sown crops of
in untreated plots of Gleam, KWS Kinetic, varieties such as Grafton and Barrel, which
Low levels of yellow rust in untreated plots of
LG Spotlight and RGT Saki, but it was are now progressing well and have good
Gleam at Long Sutton were not particularly
not particularly active. Where the T0 of potential, he adds. David agrees that
active.
tebuconazole plus folpet had been applied there are plenty of wheat crops with good
▲
crop production magazine may 2020 9
Crop Doctor
this year,” he adds.
Fiona notes that the timing of the
application is important. “The number one
critical job at T2 is to coat the flag leaf.”
Jonathan agrees. “Chances are leaf two
will have some latent infection by the time
the T2 goes on, so product choice and dose
should bear this in mind.”
Pace picks up in Yorks
At the Stockbridge Technology Centre,
Cawood, Yorks, Adam Tidswell reports the
late Nov drilled plots have put on good
growth and have reached GS30. “The T0
application has just gone on and the T1
timing probably won’t come until the end of
April. But crops have developed well, and
I expect they’ll catch up by the time the T2
timing comes around. Septoria evident on leaf five at Hartpury will quite
“Yellow rust is still active on a number of likely have brushed up against and infected leaf
Eyespot levels were generally low, although it was three.
found in Graham at Hartpury. varieties and there’s some septoria on lower
leaves,” he adds.
potential, and that’s going to decide which Jonathan notes there’s quite a lot of surrounds yellow rust and part of the general
▲
crops get the spend when it comes to difference in the levels of yellow rust seen swirl. It’s good to have a variety with a good
fungicide. across the UK. “There are differences in resistance score, but you can’t rely on it. It
“As for what to apply at the T2 timing, varieties as well as regional differences all builds a strong case for an SDHI at T2.
I’d go for one or two products to keep life and these backward crops will also confuse You might want to moderate the dose,
simple for the spray operator, but just adjust the picture.” depending on risk, but it’s best to include
the dose according to risk and crop potential It’s a good reason for vigilance, adds one with the azole.”
–– I’ll be doing that on a field-by-field basis Fiona. “It adds to the uncertainty that Adam’s planning Aviator (bixafen+Crop Doctor
prothioconazole) plus CTL for the T1 spray spore-bearing structures. The crucial period
with Ascra plus a multisite at T2. is during flowering, and wet conditions here
Phil Jennings joins the conference from would be high risk for fusarium and the
nearby Fera. He’s been monitoring the mycotoxins associated with the disease.”
fusarium situation so far this season.
“Fusarium doesn’t like wet conditions over Barley spotting
the winter so that will have knocked back In the barley plots at Cawood, Adam has
the risk, and the chances of finding any in found some strange-looking spotting he
a Nov-drilled crop are very low,” he says. suspects is net blotch. Fiona confirms there
“But unlike other diseases, if it carries on are two different species of the disease.
warm and sunny that can build inoculum “This looks like the spot form, which is
from a low level. Then, if we get wet weather slightly different from the more common net
towards the end of May, that’s ideal for the blotch. Strobilurin fungicides and SDHIs
development of the perithecia –– the differ in their strengths against the two
types, so it’s important to apply a mixture
of actives,” she advises. Strange-looking spotting in KWS Cassia at
“It’s also important not to confuse this Cawood is confirmed as the spot form of
form of net blotch with ramularia, that’s a net blotch.
later season disease and the lesions of net
blotch don’t tend to be confined to the veins trimming the crucial flag-leaf spray
in the leaf, as they are with ramularia.” outweighs any potential cost saving.”
Overall, what’s struck Fiona about Jonathan agrees the disease risk is
this virtual tour of the UK’s crops is their low. “You’d be hard-pressed to say that
variability. “It’s dry and disease levels are conditions have favoured septoria, although
generally low, but the difference in growth there are situations and susceptible varieties
stages and crop condition mean that where the risk remains high. But the need for
fungicide programmes are going to have a robust T2 spray remains where crops have
Yellow rust is still active at Cawood on a number to be tailored quite carefully to the crop in potential, while it’s also crucial to remain
of varieties, including Dunston. question. At the T2, things should come vigilant for signs of yellow rust, especially
together, but the risk of yield loss through where it’s not expected.” ■All it needs “ The answer
to ramularia control
is love doesn’t lie in direct
control of the
disease.
”
Technical Spring
barley disease
The global pandemic may UK expected to be in excess of 215,000ha quality barley straw is predicted to be
(30%) by the team at BASF, 2020 is going trading buoyantly as vegetable growers
have made self-distancing to see the largest area of spring barley for and livestock farmers seek to secure
the new normal, but it’s thirty years. The AHDB Early Bird Survey supplies.
suggests grower intentions may mean an In Scotland it’s very much business as
also prompted closer links even bigger swing, which could push the usual, according to Scott Milne, BASF
between communities national spring barley crop over the one agronomy manager for Scotland. “There’s
million ha mark. a slight increase in spring barley area
across the world. CPM gets But undeniably some spring barley has
an insight into the problems gone into the ground out of necessity
rather than choice this season. That’s not
spring barley growers face to say England doesn’t have expertise in
from the UK to New Zealand growing the crop, says Ben Freer, BASF
business development manager for
in a recent Zoom briefing the UK.
hosted by BASF.
Professional growers
By Lucy de la Pasture “We have some very professional
growers who are experienced in growing
spring barley. Generally yields average
from 7-8t/ha but higher yields are possible,
Large parts of the English countryside particularly where crops are being grown
will be graced with a shimmering vibrant on heavier ground and for the feed
green this spring as spring barley market,” he adds
temporarily replaces winter wheat in Even though there are concerns that
crop rotations. This blip in cropping is the extra spring barley in the ground this
the norm in Scotland, Ireland and New season is likely to over-supply the market,
Zealand, where spring barley is regarded Ben believes growers shouldn’t discount
Ben Freer suggests net blotch is the biggest
as a massively important crop. the value in the straw this season. With
disease problem for barley growers in England.
With an increase in acreage across the wheat straw likely to be in short supply,
12 crop production magazine may 2020€200-220, and the remainder
feed, where it fetches around
for malting.
Even though the market
preferences change from
country to country, all face
very similar agronomic
challenges when it comes to
growing spring barley –– with
commonality in both diseases
and the challenges in
controlling them.
Underlying baggage
SRUC’s Prof Fiona Burnett says
in spite of spring barley being
The value in the spring barley crop blessed with a wide range
will be in its straw as well as in the of active ingredients, there’s
grain this season. an underlying baggage of
resistance problems which
makes the fungicide selection
but in Scotland it’s the main problem an acute one.
cereal crop anyway, occupying In recent years breeders
around 250,000ha.” have made great strides in
Scott believes the increase breeding rhynchosporium
in the area of English spring resistance into winter barley
barley will depress the feed varieties but it’s still a
barley market. “It’s currently significant problem in spring
trading at £30-35/t below the barley, she says. The BASF
price of wheat when normally country representatives cite it
the difference would be around as a key disease, particularly in
£10-15,” he explains. Scotland and Ireland where the
With the Scottish malting wetter climates can result in
market already at full capacity, yield losses of as much as
that’s not such good news for 30%. Ben suggests net blotch
those with no option but to is a greater problem in
supply the feed market, he England, accounting for yield
points out, though he agrees losses of between 0.5-2t/ha.
with Ben that it’s a season Yet of increasing importance
where straw quality really right across the globe is the
can’t be ignored. mysterious disease, ramularia
Spring barley has also seen leaf spot, which spends much
an increase in Ireland from of its life within the plant as an
93,000ha last season to endophyte and only when
150,000ha in 2020, according triggered becomes pathogenic,
to David Leahy, BASF business causing disease.
development manager in Ramularia presents a
Ireland. He explains the Irish particular problem because it
market is self-sufficient in has demonstrated a remarkable
barley –– with 72% grown ability to shrug off the effects of
for feed (€140/t) and the fungicides from all the major
remainder for malting (€180/t). fungicide groups –– DMIs
In the southern hemisphere, (azoles), QoIs (strobilurins) and
spring barley is also an SDHIs –– and in recent years
important crop, with 49,000ha multisites have picked up the
planted in New Zealand in slack. In Europe, the loss of
2019, says Grant Hagerty, chlorothalonil (CTL) will have a
BASF technical manager for big impact on ramularia control
NZ. “Here average yields are because it was effectively the
7.5-9t/ha with a yield potential ‘last man standing’ when the
of approx. 12t/ha. 85% of single site actives lost efficacy
spring barley is grown for on the disease.
▲Spring barley disease
can cause them losses of up to approx
1.5t/ha.
“Including folpet has always been
viewed as a positive step in New Zealand
because we have no database for control
with CTL to compare it with. But there is
some debate on its value and inclusion at
T2, which here is GS45-69 and determined
by when the T1 went on,” he explains.
Good activity
In European work folpet has proved to be
inconsistent in barleys trials and not in the
same league as CTL when it comes to
Even though plant breeders have been successful ramularia control, says Fiona. She is
in breeding rhynchosporium resistance into encouraged that BASF’s new flagship
varieties, it’s still a problem disease in wetter fungicide, Revystar XE (mefentrifluconazole+
climates. fluxapyroxad) has good activity on Grant Hegarty believes a full rate of Revystar is
ramularia and views it to be less effective needed for ramularia control.
Grant explains that New Zealand has than CTL but better than prothioconazole,
▲
never had CTL because it was seen as an which was the best of the azoles until the
animal transfer risk by regulators, so folpet advent of Revysol (mefentrifluconazole). very aware of, she adds.
has been the multisite of choice and is The latest time for Revystar application New Zealand trials are showing that T2
generally viewed as being a useful is GS45 in malting crops, which is sprays need to be applied around GS55
inclusion to help control ramularia, which something growers will need to be for the best yield response for ramularia
Be aware of BYDV threat
The risk of aphids picking up the virus and The delayed drilling of spring cereals means
transmitting to spring crops is particularly high many crops will emerge while aphid activity is
this year, since autumn-sown cereals didn’t likely to be high, he warns. “Spring cereals
receive early protection against BYDV infection planted in the final weeks of March, or into April,
from insecticidal seed treatments and most don’t typically reach the critical GS31 –– when
subsequent foliar treatments were restricted by the impact of BYDV infection declines –– until
the wet conditions. mid to late-May, by which time aphid numbers
“There was practically no control of aphids, could be at their peak.”
and by default BYDV, in early sown autumn He advises growers and agronomists to be Aphid migration into crops is early this spring
cereals last year due to lack of seed treatments, alert and target the first mass migrations of which means most spring barley crops are at
and also very wet conditions in Oct through to BYDV-transmitting aphid species to prevent a higher risk of BYDV than normal.
Christmas which prevented spray equipment primary infection foci that could subsequently
getting onto the land in Oct/Nov,” says spread. But getting this timing right could be then the risk is as high as it would be in the
Dr Alan Dewar. made more difficult this season by a lack of autumn,” he comments.
“However it’s also true to say that there were official suction trap monitoring by Rothamsted Alan says that in a normal year, spring crops
fewer crops sown early last autumn, mostly as a result of COVID-19 restrictions. would be sown in Feb and would be tall enough
winter barley, which is at higher risk. A lot of “We’ve prioritised collection of data from to tolerate virus infection by the time that cereal
▲
autumn wheat will have avoided the migrations aphid water traps at Syngenta Innovation aphids migrate in late April or May. “My guess
due to late sowing and will be too tall by the Centres to identify numbers of the main this year is that aphids will be migrating earlier,
time spring migrations start,” he adds. virus-carrying vectors as part of the but we won’t know for sure due to the
“But we have the reverse situation this remote-working team’s ongoing trials coronavirus lockdown. In early April, many
spring, with very wet conditions delaying sowing research. Results will be available weekly spring cereal crops were still only at single tiller
of spring cereals, including barley, wheat and on the Syngenta website,” he says. growth stage and some hadn’t even been sown
oats. This will increase the risk of BYDV, Alan suggests the best approach growers so they might, for the first time in decades,
especially as the overwintering survival of can take is to monitor their own crops more have a problem.”
aphids has been good in the mild winter.” frequently. “At least there’s a good chance that Typically one well-timed spring application
Dr Max Newbert, Syngenta insecticides whatever is found there is a cereal aphid, and not has proven sufficient to hold aphid numbers
technical manager, highlights the predicted something else, unlike with water traps (where below damaging levels. Max also urges growers
dates for this season’s first cereal aphid flights aphid identification is a very specialist job). to assess beneficial predator numbers before
were typically two to four weeks ahead of “With regard to timing, once the spring crops targeting aphids because, if lacewing and
normal across southern and eastern England have reached stem elongation stage, I suspect ladybird populations are sufficiently high, that
–– as early as the first week of Feb in western that yield losses will be minimal. While they are may prove adequate to limit aphid infestations
counties and mid-March for East Anglia. still very young, as they are likely to be this year, and avoid the need for treatment.
14 crop production magazine may 2020treatments, says Grant, which
is broadly in line with UK trials
which have shown the best
responses from CTL at T2.
He also points out that rates
need to be kept up for
ramularia control, with at least
150g/ha Revysol (contained in
1.5 l/ha Revystar) required.
“Trials at SRUC are showing
most of the yield benefit comes
from the T2 timing in spring
barley,” says Fiona. “A yield
response at GS30/31 is
uncommon in low risk scenarios,
depending on the severity of
rhynchosporium infection at
In Ireland, David Leahy says trials are
the start of stem extension.”
pointing to a T2 timing of GS45-49
That’s in contrast with the
as optimal.
normal approach to barley
disease control and Ben
highlights that programmes managing the stress the crop
have historically been comes under. Ramularia is an
front-loaded with fungicide. evolving picture but we’re
But he’s also noticed that learning that controlling the
since ramularia has become other foliar diseases helps
a more significant disease, reduce the effect of ramularia
bigger responses are becoming because the crop is under
commonplace to later T2 sprays. less stress.”
“Even though the crop is David Leahy, BASF’s business
often considered low input/low development manager in Ireland
output, that can become a agrees with Fiona. “There’s
self-fulfilling prophecy and no silver bullet for ramularia,
with a yield potential of around the key is very much using a
10t/ha, the crop merits some programmed approach. If T1
love,” he says. is compromised it has a
And where ramularia is knock-on effect on T2 which
concerned, there are some very increases the risk of ramularia,”
good agronomic reasons for he says.
keeping the crop as clean as “In terms of the timings, our
possible. “What’s becoming view (and the view of Teagasc)
clear is that the answer to would be a two-spray fungicide
ramularia control doesn’t lie in programme on spring barley;
direct control of the disease,” T1 at GS25-30 and T2 at
says Fiona, “The secret is in GS45-49. Early disease control
is critical for tiller retention in
barley. In Ireland we have to
deal with a very wet climate
and high rhynchosporium
pressure, so the T1 is critical.
“Instead of spending on
100% rates at both T1 and T2,
we manage this accordingly
with a 50-60% rate at T1
followed by a 50-60% rate
at T2. I think this approach
will carry more weight going
Ramularia is causing problems in forward as we will no longer
both hemispheres and the best way have CTL for T2 and a more
to reduce its impact is to minimise programmed approach focus
stresses to the crop. will be required for ramularia
control.” ■Real “ When they
bring out something
new, you know
Results it’ll be worth
Pioneers
looking at.
”
Ahead of the game
For a large farming business efficient food production from field to fork. we can include a maximum of 40% in the
in Scotland, a firm focus on At its heart lies an egg-production diet of the laying hens. What we’re really
enterprise with 600,000 laying birds, looking for, though, is high starch, low
efficiency is ensuring the making the farm one of Scotland’s leading protein wheat.”
best use of new technology. producers. All of the wheat and feed So the business has gradually scaled
barley, making up the majority of the back its winter barley area since it started
CPM finds out how on-farm arable crops, is channelled towards the the egg production enterprise in 2011.
trials are feeding into this enterprise, and intense scrutiny of costs There are 730ha of winter wheat, with
and practices ensures cereal production KWS Kerrin, Hardwicke and now
approach. delivers an efficient feed source for Skyscraper taking over from KWS Barrel.
the birds.
By Tom Allen-Stevens
Technical developments
Always on the look-out for new technical
Tucked into the north-east corner of developments that’ll improve on this aim,
Scotland, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Sandy joined BASF’s Real Results and
in a micro-climate that favours winter trialled Revstar XE, the company’s new
cereals, Sandy Norrie admits he’s been fungicide, on wheat last year (see panel
“seriously lucky” this year. on p17). There are plans to trial it on winter
“We got winter cereals established here and spring barley in 2020, and for Sandy,
when others in Scotland couldn’t, and it’s the balance of cereals, as well as
while the land varies in its fertility, it’s very how they’re grown, that can have a
common that we achieve wheat yields in marked effect on the efficiency of the
excess of the magical 10t/ha,” he says. egg production.
It’s not necessarily the yield he’s after, “I look closely at the market and the
however, and by all accounts, luck has little gross margin of the cereals –– we grow
to do with how Sandy, as arable manager barley, wheat and now also oats –– but As one of Scotland’s leading egg producers,
of AJ Duncan Farms, achieves the results. it’s the layers’ diet that dictates which all of Duncan Farms’ wheat and feed barley
With 2430ha of cereals and oilseeds, performs best. Winter barley doesn’t is channelled towards the enterprise.
the business aims to deliver sustainable, currently deliver the highest margin, but
16 crop production magazine may 2020Real Results Pioneers
Winter barley still takes the highest today, saving approximately £75,000
area of cereals, with hybrid six-row per year.”
varieties increasingly favoured for their There’s a total of 23 farms across the
“ever-improving specific weights and business, all but one within a 15-mile
high yields”. radius and all block-cropped. This helps
As the egg production has grown, so too with the efficiency of the arable enterprise,
has the amount of chicken litter returned to says Sandy. “Timeliness is crucial and
the soils, to close the loop and reduce the logistics can have a massive financial
farm’s dependency on applied fertiliser. impact –– just switching to liquid fertiliser
“We now produce enough muck for saved us £18,000/year in unloading
The land varies in its fertility, but it’s very
everything to get on average 5t/ha, apart bagged fertiliser alone.”
common to achieve wheat yields in excess
from the malting barley. It means, that our It’s a point picked up by Andrew
of the magical 10t/ha.
relatively light soils have an organic matter Gilchrist of Scottish Agronomy. The
on the high side, averaging 6.7%. Year on company has looked after Duncan Farms’
year, applied P&K has reduced from crops for the past 25 years, and Andrew what makes the difference is the attention
around 250kg/ha of 0:26:26 applied ten shares the crop-walking with a colleague. to timeliness –– they don’t hang about, and
years ago to less than 150kg/ha applied “They have good kit and good staff, but in terms of planning, they’re always ahead
▲
The Real Results from Revystar’s greening
For Sandy, there’s a very good
reason why taking part in Real
Results makes perfect sense. “If you
look at the products we apply to our
crops, a fair proportion are made
by BASF. So when they bring out
something new, you know it’ll be
worth looking at.”
Adexar (fluxapyroxad+
epoxiconazole) has become his 11 March 27 June 24 July
mainstay fungicide on wheat, he
GLA was significantly higher in the BASF treatment than the farm standard on the top three leaf layers.
adds. “I always like to keep ahead of
the game and it’s been a while since
there’s been new chemistry on the it more scientific,” he adds. notes ADAS’ Susie Roques. yield advantage falls just shy of one
market. We’d heard quite a bit about In line with all 50 Real Results The only disease observed in the that Susie would class as statistically
Revysol, so it’s been good to have farmers, Sandy chose a reasonably trial was septoria, at very low levels significant. “The probability of the
the opportunity to try some.” uniform field for the trial on a first up to leaf three, she reports. BASF treatment yielding higher than
Scott Milne, agronomy manager wheat of Skyscraper following OSR. “Despite the low disease levels, the farm standard treatment was
for BASF in Scotland, notes this is Revystar was used at both the T1 green leaf area (GLA) was 0.93, where 1 indicates a certain
something that resonates with a and T2 timings. “We’ve used Ascra, significantly higher in the BASF advantage and 0.5 indicates no
fair number of growers north of the Adexar and Elatus in the past on our treatment than the farm standard evidence of a difference either way,”
border. “Growers here tend to grasp wheats, and the difference between on the top three leaf layers, and she explains.
innovation quicker than those in Ascra and Adexar is like splitting septoria severity on leaf four was But it’s enough to convince Sandy,
England. Yield potential can be hairs, which is why we chose it as significantly lower in the BASF who’s planning to apply Revystar to
higher as there’s a longer daylength the farm comparison at T2. Elatus treatment.” his wheats this year. “It’s useful to
during grain fill, but growers face now lags behind, so we used that Sandy couldn’t see any difference have the scientific rigour, but you
different disease challenges. So as the T1 comparison,” he explains. from the T1 application, and it don’t need it to see the difference.
we’ve had a lot of interest from “The BASF programme was wasn’t until the T3 spray timing If it repeats what it did last year in
farmers keen to know how the applied to one tramline about 800m approached that the Revystar the trial, it’ll cost me around £22/ha
new chemistry performs under long in one of our larger fields, so tramline started to stand out. “The more but deliver £60/ha more
local conditions.” although relatively uniform, there crop held onto its GLA for longer –– wheat, so it’s a no-brainer.”
He was particularly keen for was some variation from one end it wasn’t thicker but it was greener, Scott notes that Sandy’s trial
Sandy to become involved in Real to the other.” and the crop may have been slightly pitched a typical field rate of Revystar
Results. “It’s a business that’s open This was picked up through taller with bolder ears,” he recalls. against a full label dose of both
to innovation, there’s a focus on the the NDVI (normalised difference A slightly higher yield was Elatus and Ascra. “For growers who
fertility of the soil and maximising vegetation index) scans which were confirmed at harvest. The have used Adexar, Revystar is the
yield potential. We knew an on-farm assessed by ADAS through the Agronomics approach takes yield next step up. It’s worth at least trying
trial with Sandy would give a true season. Since the difference was data from the combine and uses on a field or two, and for those
picture of how Revystar XE would similar across the tramlines, this spatial modelling and statistics to growers who want to stay ahead of
perform, and the Agronomics wouldn’t affect the fairness of the allow comparisons to be assessed the game, it’s the right thing to do,”
approach with Real Results makes treatment comparison, however, with scientific rigour. At 0.36t/ha, the he says.
crop production magazine may 2020 17Real Results Pioneers
AJ Duncan 2019 Real Results trials – Pitglassie 1
Farm approach BASF
T1 (13 May) Elatus Era (0.8 l/ha) + Revystar XE (1 l/ha) +
CTL (1 l/ha) CTL (1 l/ha)
T2 (04 June) Ascra Xpro (1.5 l/ha) + Revystar XE (1.25 l/ha) +
CTL (1 l/ha) CTL (1 l/ha)
Calculated yield (t/ha) 12.35 12.71
Disease assessment (25 June)
Flag leaf % GLA 96.8 97.2
Leaf 2 % GLA 96.3 97.6
Leaf 3 % GLA 94.5 95.3
Leaf 3 % Septoria 0.10 0.08
Leaf 4 % GLA 77.5 81.2
Sandy Norrie believes timing is just
Leaf 4 % Septoria 4.53 3.63
as important as the actual chemistry
you apply. Leaf 5 % GLA 15.8 20.8
Leaf 5 % Septoria 5.14 4.90
of the game. It makes the Variety – Skyscraper @400 seeds/m2 drilled on 28 Sept; Previous crop – oilseed rape; T0 – prochloraz+ tebuconazole + CTL; T3 – Firefly +
▲
CTL; the yield shown is for the treatment strips only, excluding wheelings and calculated using ADAS Agronomics. In this trial a yield difference
business one of the most of 0.39t/ha was needed for statistical significance at the 90% confidence level.
efficient I’ve come across,” Elatus Era contains benzovindiflupyr+ prothioconazole; chlorothalonil – CTL; Revystar XE contains fluxapyroxad+
he comments. mefentrifluconazole; Ascra – bixafen+ fluopyram+ prothioconazole; Firefly – fluoxastrobin+ prothioconazole
Sandy’s taken part in various
on-farm trials with Scottish findings on a field scale. We you must be prepared to follow until the first sign of flowering
Agronomy. “These work well get good support from our through to get the benefits took some convincing, Sandy
alongside our replicated trial members, keen to try out from carrying out a trial,” admits, but he confirms the
work to test some of the key different approaches, although notes Andrew. trials have shown no benefit
A good example is some from earlier sprays. The
work Scottish Agronomy has potential savings and
carried out on light leaf spot in efficiencies are clear, he says,
OSR. “We’ve been getting very although going forward, his
poor response from fungicides, focus is on application practice.
especially those used in “My philosophy is that timing
autumn. But they’ve almost is just as important as the actual
become routine. Ten farms took chemistry you apply. We have
part in on-farm trials, which two self-propelled sprayers that
confirmed findings from our operate pretty much full time at
small-plot work,” he reports. this time of year. The key to
“Sandy was one of the bringing further efficiencies to
farmers who took part –– as an the business will come from
early adopter of new technology ensuring they are applying the
he’s also not afraid to take a risk correct dose of the best product
on a new practice.” at the right time,” concludes
Not putting on a fungicide Sandy. ■
At 0.36t/ha, the yield advantage falls just shy of one that would be classed as
statistically significant.Real Results Pioneers
The Real Results Circle
BASF’s Real Results Circle farmer-led trials are and conduct on-farm trials. By coming together
now in their third year. The initiative is focused on to face challenges as one, we can find out
working with 50 farmers to conduct field-scale what really works and shape the future of UK
trials on their own farms using their own kit and agriculture.
management systems. The trials are all assessed To keep in touch with the progress of
using ADAS’ Agronomics tool which delivers these growers and the trials, go to
statistical confidence to tramline, or field-wide www.basfrealresults.co.uk
treatment comparisons –– an important part of
Real Results.
In this series we follow the journey, thinking
and results from farmers involved in the
programme. The features also look at some
in-depth related topics, such as SDHI
performance and data capture and use. Growers in Scotland tend to grasp innovation
We want farmers to share their knowledge quicker than those in England, says Scott Milne.
Scottish trials prove persuasive
Trials carried out by Scottish Agronomy last growers have been unable to use CTL for some
year have confirmed Revystar delivers superior time, has shown good results from using Revystar.
performance on septoria in wheat. The focus “Trials I’ve seen in Ireland also show this, but
now is on barley, and with CTL dropping out of we haven’t yet seen enough evidence in our own
use on 20 May this year, that’s going to leave trials,” continues Andrew. “This year, we’re testing
a hole in growers’ ramularia control, believes everything we can lay our hands on against the
Andrew Gilchrist. disease. Revystar is probably best used at the T2
“We’ve carried out trials over two seasons with timing in both spring and winter barley due to its
Revystar on winter wheat. It was difficult to draw ability to help retain GLA, which should help
conclusions in 2018 because disease pressure against ramularia.” Andrew Gilchrist believes the debate around
was nil. But 2019 results were pretty persuasive,” The use of Revystar in barley is now going to Revystar is its use in barley.
he says. be the focus for Real Results trials in the north of
The company carried out wave trials, where England and Scotland, reveals Scott. “We have “CTL is currently applied at every timing
a single dose of the product is applied at the T2 growers trialling it in both winter and spring because the damp weather does accelerate
timing (GS39), slightly before (GS37) and then at barley. As with the wheat trials, this will be pitched disease. Its withdrawal will create issues, but
seven and 12-day intervals after the ideal timing against the farm standard approach.” growers should have a go with Revystar as it’s
(see chart right). “This trial gives you a good idea Sandy will be using Revystar on Valerie winter best placed to address ramularia. In the interests
of both the protectant and eradicant properties of barley and in his Laureate spring crop. “Valerie is of protecting the chemistry, though, a sensible
Revystar,” he explains. more prone to disease than the hybrids, while approach would be to partner the best SDHI and
“It was superior to everything trialled against it Laureate is well liked in Scotland because it’s azole on the market with pyraclostrobin –– the
–– Revystar is definitely the best septoria product exceptionally high yielding” notes Scott. best strob,” he concludes.
we have at the moment. That’s just as well,
because we’re seeing a big decline in SDHI Performance of Revystar XE at different timings around T2
performance against the disease in Scotland.
Yield (t/ha) GLA (%)
We’re also seeing a greening effect from Revystar. 8 ab 70
a-e
That’s not as strong as we saw when the 7.8
b-f
60
strobilurin fungicides came in, but it is noticeable 7.6
e-h
d-g
e-h fgh
50
and clear cut.” 7.4
Green leaf area (%)
hij hij
But Andrew believes the debate is around
Yield (t/ha)
7.2
40
7 ijk
Revystar’s use in barley. “Although rhynchosporium jk
30
6.8 k
is the more damaging disease, a bigger challenge
6.6 20
is to keep ramularia at bay without CTL.”
6.4
The problem with the disease is that it’s 6.2
10
evolved resistance to every fungicide active 6 0
Revystar XE Ascra Xpro Elatus Era 0.8 Revystar XE Ascra Xpro Elatus Era 0.8 Revystar XE Ascra Xpro Elatus Era 0.8 Revystar XE Ascra Xpro Elatus Era 0.8
ingredient used in barley apart from multisite 1.21 1.21 1 1.21 1.21 1 1.21 1.21 1 1.21 1.21 1
chemistry. Believed to be stress-related, keeping GS:37 20/05/2019 GS:39 29/05/2019 GS:39 + 6 days GS:39 + 12 days
04/06/2019 10/06/2019
the barley crop healthy through the season should
help, but even that’s disputed, he notes.
Source: Scottish Agronomy, 2019; cv KWS Barrel; yield LSD = 0.364; yield CV = 3.51; GLA LSD = 14.77; GLA CV = 27.59.
Experience from New Zealand, however, where
crop production magazine may 2020 19You can also read
