If you are serious about reducing soil movement to reduce costs in fuel and labour without reducing yield through compaction what are your options, and how do you ‘dip your toe’ without financial commitment? “Just looking thanks” is the phrase while on a manufactures show stand whilst trying to form your own opinion. How do […]
Andrew and Sam Melton, new to the AHDB Monitor Farm programme this year, are looking at how to make cover cropping and direct drilling work on their soils at Wisbech, Cambridgeshire. Farming silty clay loam soils and with a keen interest in farming sustainably, whilst improving yields and productivity, Andrew and Sam Melton have kept
Will It Work For Us? Read More »
In this article, Jason Pole explores the crop-friendly fungi focus of one of our crop PhD studentship projects, funded by AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds If your crop roots are in good nick, there’s a decent chance they’ve cuddled up with some potentially powerful soil allies: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF). The word ‘mycorrhiza’ stems from two
Arbuscular Mycorrhizae All Greek To Me! Read More »
Sharing AHDB’s Strategic Farm demonstrations and practical ‘how to’ resources virtually AHDB’s Strategic Farm Week goes digital Usually, summer sees each AHDB Strategic Cereal Farm host open their doors to those interested in learning about the research programmes put into field scale demonstrations onfarm. However, due to Government restrictions, this year’s programme took place in
AHDB Strategic Cereal Farm Week Read More »
AHDB’s Technical Knowledge Exchange Manager, Harry Henderson, takes a look at the results from the recently published Maxi Cover Crop research findings and discusses what lessons you can take-away for your farm system. Cover crops. You’ve read the articles of untold benefits of soil restructuring, drainage improving nutrient building, weed suppressing, disease controlling, yield enhancing,
Cover Crops On Trial Read More »
18 months ago, it came to our attention that a new revised soil management and cultivation guide was needed for the UK. The last comprehensive guide on soil structure was produced in 2001 by National Soil Resources Institute. The remit was challenging. • It had to work for all farmer and land managers, engaged in
AHDB’S New Soil Management Guide Now In Print. Read More »
Evolution or revolution? Two AHDB Monitor Farmers (Richard Payne and Hew Willett) tell their story of theirjourney to direct drilling, with an introduction from Harry Henderson, AHDB There was once a time when establishing a cereal crop was a straightforward standard process. Bale or burn the straw, subsoil if necessary, plough press, power harrow, and
Making The Move To Direct Drilling Read More »
AHDB Knowledge Exchange Manager, Teresa Meadows paid a visit to the New Zealand Foundation of ArableResearch to understand how they are tackling key agricultural challenges faced by UK farmers. Soil health, improving soil structure, wider environmental concerns and high-quality yields are certainly at the front of New Zealand arable farmers minds, as they are ours.
Miles Apart But Closer Than You Think! Read More »
If you want to know how healthy you are, there are a myriad of tests and tools to help you ‘quantify’ yourbody condition – blood pressure, body mass index and cholesterol level, for example. Now there is a move todevelop ways to quantify the health of your soil, too. In 2016, AHDB and BBRO funded
Soil Health: Let’s Get Physical (Chemical And Biological) Read More »
AHDB Animal Scientist, Siwan Howatson, takes a closer look at the potential to incorporate livestock into the arable rotation through establishing a grass ley, while improving soil organic matter and increasing soil resilience. Soil organic matter (SOM) is an essential element because it provides the soil with the resilience it needs to sustain a crop,
