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How To Start Drilling For £8K
Clive Bailye’s seed drill of choice is his 6m John Deere 750A , which has been used exclusively for 3-4 seasons. Last year, with an increased acreage, the founder and publisher of this Direct Driller magazine thought a second seed drill was necessary. Having just the one machine was a risk and in a difficult season would mean drilling was delayed. He looked around and found a good condition Horsch CO6 tine drill advertised in Germany.
Words and pictures by Mike Donovan
After delivery he rebuilt the coulters to a narrow profile so as to reduce soil disturbance. He says the tine drill is very useful driling after straw crops such as osr and also through the straw on second crop cereals.
Buying the drill from a German farmer was not particularly complicated, and provided him with a higher spec machine than Horsh sell in the UK. The seed dart tyres are much wider, and the machine is fitted with blockage monitors as well as full width front packers and also a liquid fert application system.
A sheaf of photos were taken, and Clive then asked for some of specific parts to show wear. The deal was done at under £5,000 which Clive says is the market value of these machines which are too large for small farmers to buy. Original owners like to buy new and sell when the machine is still in good condition.
Narrow tines with wear tiles
@Clive knew he wanted to make changes, substituting the Horsch tines and coulters for something far narrower, and has ended up getting his own design of tine made, which has a wear tile made from Ferobide, far harder than tungsten. The drill is on the farm primarily for osr and 2nd crop cereals drilled into chopped straw and the 25cm spacing is okay for these crops.
Comments on Clive’s on-line forum, TFF, said the drill many not be so good with beans, as the slot is a mere 12mm wide. And in barley the spacing may well be too wide as it needs to be thick. Clive points out that the seed pipe can actually be a bit wider than 12mm as it is in the shadow of the point. It would be good to have the option of using it for beans.
Above left: The cheap CO6 is being calibrated ready for its first outing
Above right: The adapted Horsch is being filled by the home built drill logistics trailer with seed and liquid starter fert.
Getting around the German instructions
The Horsch came, of course, with a control box and instructions in German. More on-line discussion revealed that English instructions were available on the Horsch website, and another explained that Horsch was sourcing some of these parts from Agton in Canada anyway. Zealman from New Zealand explained that the button marked with callipers should be held down for around 5 seconds. The menu is where you adjust the tramline sequence, valve layout and row numbers.
Ball hitch is a continental standard and provides a positive connection between tractor and drill
The Stocks Wizard has a rotor modified for Avadex which otherwise leaks everywhere
A Stocks Wizard is on the back of the drill and used for Avadex. Here again the knowledge of actual farmers is helpful. Alistair Nelson warned that the rotor and the surrounding shroud need to be changed, and he got good advice “from Rick at Stocks”. Clive has the same setup on the 750A and says that the Avadex leaks everywhere unless the modification is made. The drill was acquired and modified in 2016 and the results have been excellent.
The machine went through the residue without many problems and having the second drill has meant more timely planting. Clive has shown that moving into No-Till is not the expensive exercise so many farmers think it might be. The total cost, after modifications which included replacing all tines and coulters, was under £8,000.
Author Mike Donovan writes: we have featured a number of home made direct drills in @Practical Farm Ideas, and are always interested in seeing more. Please contact mike editor@farmideas.co.uk or 07778877514.
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Farmers unite over tree planting.
Planting trees in the right place at the right time can bring significant benefits to your farm including generating additional income through activities such as harvesting trees for timber, producing wood for fuel and other wood products, selling carbon units, and designing woodland for recreation and leisure use.
Andy Gray, who farms at Elston Farm, Devon, began planting trees in March 2021 to see how they might benefit his soil and livestock. A commercial beef farmer with 67ha, he supplies meat for the catering industry, and has adopted regenerative farming practices to try and improve soil health and productivity.
He has planted a mixture of trees in rows, so that he can easily access the land with machinery and grazes the livestock around them. In this way they provide shelter and natural forage, while boosting farm diversity and soil health through living roots and carbon sequestration.
“Grazed grassland and selected trees can work together in harmony,” he says. “The trees will become the backbone of the farm and at the same time capture carbon, enhance biodiversity and enrich soil health.”
In total, Andy has planted 8,500 trees – and firmly believes it will bring a multitude of productivity benefits while aligning with his regenerative farming practices. It also fits in with his business model – as chairman of M C Kelly, he supplies meat to hotels and restaurants across the South West and to the public via The Farm Wilder and The Meat Box Company. And consumers are increasingly interested in natural, environmentally-friendly farming practices that can help the industry to reach net zero.
Andy Gray from Elston Farm The England Woodland Creation Offer is a national flagship grant scheme administered by the Forestry Commission. With expert support from Woodland Creation Officers, it encourages the creation and long-term management of woodland on areas as small as one hectare. It covers standard capital costs up to £10,200/ha, with stackable payments of up to £8,000/ha for projects that support wider benefits to society, nature recovery, and the environment.
There are also regional grants available through Woodland Creation Partners, located across England they offer a range of highly competitive grants and funding.
Michael Flesher at Ghyll House Farm had wanted to plant trees more than 20 years ago, but the process and paperwork at the time made it feel far too challenging. But thanks to the wonderful support from The White Rose Forest team, Michael and his neighbour Jill have successfully planted trees in an area of less productive land.
Picture Credit – White Rose Forest Shoot The woodland creation team can support on all aspects of planning, the application process, design and support with the approvals process.
“The White Rose Forest have been tremendous in leading us forward and giving us a vision,” says Michael “the key to the progress of all of this is them taking the weight of my back”.
Both the England Woodland Creation Offer and Defra’s Woodland Creation Partners provide expert support and advice. Armed with local knowledge and expertise, they can advise on application processes, woodland design, tree selection, planting and maintenance.
To find out more about Defra’s woodland creation grants and the support available visit www.gov.uk/woodland-creation.
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Putting science behind cover crop varieties
When it comes to growing cash crops, most farmers will spend plenty of time choosing the right varieties with traits that suit a farm’s physical and management characteristics.
However, many growers are sold cover crops by species, with little or no additional information to demonstrate their suitability for different enterprises, soils or rotations.
As one of a handful of global cover crop and soil health plant breeders, RAGT believes this needs to adapt and change to help growers get the most from their investment and better meet the needs of agricultural policy, while optimising opportunities within environmental schemes.
RAGT has been deeply involved in the cover crop/soil health sector for many years. “There are not many other plant breeders in the world with such an extensive portfolio,” says David Ramdhian, RAGT UK’s head of forage and soil health crops.
“We are currently involved with lots of partners within and beyond the RAGT group, offering more than 47 species in the UK last year.
“But, while the concept is more accepted than a few years ago, there is still an element of muck and mystery about soil health plants.
“Our breeding programme is putting much-needed science into the sector, so we can target the right varieties at specific problems in the field to deliver the best results.”
David Ramdhian RAGT has established partnerships with ADAS, Harper Adams University and the University of Wageningen in Holland to delve further into the science and has also embarked on a major European joint venture with Bayer looking at carbon capture.
The company also runs demonstration trials at Ickleton in Cambridgeshire. Taking part in Agri Web Media’s Covering Soils event was an obvious next step.
“We are delighted to be working alongside host farmer Clive Bailye, who is a real cover crop enthusiast,” says David. “The event was a great opportunity to provide new growers with technical information on various cover crop blends and straights from RAGT’s breeding programme.”
At the event Peter-Jan Jongenelen, RAGT’s international cover crop product manager, showed visitors some key products from RAGT’s breeding programme, which includes brassica cover crops, such as mustards, radishes and rocket lettuce, as well as phacelia, legumes and black oats.
“Some of our soil health varieties are used to improve soil structure and to produce a healthier community of soil microorganisms to help provide the ideal growing medium for cash crops,” Peter-Jan said.
“There is also an increasing focus to manage and suppress soil-borne crop diseases caused by nematodes and soil-borne fungi across a range of rotations. We are also looking to control pests like wireworm and leatherjackets.
“Whatever the aim, we are all the time choosing varieties to ensure we don’t introduce a potential new weed species or disease into the rotation.”
Many cover crops play additional roles in capturing residual nitrogen and other nutrients, eventually making them available to the following cash crop.
Several straight plant stands and a range of mixtures, all sown immediately after oilseed rape, were demonstrated at the event.
Buckwheat RGT N Fix Blend
This nutrient-capturing soil improver includes a late-flowering Ethiopian mustard to prevent seed set, potentially important where other brassicas feature in the rotation.
- Added berseem clover fixes and captures nitrogen and P and K
- Very deep rooting, good restructuring capabilities
- Frost susceptible so suits no-till systems.
RGT Fungi Redux (nematicide radish, berseem clover, phacelia)
Fungi Redux was created to reduce sclerotinia. In trials with Warwick Crop Centre, this mix has had a good reducing effect on sclerotinia in carrot rotations.
- Also very effective at capturing P and K.
RGT Factotum (phacelia), RGT Dracula (oilseed radish) and berseem clover
Contains phacelia, radish and berseem clover, featuring a range of rooting depths to condition and loosen soils as well as fixing nutrients.
- Frost susceptible, so facilitates destruction.
RGT NemaRedux
- Suppresses potato cyst nematodes and beet cyst nematodes as well as free-living nematodes that affect many cash crops, including wheat. Growing roots attract nematodes out of soil and block their life cycle.
- Clubroot-resistant oilseed radish plus rocket lettuce
- Eliminates need for biofumigation.
RGT Biofum Autumn
Ethiopian mustard, oilseed radish and forage rape mix, drilled in September and incorporated ahead of the cash crop in March for biofumigation.
- All inclusions are winter hardy
- Apply small amount of fertiliser if permitted to boost glucosinolate levels.
Amelia and RGT Brons
A very late-flowering brown mustard for longevity to optimise fumigation potential, plus vetch to provide nitrogen to aid establishment and early growth.
RGT Cebelica
Later flowering, high-biomass buckwheat which is under test for repellent effects against leatherjackets and wireworm.
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Covering Soils – Event Summary
We ran the first in a series of Direct Driller days around cover crops, SFI options, agronomy decisions and compaction on the 21st September at TWB Farms in Staffordshire.
It was a great day, with great local food provided by Untamed Grill. We plan to continue these series of days, some based on the trials we planted on this day, others based on different topics in different parts of the country.
For all those who weren’t able to attend this first event, we have included write ups of each of the sessions and you can also watch all the videos from the day.
Covering Soils Day – Highlights
Covering Soils Event – UK-Anglo American talk Fertiliser
Covering Soils Day – RAGT talk Cover Crops
Covering Soils Day – SFI Options and Soil Health
Grange Machinery at Covering Soils 2023
Horsch Machinery at Covering Soils 2023
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How understanding more about organic matter and soil carbon can boost productivity and payments
Understanding more about organic matter and soil carbon can help growers improve soil health, get more from crop nutrition inputs and build greater overall resilience into their crop production, believes Agrii agronomist Will Francis.
“So many aspects of profitable crop production are affected by the condition of your soil that it’s worth spending a bit of time getting to know the type of soil you have, what its organic content is and what management you can focus on to get it working to its full potential,” he says.
“Organic matter is basically plant and animal residues at various stages of decomposition with three known pools in the soil depending how far this process has proceeded.
“The first is ‘active’ organic matter which is made up of recent organic matter inputs and soil organisms such as those from previous crop residues and is not very decomposed such that you can still tell what it is made of.
“Next is ‘slow’ organic matter which refers to organic compounds derived from the active pool which are slightly more decomposed and identifying the origin of these inputs/organisms is more difficult.
“Finally, ‘stable’ means fully decomposed organic matter where you can no longer identify the origin inputs and organisms as is the case with humus.”
Soils with higher levels of organic matter are generally seen as healthier and more resilient with several benefits resulting from this, he says.
“High organic matter soils tend to store nutrients better and act like a sponge when it comes to water retention as well providing the essential energy for soil biology which is responsible for the decomposition process converting carbon from ‘active’ to ‘stable’ organic matter.
“During this process, the soil biology secretes the sticky substance Glomalin which binds soil particles together, aggregation, and this also improves overall soil structure which, in turn, facilitates greater aeration and water infiltration through the soil profile.”
Improving carbon use efficiency and C:N ratio
The soil microflora also feeds on the carbon from the residues/organisms as the organic matter decomposes and the efficiency of this dictates what the overall carbon use efficiency (CUE) of the soil is, Will Francis explains.
“CUE is the percentage of carbon consumed that is used to make biomass. The higher the number, the more carbon has gone into the soil and the less into the air as CO2.
“It is an important factor when building soil organic matter and soil health and like nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), high CUE can lead to lower emissions and a faster increase in soil organic matter.
“Soils with a higher proportion of larger, more recalcitrant molecules, such as those found in straw for example, have a lower CUE with fungi tending to favour these types of molecules in the decomposition process.
“Simpler molecules with a lower carbon to nitrogen ratio have a correspondingly higher CUE with bacteria more active on these easier to digest molecules. In addition, some microbes are more efficient at decomposing than others and therefore contribute to a higher CUE.
“By considering carbon use efficiency and the carbon to nitrogen ratio (C:N) of crop inputs and their effect on organic matter, growers can also influence the microbial makeup of the soil, particularly the fungi:bacteria ratio and this can have a significant impact on the profitability of crops.
“The C:N ratio is also important for managing NUE, which is a key factor in economic productivity and crop performance and a key consideration when checking soil sample results and deciding on the most appropriate inputs for nutrient management, such as cover crop species, organic amendments and fertilisers.
“The ideal C:N ratio from a soil test is around 12:1, but this differs from the ideal C:N ratio for inputs, as not all the carbon will remain in the soil.”
Measuring soil carbon for revenue generation
In the current production climate, there are other benefits to understanding more about soil organic matter and carbon content, he says.
“Soil organic carbon is different from organic matter and it is this which carbon markets tend to look when evaluating payments.
“Organic carbon is a measurable component of organic matter and it usually assumed to be 50-58% of total organic matter with the other 42-50% deemed to consist of other organic compounds such as hydrogen, oxygen and nitrogen.
“Carbon markets tend to look at the amount of organic carbon in soils in tonnes per hectare (t/ha) to a defined soil depth, usually 0-30cm, 30-60cm and 60cm depths, so it is important to check guidelines with a recognised market before undertaking samples.
Soil carbon tends to be analysed most commonly using the Dumas method which is favoured by laboratories due to its improved accuracy, he adds.
“The sampling strategy and number of samples taken needs to align with the carbon scheme being joined and this will depend on factors such as soil type, management practices and the potential for change. Samples will usually need to be geo-referenced.
“Fine dry bulk density measurements also need to be taken using a corer. This cannot be taken using a standard soil auger or trowel in the field and remember, only certain labs offer bulk density tests.”
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An introduction to soil health management
Anglo American exhibited their natural mineral polyhalite fertiliser ‘POLY4’ and Soil Scientist, Kathryn Bartlett gave a talk on how long-term soil management plans can improve soil fertility.
You will have heard it many times already how fundamental soils are to the wellbeing of our planet. Intrinsically knowing the value of good soil-based understanding, is the foundation of any growing system (excluding of course aquaponics!). Agriculture is recognised more and more as one of the drivers of possible mitigation of climate change, and as an industry with vast hectares of land on which significant gains could be achieved. Farmers are ever more increasingly expected to provide services in keeping with enhancing soil productivity and health. The job remit is massive: produce more and better-quality crops, with limited good quality soil and do that in an environmentally responsible manner. No small ask.
One of the major challenges we face in addressing soil productivity and health is the inherent variability of soils. The UK alone has hundreds of different soils and the landscape variation within field can be significant, affecting the management needs of this land. Therefore, ‘one size fits all’ solutions will not work, and we must rely on more detailed understanding at an appropriate scale to the management need, this is further hampered by soil data often being held by several institutions and not always readily available depending on your location.
The story is further complicated when we seek clarity on what is ‘soil health’ and what measurements can conclude this. The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations Intergovernmental Technical Panel on soils defines it as: ‘The ability of the soil to sustain the productivity, diversity, and environmental services of terrestrial systems’ which of course means that it is a dynamic concept changing with the anthropogenic drivers on that land.
Soils need to be considered in three dimensions – look beyond the surface at a complex world and intersection between physics, chemistry, and biology. Soil structure and texture regulate pore spaces, aeration, and drainage. Whilst clay particles in your soil regulate the nutrient availability along with soil organic matter which plays many other important roles such as gas exchange and affecting water movement in soils. Not forgetting that soils are one of the most biodiverse terrestrial systems – they are the recycling centre of the earth driving much of the resource we need to provide good quality food. However, with a third of global soils classified as degraded we are at greater risk of reduced production, not only in terms of volume, but in nutritional quality. Fertile productive soils form the basis to achieving this. Therefore, practices that reduce erosion, minimise soil organic carbon loss, correct nutrient imbalances, combat soil acidification, halt and remediate contamination and prevent soil compaction are some of the practical measures we can put in place to combat this.
To add one last complication to the thinking, we need to also consider soil management as a medium to long-term view when we are framing it within the lens of agrifood systems. Soil processes and changes happen over a scale of years and better to watch the long view to truly gain insight as to the management impacts on any given piece of land.
Whilst there is no single solution to addressing soil fertility problems, we now have many tools on hand to help. Focusing on providing the best physical, chemical, and biological conditions is the key to maintaining a more balanced and resilient soil system in the long term to provide increased functionality.
Things to keep in mind:
- Keeping the soil covered as much as possible to help prevent erosion losses.
- Selecting cover crop mixes with differing plant rooting structures to aid water infiltration and compaction zones.
- Keep soil trafficking to a minimum to avoid soil compaction.
- Where possible try to increase soil organic matter inputs.
- Provide balanced nutrition to ensure no harmful effects on soil pH and chloride levels.
- Regularly monitor your soils (visually and chemically) and keep a record to monitor long term trends.
Kathryn Bartlett is a soil scientist who is working on unpicking the interactions between polyhalite and soils. Building up this understanding of interactions will unlock new and innovative crop nutrient solutions as part of a global need to improve soil health/ performance that enhances crop nutrient use efficiency and land management practices. Kathryn holds a PhD in Soil Microbial Ecology of arable agricultural systems from the National Soils Resources Institute at Silsoe, Cranfield University. She has worked on projects ranging from nutrient cycling in northern peatlands through to helping inform UK soils policy. She is an honorary member of the British Society of Soil Science.
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Grange Machinery
Strip-Till Preparator
The Preparator has been designed from carefully listening to farmers over the past few seasons who are wanting to perfect their establishment of maize. The layout of our three independent rows of cultivation discs that can be hydraulically adjusted whilst working in harmony with our low disturbance tine and point allows us to create a perfectly cultivated row that is ready for a seed to be planted into. This system is then finished with a zonal Guttler prism roller ring that is the final part of the cultivation pass to breakdown any clods that have flowed through the system as well as consolidating the row in readiness for a planter when the time suits to sew.
One of the unique features that the Preparator offers is the option of applying either granular or liquid fertiliser behind the loosening tine in preparation for seed to be placed into the row.
Low Disturbance LoosenerThe LDL has been designed with the need of farming practises moving towards direct drilling or min-till and the requirements that the latest direct drills have to sew into a level and perfectly finished surface. Compaction is commonly found at depths of 6″- 10, the Low Disturbance Loosener will be used to lift at full width and at depths of up to 12″. It is used primarily to loosen the soil structure straight after combining and removing the compaction pan. We have witnessed farms start to experience poor crop establishment and growth due to the compaction generated from machinery traffic, rain fall etc. We offer the central folding machine in 4m along with the wider working widths of 5m & 6m.
6m Low Disturbance Toolbar
Options…..
The 6m LDT offers the ability to lift and lower the cultivating legs and discs within the frame/chassis whilst not interrupting the height of the trailed implement on the rear hitch. This feature allows the machine to be mounted on the tractor and to only be used when required. The operator has complete control on having the loosening legs in or out of work whilst on the move, this allows the leg and disc depth to be altered if required without leaving the cab. One of the key attributes of the machine is that it provides options for the farmer.
‘Tight Turn’ – Automatic Headland Turning Feature…The 6m LDT offers a unique system that allows the machine to be converted from 6m working width down to 3m during headland turns. This feature eliminates the need for an extended headland, the wings on the machine automatically lift to a 90 degree position whilst the operator concentrates on performing the turn, this is achieved using one tractor auxiliary service. The wings will then unfold and become a 6m beam again ready for the next pass, a very easy but versatile feature that transforms field operations.
Choose your system…
The 6m LDT has proven to be a very popular machine that is used with a range of trailed implements. Having the ability to lift and lower the cultivating legs when in combination with other implements without affecting the trailed setup makes the machine very versatile and to be frequently used. The LDT adds a loosening system to machines that are already on farm allowing farmers to enhance their current cultivation and drilling system. We offer three widths of Low Disturbance Toolbar in 3m, 4m & 6m
Heavy Duty Track Eradicator
This machine is very popular for farmers that are currently practising or looking to move into CTF however it is aimed at eradicating wheelings in all farming practises. A strong and robust frame that is built with 8m – 12m trailing implements in mind. The versatility and ability in having the loosesning legs in/out of work is a key feature of the machine. The front cutting discs are on the same service which means the machine is very easy to operate and can be set up in the headland management screen. The machine replicates the tractor drawbar height, allowing you to lift and lower the wheel eradicator legs whilst on the move, without affecting trailing implement setup.
Set your trailing implement to the optimum working depth and let the Track Eradicator take care of your wheelings.
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Direct and min-till drilling versatility
The HORSCH Avatar and Sprinter drill ranges offer direct and min-till drilling with a focus on versatility and productivity.
The Avatar is the direct drilling expert that is flexible, robust and precise. It can be used universally from direct drilling to cultivated soils with up to three individual metered components. The high coulter pressure of up to 350 kg per individual row and maintenance-free bearings ensure a reliable and effective performance. Depth control at the individual coulter and adjustable closing wheels result in precision drilling in a wide range of conditions.
The Sprinter tine drill combines soil preparation, seeding and fertilisation in one pass. The robust design has clear advantages in min-till conditions, with most of the straw residue remaining on the soil surface. Its strong frame design, low draft coulters and large seed hoppers allow high performance and productivity.
Avatar SD with smaller working widths and updates
The Avatar SD is available in 8m, 9m and 10m working widths with the choice of 6300 litre double hopper or 6400 litre triple tank, and the ability to mount a 400 litre MiniDrill too. It is possible to equip the machines with trash wheels to cope smoothly with high amounts of straw.
In 2024, the Avatar 12.25 SD and 12.40 SD can be optioned with a selective hosing. This allows for alternately supplying the seed coulters with two different crops. Thanks to the individual depth control, fine seeds can be placed shallow and coarse seeds can be placed deep. In addition, double row spacing can be achieved so that, for example, cereals can be sown with a spacing of 25cm and soybeans with 50cm. The Avatar 12.50 SD offers a row spacing of 50cm as an option for the 12m version.
The AutoForce system, well-known from the HORSCH Maestro, was shown on an Avatar 10.25 SD at the Agritechnica 2023 show. Using hydraulic rams, AutoForce is the only system available to continuously adapt coulter pressure while drilling to prevent compaction on light land or reduced sowing depth on heavy land. This produces an even seed placement which helps crop growth. Row cleaners are now available on the 8m to 12m Avatar models with 25cm row spacing.
Avatar SL – all-new mounted model
The all-new Avatar SL is the smallest and most manoeuvrable Avatar seed drill with a mounted 3-point configuration designed for precise sowing in mulch seed conditions. The depth control roller of the SingleDisc coulter ensures a regular depth placement even in uneven conditions. Row spacings of 25cm or 30cm pave the way for mechanical weed control.
The Avatar SL is used in combination with the HORSCH Partner front tank. As an option, there will also be a solo version with an 800 litre seed tank in the rear. Hydraulic weight transfer achieves a coulter pressure of up to 240kg per coulter, with the weight of the tractor transferred to the seed coulters. This is useful especially in harder conditions and considerably extends the range of use of the machine.
Sprinter 6.25 SL and 12.25 SC tine seed drills
Two new models join the popular Sprinter tine seed drill range; Sprinter 6.25 SL and 12.25 SC. Changing climate conditions are bringing about longer dry periods and cultivation methods need to change to the meet the challenge of keeping water in the soil.
The new Sprinter models reduce tillage to a minimum yet work well in high amounts of straw residue, as well as in harder soils. To ensure a perfect seed-soil contact between the grain and seed furrow, the new Sprinters are equipped with a tine seed coulter that creates a residue-free seed furrow. Three different tine coulters (110mm WideEdge, 21mm ThinEdge and 12mm UltraThinEdge) enable the farmer to additionally react to various conditions.
The new 6m SL mounted model works in combination with a Partner FT front tank, while the 12m trailed SC model is equipped with a 6300 litre double hopper and is available with a triple tank and additional MiniDrill options. Both feature tines with a 25cm spacing and a 180kg release force.
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Tyre & Compaction – Covering Soils Day
The Tyre & Compaction presentation hosted by Philip Wright & Stephen Lamb was an engaging and well-attended station during the event.
From a tyre perspective, the focus was very much on the Interface – the contact area between soil and tyre, and how by doing some homework, soil compaction could be dramatically reduced. Identifying the most suitable size of tyre for the application, with the aim of selecting the lowest operating pressure tyre within that size, which normally would be VF specification tyre, with many of the guests already benefiting from that fitment.
A demonstration was given to show, how in some cases, it can be more beneficial to go longer in the footprint, rather than just going wider, this is where VF technology can really play its part, by having a longer footprint, within the already committed trackway, as opposed to just going wider.
This followed nicely into an area, which is commonly over-looked, regarding tyre width vs implement width – which controls the – Tyre to Field Percentage Contact. Example a 3m drill with 710’s tractor tyres fitted has a Contact Percentage of 47%, that is nearly half your field in Contact with your tyre, and with whatever pressure you are operating at ! Whereas say a 6m Drill with 710’s would only have a 24% Contact in your field.
Three main aim areas were illustrated, if not already achieved :-
A – Aim to reduce your axle loads, where possible, to 5 Tonne.
B – Aim to reduce your operating pressure to sub – 12psi.
C – Aim to reduce your Field Contact Percentage – 20%
By being aware of these aims/goals, soil compaction would be greatly reduced.
One additional area covered at the Station, was with all the hard data we have about the cost of establishment, inputs data, crop data, etc, etc. do we actually have a value as to what level of compaction we generate with each application within the field, especially during drilling – the last tyre before the seed goes to work, the answer coming back was very little hard factual data was known.
Yet we all know that compaction is a major player in poor soil health, yield loss and the business’s bottom line – yet we seemingly have no really reference point to it, in this data driven world – this got the guests thinking !
The station was however able to offer one value, which could be easily calculated, while not compaction itself, it is the element which develops compaction at the interface, subject to soil type, density, moisture, etc. that being the Load Applied.
From this calculation, Load Applied values could be mapped from each application within the field, and then with the whole farm on an annual basis. From this captured data, informed decisions can be made, on how to reduce the Load Applied values. Is it possible to achieve – by reduced applications, doubling up applications, Increasing the working width of an implement &/or reduce the width of tyre, looking for a lower operating pressure, specification of tyre, would all help to mitigate the effects of soil compaction to your business.
Load Applied Field Mapping could possibly be used as part of the Farm’s Management Soil Action Plan within SFI.
Load Applied data will be a value offered by OEMs within their field solutions – data capture – in the near future.
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Tips for transitioning
Overview: Reduced or minimum tillage requires soils to be in good condition for an efficient and effective transition from more conventionally tilled situations. Promoting healthy, biologically active and aerobic soil conditions is key to all forms of successful farming, and especially important where such activity, allied to vigorous crop root development and growth, can result in improved levels of soil resilience. Such resilience is becoming ever more important as our weather conditions become more extreme in both the wet and dry sense.
Important factors to consider when transitioning to reduced, or zero tillage: Soil type is important, along with the status of the soil itself. Biological activity, for example, will have been influenced by past and current cropping and cultivations. Naturally free-draining and self-structuring (calcareous) soils are likely to make a transition faster, and more efficiently than slowly permeable soils with a slumping-prone nature (silt is a key fraction here, especially in clay soils), or those where previous cultivations have been very intensive. Low soil organic matter levels (as a result, or where straw is removed, or no FYM or biosolids have been returned) also imply the need for care when looking to make such a transition. Other factors of critical importance include the following.
Drainage: Having aerobic soil biology is critical. A rapid return back from saturation to field capacity after high levels of rainfall will help. The capability to pass water through the soil profile efficiently – having a good level of vertically connected pores in a stable, well aggregated structure – is key to unrestricted water passage. Porosity levels also should be roughly 50% of the total soil mass. These pores can then hold onto water and air in balanced amounts, and provide pathways for such, along with plant roots and a home for the soil biology.
A fast return from saturation (all pores full) to 50% full of water at field capacity is driven by stable, resilient soil structure and effective drainage where this is needed for water to leave the field. On heavier soils needing drainage, yield improvements of circa 1 tonne/Ha of cereals crops is common, once the scheme has bedded in, and soil has begun to repair itself. New schemes are costly, so it is vital to ensure current schemes are functioning to their best before considering further investment:
- Ensure ditches are free of obstructions, and outfalls are clear, and above the bottom of the ditch. This also includes allowing water off the farm holding, onto the next by such means.
- Following heavy rain when soils are already damp, drains should start to run quickly, and slow down equally fast once surplus water has been removed by drainage.
- Mole drainage on appropriate subsoils (at appropriate moisture levels – the soil must be plastic at depth and drier nearer the surface for traction) should supplement under-drainage if indicated on drainage maps. This fissuring action above the mole can also help maintain subsurface structure when it is at appropriate moisture levels.
- Other considerations for effective mole drainage include proper mole channel formation – these need time to “cure” so avoid moling immediately before forecast heavy rainfall where soils at depth are near field capacity. Back-fill gravel above drainage pipes also ensures mole channels can vent efficiently and minimises risk of premature collapse.
Attempting to direct drill poorly drained and poorly structured soils is a recipe for disaster.
Soil Structure: This also determines free root, water, and air passage. Barriers, if found, should be removed so effective rooting (and yield) can result. Soil structure resilience improves with biological and root activity, so significant compromises to yield (and crop rooting) will prolong the transition process, and have negative effects on the business bottom line. The spade is essential here to determine the degree of damage, if present, and actions then needed.
Soil loosening by low disturbance “soil profile stretching” should be considered if this improves rooting, and shallow drainage.
- In many cases, such structuring can be done by a tine based drill – for example when establishing a cover crop. Having the capability to drill seed slightly shallower than loosening depth can be good – as the BTT opener examples seen on Clive’s Sprinter drill.
- An option to use a loosener ahead of the drill can also be effective, where needed.
- Such loosening can often be timed ahead of a break crop such as WOSR or beans, allowing its effect to benefit the following first wheat also.
- Deeper structure issues are often confined to known areas (turning headlands, & on less stable soils) where a controlled “stretching” of the profile will usually then allow effective root development and drainage. This process is NOT subsoiling, and can be done by a “sward lifting” approach in conjunction with growing roots through the profile.
- Where this loosening action is needed, ensuring structured “columns” remain between the loosened zones will further stabilise the structure and help maintain the biology present. The benefit to yield in the example previously outlined was just over 1 tonne per hectare of spring barley where the compacted headland was restructured.
Cropping: Growing crops with effective root systems normally drives further, higher yielding crops to then follow. Such crops and roots support positive soil biology, soil resilience, and also sequester Carbon most effectively. Avoid leaving land fallow and without some form of a growing crop whenever possible will maximise the building of soil resilience.
Prevention before cure: Prevention, or mitigation of trafficking damage helps to minimise unnecessary cultivations, accelerating the transition.
- Controlling and managing traffic limits areas of damage – Controlled Traffic Farming principles apply.
- Minimising axle loads, and ground pressures resulting, is a key factor to consider when transitioning. Many disc based direct drills do not use eradicators, and in any event, keeping ground pressures to levels of 0.7b or below will minimise adverse yield effects in these trafficked zones. Yield effects from ground pressure vary, and can lead to yield reductions of 40% or more, compared to where not trafficked, when drilling direct.
Above: typical crop yields (compared to where untrafficked) in drill tractor trafficked areas: a mean of 4 seasons of work across 2 soil types (light & heavy) where cereal crops have been direct drilled.
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A Word From the Editor
Sarah Ferrie, Marketing Manager, Interagro
It’s no secret that agriculture finds itself in both an exciting and challenging era.
For several years now, getting more from less has been the theme – whether that be land, capital or crop production and protection products
— challenging many to think creatively about how they approach operations and decision-making.When it comes to chemistry, this has pushed partner products like adjuvants into the spotlight – which have long been aids to growers to help optimise efficiency in the spray tank. When used correctly, adjuvants have the potential to perform a variety of valuable functions – as
highlighted in the farmer stories and research trials in the pages that follow.Not only do these functions – such as enhancing spray coverage and balancing complex tank-mixes – make sense for the bottom line but also form an integral part of the strategy as many farmers seek to move towards a more sustainable way of farming. So much so that work has shown that partnering crop protection sprays with the right adjuvant can add as much as 40% efficacy and over 1t/ha yield in a challenging situation.
This notion of getting more from less is only likely to continue, meaning it’s more important than ever to make use of all the tools in the toolbox – with adjuvants being among those which have the potential to make a huge difference.
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Issues at Spraying
Factors that could be reducing your crop protection efficacy through the season
Spraying delays / spray drift
Timely on-target application is crucial for crop protection efficacy, but spray drift is a risk to every application. It can stop you spraying all together, may damage off-targets and risks some spray targets being underdosed and others over-dosed.
Applications most susceptible to drift include:
Pre-emergence herbicides – Can be high risk due to bare soils that release stored heat causing air/spray to rise, and there being no crop to intercept the spray.
Post-emergence herbicides – Most herbicides are applied as a fine-medium quality. The smaller droplets provide better coverage, which is important when the target surface is small, but fine droplets are prone to drift.
Increased forward speed – Can impact boom height and stability. Spray drift doubles when the spray boom is raised from 40cm to 70cm, and again from 70cm to 80cm.
Poor coverage and retention in the soil
For residual herbicides, the target is the soil and making sure it is in position to be taken up by weeds that germinate in that critical top 5cm can be a challenge.
Rain after application – With heavy rainfall after application, a high percentage of residual herbicides can move out of the weed zone. Chemical leaching is particularly problematic with the stacking of residual herbicides late in the autumn, when soils become saturated with prolonged spells of heavy rain.
Lack of moisture after application – At the other end of the spectrum, a lack of moisture and dry conditions can also cause residual herbicides to fail as moisture plays a crucial role in herbicide activation and uptake.
Poor coverage and retention on the plant
Good coverage of plant surfaces is crucial for protectant fungicides and contact herbicides to work effectively. While coarse spray droplets can cause droplet bounce, high surface tension prevents the spreading of droplets on plant surfaces, limiting both coverage and effectiveness.
This is exacerbated when:
• target plants are very waxy e.g. oilseed rape, Fat-Hen.
• target plants have tricky surfaces eg. wheat ears, awns.
• plants have hairy/prickly surfaces e.g. bromes, nettles.
• low water volume spraying.Alkaline hydrolysis (pesticide breakdown)
The conditions in which you mix your crop protection chemicals can affect their lifespan and absorption into plants. Water may be an essential carrier for your pesticide application, but it can also destroy the active ingredients in your crop protection if its pH is too high. Many products undergo a chemical reaction known as alkaline hydrolysis in water. The more alkaline the water, the faster the breakdown, reducing absorption into plants.
Incompatible tank-mixes
Short spray windows and heavy workloads often lead to big, complex tank-mixes. While tank-mixing can improve efficiency of spray programmes, an incompatible mix can cause antagonism and actually reduce efficacy in the field. Water is not a great carrier for agricultural chemicals. As a charged polar molecule, variability in water temperature and quality can affect how well products dissolve into it.
Common causes of incompatibility:
• Large number of products added to the tank – more than three increases the risk.
• Product formulation – some formulations do not mix well e.g. wettable powders, emulsifiable concentrates, and salt formulations.
• Mixing conditions including low water volumes, high pH, hardness, and low water temperature.Insufficient uptake into plants
Effective uptake and distribution within plants is crucial for the efficacy of curative fungicides, contact herbicides and plant growth regulators. The waxy cuticle on the upper and lower surfaces of plants is the biggest barrier the active ingredients in crop protection have to work against. As plants grow, it becomes thicker and tougher to penetrate, which can be disastrous if you’re facing spraying delays. Uptake also slows in cold conditions. Active ingredients with high water solubility struggle to penetrate plant cuticles – some typical examples shown
in the table (right).
Source: Pesticide Properties Database, University of Hertfordshire. Interpretation: <50 = Low; 50-500 = Moderate; >500 = High
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Adjuvant Solutions
The right tank-mix adjuvant can help maximise success
Vital components or expensive extras? The use of adjuvants dates back to the 70s. But despite their long heritage, adjuvants are sometimes
dismissed as “muck and magic” – regardless of the fact that the right adjuvant when used correctly, can be an incredibly beneficial partner in the crop protection programme.Tank-mix versus built-in adjuvants
As many crop protection products contain some degree of adjuvant system built-in to their formulation, you may be questioning why you should even consider adding a tankmix adjuvant to your applications. Why would you need more?
Built-in adjuvancy will no doubt help improve the coverage of your spray mix across target plants, but only tank-mix adjuvants can reduce
surface water tension on the leaf sufficiently for optimal spreading – because their application rate is based on water volume, whereas pesticides are applied rate/ha.What’s more, tank-mix adjuvants can offer way more than just improved coverage. They can provide a wide variety of benefits from stabilising and mixing your pesticides in the spray tank, to improving the targeting of your spray application and helping it to reach its intended target.
No one adjuvant can perform all the functions to the degree you might need it in every crop, but effective adjuvant components are often combined at different strengths and available in pre-packaged products for specific crop uses. The trick is to select the right adjuvant for the right situation.
Selecting the right adjuvant and getting the best results comes down to a sound understanding of how adjuvants work and what challenges specific types of products can address.
As such, spray adjuvants can largely be divided into two categories — activator adjuvants and special purpose adjuvants – each with different purposes.
Activator adjuvants
Consist of surfactants and oils. Also known as “surface acting agents,” surfactants physically change the properties of the spray solution. They can help a pesticide’s ability to emulsify in the tank, and spread and stick on the target. Oils help increase penetration through leaf cuticles and improve spreading across the leaf.
Special Purpose Adjuvants
Buffering agents, compatibility agents and anti-drift agents. Buffering agents are used to lower pH. Compatibility agents are used to help pesticide products and other components in the tank, mix thoroughly together and remain in homogenous solution. Some adjuvants may have a built-in anti-drift aid.
So how can these adjuvant functions help?
Buffering pH stabilises products in the tank
You might not realise it, but many of the crop protection products you will be applying to your fields are susceptible to alkaline hydrolysis – breakdown in high pH water. You could lose up to 50% of your pesticide’s efficacy.
Adjuvants that contain a buffering agent lower the pH of the water, preventing alkaline hydrolysis. As most spray water in England is typically alkaline, using an adjuvant that lowers pH to a pre-determined level is a good idea. This way you can create the pH that is most stable for your spray mixture so it remains stable and active in the spray tank,
and can perform to its maximum potential in the field.As a general rule of thumb, because you will likely be adding numerous products to the spray tank, it is worth keeping spray water around pH6-7 to create the most stable environment for your mixture. This can be achieved using an adjuvant such as Kantor.
Glyphosate however, is most stable at pH5 and therefore will require a specific glyphosate water conditioner such as Volta-Ego that can make the water more acidic.
Emulsifying the mix improves tank-mix compatibility
Adjuvants such as Kantor that contain a compatibility agent, aid emulsification (the mixing of two or more products that are
normally immiscible) to help reduce/eliminate physical incompatibility. They help multiple products of a tank-mix to thoroughly mix together and remain thermodynamically stable in the spray tank. With more of your pesticide active ingredients and nutrition in solution, more of it will be absorbed by your target plants in the field, instead of sat in the bottom of your spray tank/blocking nozzles.Manipulating droplet size optimises coverage
Some adjuvants contain anti-drift agents that help reduce spray drift and keep your spray mix on target. They do this by changing the viscosity of the liquid, which manipulates droplet size. Ultimately, they bind the ultrasmall droplets together, reducing the number of fine spray droplets smaller than 100 microns susceptible to drift, and reduce the number of very coarse droplets which are prone to bounce. The result is a droplet with a more uniform spray angle at the nozzle that can hit the target better.
Reducing surface tension increases coverage and retention
Adjuvants which contain surfactants or oils reduce surface tension between the spray liquid and the plant surface, so your spray solution can spread out properly. As explained earlier, this is crucial for coverage and retention to be maximised, on which contact herbicides and rotectant fungicides depend. In fact, improving coverage and retention are key requirements for most sprays you will apply if you want better weed and disease control.
Increasing penetration through leaf cuticles improves uptake
As the leaf cuticle is the biggest barrier to crop protection sprays, adjuvants that can improve penetration into the leaf, have a lot to offer. In fact, many post-emergence herbicides need an adjuvant for optimal uptake – active ingredients with high water solubility struggle to penetrate (waxy) leaf cuticles because oil and water do not mix. Active ingredients with low water solubility – most fungicides – can
permeate plant cuticles relatively easily in good conditions, but you can increase entry speed with the right adjuvant.Increasing herbicide retention in the top 5cm increases residual activity
Residual herbicides typically have a limited lifespan in the soil, and their effectiveness can diminish over time due to factors like degradation or movement. Some adjuvants like Backrow Max can help extend the residual activity of herbicides by reducing their breakdown or enhancing their binding |to soil particles. This prolongs the weed control period, reducing the need for frequent herbicide applications.
How to select the right tank-mix adjuvant
1 – Always read the pesticide label. Advice may be given that must be followed on what type of adjuvant to use/avoid.
2 – Always buy reputable products produced by a trusted manufacturer. Whilst adjuvant manufacturers may offer many of the same functions, product quality and adjuvant technology varies dramatically. Check there is data and evidence to back up any claims.
3 – Using an adjuvant is not always necessary. Think about your target, the pesticides you are applying and what they need to do and weaknesses they have. In good conditions, you may not need an adjuvant and you might therefore not see a benefit. On the other hand, there may be weaknesses in your spray preparation, application and delivery that can be improved.
4 – Although different adjuvants can perform a variety of different functions and significantly improve pesticide performance, no one adjuvant can perform every function for every situation. Make sure you have a good knowledge of the adjuvant you are using and it’s the right one for the job.
5 – Finally, do a small test on your farm. You won’t know unless you take the leap to find out.
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Tools for Sustainability
In a quest to achieve long-term sustainability, deploying a range of techniques – from precision farming to using adjuvants – is proving to be
key for one Lincolnshire grower.Over the past 13 years, Peter Cartwright has taken the arable enterprise at the Revesby Estate in Lincolnshire from a heavily tilled operation to one that is now almost exclusively based on direct drilling – as well as dramatically changing the rotation, with the aim of improving the overall sustainability of the business.
And he’s not stopping there. Having already cut insecticides from the wheat and bean crops, Peter is working with his long-standing agronomist, Richard Butler of Agrii, to seek further efficiencies. Starting with the rotation, knowing milling specification is difficult to achieve without high quantities of nitrogen, wheat is now grown mostly for feed. “Nitrogen is the biggest carbon input on the farm, so I’m keen
to reduce it,” says Peter. “Yields are heading towards 10t/ha with our feed wheat – so we’re producing a good ‘barn-filler’ without the need
for much nitrogen.”He adds that they have also put N-sensors in the ground to better understand what nitrogen is available and therefore help them to make better decisions about applications. The rest of the rotation, which spans across 1,200ha, comprises spring barley, oilseed rape, winter and spring beans, spring oats, sugar beet and cover crops. “Beans are grown for seed and the oats for milling,” explains Peter. “We also do a bit
of malting barley after late-lifted sugar beet.“Beet is a useful break crop for us, and it’s only grown on land that suits it. It also yields well – we achieved 74 t/ha in 2023.” In terms of establishment, 95% of crops are established via direct drilling, having transitioned away from a traditional ploughbased system. As well as the cost and carbon-saving benefits this has brought, Peter says it’s also advantageous for the soils, creating a more resilient structure which
improves crop production.The change in establishment techniques has proved beneficial in reducing the black-grass problem on farm too. “Being flat land, below sea level, we’ve been heavily burdened by black-grass,” explains Peter. “However, by employing cultural controls and optimising the performance of chemistry, the once hay-like fields have been brought back to manageable levels.”
Keen to achieve the highest level of control possible, the Revesby Estate is the host farm for Agrii’s mid-Lincolnshire Technology Centre
– a decision driven by Peter’s keen interest in trials and desire to understand what’s working and delivering value and what isn’t.Working with Richard, Peter has based his approach around five key steps. “No disturbance direct drilling has been the first step, followed by trials with varieties rated for their black-grass control, to help select the most vigorous options,” he explains. “We then looked at seed rates and found 450 seeds/sqm to be optimal. We did try as high as 750 seeds in spring wheat and while, yes it outcompeted the black-grass, the cost of the seed was too high.”
At the other end of the spectrum, Peter says that at 250 seeds/sqm the black-grass was “horrendous”. The fourth step of the plan involved altering drilling date. “We opted to delay the drilling of winter crops until mid-October. Now, we let the flush of black-grass come through and then spray it all off to keep weed levels to a minimum.”
The final part of the approach is herbicide choice, which includes optimising performance with an adjuvant, to help Peter
achieve near to 100% control.“As a base, we apply Liberator (flufenacet + diflufenican) and Bandur (aclonifen) at pre-emergence and top up the flufenacet
peri-emergence,” explains Peter. “The next step up is to use Luxinum Plus (cinmethylin) and Pontos (flufenacet + picolinafen), but with
everything we include Backrow Max in the mix to optimise the application itself and the performance of the application.“It also gives valuable drift reduction which extends the spray window, particularly during catchy weather. Holding the herbicide longer
in the weed germination zone is also a key driver for using Backrow Max, and combined, this all helps us deliver on those crucial percentage gains.”“It also gives valuable drift reduction which extends the spray window, particularly during catchy weather. Holding the herbicide longer in the weed germination zone is also a key driver for using Backrow Max, and combined, this all helps us deliver on those crucial percentage gains.”
Backrow Max is a specialist residual herbicide adjuvant that can be applied with pre- and peri-emergence tank mixes to maximise performance in all weather conditions. It does this by optimising herbicide droplet size and binding to clay particles in the soil, meaning that both coverage and longevity is maximised.
The drift-reducing benefits delivered by Backrow Max came into their own this autumn with Storm Babet, notes Peter. “It was a season of relentless rain and catchy weather, making it more important than ever to keep on top of the black-grass and ensure herbicides kept working in the weed zone for as long as possible.”
Looking to the future, nothing is set in stone and Peter says he isn’t one to make sudden changes. “Everything is about trialling, measuring, refining and even going back to the drawing board if needed.”
I also want to investigate the trace element side of things
with adjuvants and see if they can help optimise adhesion and
uptake. At the moment, we apply magnesium
and manganese every time we go through the
crop in season as have low magnesium soils,
so I’m keen to see what else we can do.”
One thing he is planning to do next year, however, is to use Rhiza to help look at the long-term plan to reduce inputs – mainly nutrition and crop protection. “I really want to tear up the rule book on T1 and T2 and I’m going to use Rhiza to help plan treatments based on when disease is likely to come in,” says Peter. “The hope is that we may be able to treat once and then top up the potency with an adjuvant like Kantor, for example.“I also want to investigate the trace element side of things with adjuvants and see if they can help optimise adhesion and uptake. At the moment, we apply magnesium and manganese every time we go through the crop in season as have low magnesium soils, so I’m keen to see what else we can do.”
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Back up with Backrow Max®
With residual herbicide performance at risk from unpredictable weather and challenging application conditions, incorporating an adjuvant into the mix can be a valuable tool within the IPM strategy to help optimise pre-emergence performance and minimise resistance.
Keeping weeds like black-grass at bay can feel like a never-ending battle, and with herbicide efficacy having declined over recent years, many growers have turned to cultural control options like delayed drilling, as well as alternative options like adjuvants to get the most from what chemistry they do have access to.
Among the adjuvant offerings is Interagro’s Backrow Max – a specialist residual herbicide adjuvant that can be incorporated into the pre- and peri-emergence tank-mix to maximise performance – in all conditions. “It not only enhances herbicide coverage across the soil, it also works to consistently maintain a ‘lethal dose’ of active herbicide in the weed germination zone, more effectively than any other residual herbicide adjuvant tested in the market, maximising crop safety and efficacy in adversely wet conditions,” explains Stuart Sutherland, technical manager at Interagro.
Top-performing retention in wet conditions
Research conducted by the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation in Poland in 2021 and 2022 showed that adjuvants vary greatly in their influence on herbicide retention, with Backrow Max securing the greatest retention in the top 5cm of the soil compared with three competitor adjuvants at their recommended rates, including one of the newer adjuvants, Adhere.
“The research was interesting because it confirms observations in the field, that even active ingredients like pendimethalin can move following heavy rainfall after application. Inclusion of Backrow Max slowed movement significantly,” explains Stuart, with an additional 8% retained in the top 5cm of the soil.
Improved crop safety
As well as better weed control, keeping herbicides in place is also beneficial from a crop and water safety perspective, adds Stuart. “Leaching research conducted in The Netherlands has previously shown that Backrow can reduce chemical leaching by >60%. Given Backrow Max offers even stronger retention in wet soils, it’s the perfect safety net for growers.”
Field trials have also demonstrated benefits in the form of reduced phytotoxicity when Backrow Max is added to the tank, both with Luximo and with Avadex Factor in trials carried out at Stow Longa looking specifically at the crop safety benefits. “Herbicides with high mobility and low adsorption to soil particles pose the biggest threat to crops and groundwater, particularly in lighter soils,” explains Stuart. “But with heavy rainfall, all herbicides have the potential to move down to the crop seed, risking plant health and establishment.”
In the Avadex Factor trial, researchers compared cultivated and non-cultivated wheat plots, with the crop purposely shallow drilled to increase the likelihood of crop damage from the active. In the non-cultivated, direct drilled trial there was 10% crop damage in the form of chlorosis where Avadex Factor was used alone. When the Backrow Max was included there was zero crop damage and an additional 29 wheat plants/sqm.
In the cultivated trial, the Avadex Factor alone was found to cause 20% damage to the crop but with the Backrow Max, this was avoided – and once again showed no evidence of chlorosis. As a result, there were an additional 11 wheat plants/ sqm.
Winning the weed war
The benefit of all of this is the valuable added efficacy to herbicide activity, meaning growers are able to improve both weed control and reduce seed return. For example, “Trials have shown 12% higher black-grass control with Octavian Met (diflufenican + flufenacet + metribuzin) plus Pontos (flufenacet + picolinafen) in winter wheat, and 4% higher with Luximo,” explains Stuart. Some of the best results have been seen when applied with Liberator plus Proclus (aclonifen).
In this trial, the Backrow Max improved blackgrass control by an impressive 22%. It has also been proven to enhance control of ryegrass
and brome in winter wheat as well as annual meadow grass in spring barley and broadleaved weeds in multiple crops. “We’ve actually found that in dry conditions – which prohibit the movement of residual herbicides into the weed zone – Backrow Max can be as effective as an inch of rain when it comes to improving pre-em performance.”With lots of growers reporting late weed flushes and higher pressures than usual this year, Stuart concludes that any tools which can be used to help keep burdens at bay are a “no brainer”. “The efficacy and options when it comes to herbicides are ever declining and it is vital to protect what we do have available.
Adjuvants play a key role in this and have the potential to make a real difference when it comes to getting the most out of chemistry.”
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Keep going with Kantor®
Challenging weather, suboptimal spraying conditions and tank-mix incompatibility can all put added pressure on spraying workload, reducing its efficacy over time. Though these stress factors are often out of the hands of growers, incorporating an adjuvant can help reduce the impact.
Getting high performance from crop protection sprays is vital in keeping yieldrobbing weeds and diseases at bay. However, there are numerous factors that can threaten this, says Stuart Sutherland, technical manager at Interagro. “The past few years have seen sprayer operators dealt a tough hand, with catchy weather windows and heavy workloads often leading to suboptimal conditions for spraying and efficacy.
“In practice, this might mean big, complex mixes in the spray tank or mixing products in cold water, which can make the operation tricky. With products often added via the induction hopper, the issue is that you may not even know there is a mixing problem until you get blocked nozzles.”
While this can be a big problem, Stuart says there is a simple solution – adding Kantor to the tank. It’s unique adjuvant properties deliver a plethora of benefits, unrivalled by any other adjuvant on the market.
A plethora of benefits
Kantor is an innovative activator and special purpose adjuvant in one, which can buffer spray water to pH 6-7, improve tank-mix compatibility, reduce spray drift, and enhance product effectiveness by increasing coverage, adhesion and penetration across plant surfaces. “In fact, it’s the only one-can adjuvant solution on the market that alleviates risk across the entire spraying operation – from tank-mixing, through to spraying and even down to action on target plants,” notes Stuart. “It’s an extremely versatile product. Kantor gives growers the flexibility for complex tank-mixing in a single pass without the risk of crop damage, can keep you spraying, and improves the efficiency and effectiveness of all products in the tank-mix, including herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, PGRs, and nutrition.
So how is this possible? Looking at its tank-mix compatibility benefits, Stuart explains that Kantor enables this through an emulsification agent in the formulation that helps vital components in the tank to mix together properly, even in cold water. Where water for spraying has high pH, there are more than three products in the spray mixture – ie multiple active ingredients – or growers are using low water volumes, product mixing becomes even more problematic.
But, adding Kantor to the spray tank before chemistry conditions the water by lowering pH and creates more optimum conditions for the tank-mix.” Aside from improving stability and compatibility in the spray tank, the improved rainfastness and drift reduction properties of Kantor can help both extend spray windows and keep crop protection where it needs to be for longer. “Kantor enables more precise and targeted applications by significantly reducing the number of <100 micron fine spray droplets which are most susceptible to drift,” explains Stuart. “Crucially, this reduces the risk of off-target damage and environmental contamination, while also providing flexibility in scheduling crop protection applications.”
Kantor also reduces the number of coarse droplets, creating a more optimal droplet size to improve deposition and adhesion to plant surfaces, he adds. “What’s more, Kantor’s ability to reduce surface tension and promote spreading results in better coverage of target plants
and leaf layers, leading to more effective treatment overall.”But it’s Kantor’s small molecular size compared to most adjuvants that provide unique penetrating power helping active ingredients get to work faster and help make it so versatile, says Stuart.
Tried, tested, trusted
Easy mixing, improved active ingredient stability
Extensive testing over the years shows adding Kantor to the spray tank before adding chemicals, speeds up the mixing process and helps traditionally incompatible mixtures to blend together. This is perfectly demonstrated by Stuart in the video, below –
Trials at Eurofins in 2022 proved Kantor’s ability to aid complex micronutrient mixtures to dissolve and remain in solution – with less flocculation and sedimentation – compared with when the mix was used alone. “This meant that plants were more likely to fully absorb the products,” says Stuart.
Keeps you spraying
Work at Silsoe Spray Applications Unit has shown Kantor reduces the number of drifty droplets, which we hear frequently from growers, is a really noticeable benefit.
Enhanced coverage benefits re-enforced at Rothamsted
The research conducted by CHAP and Rothamsted in 2023 used brilliant blue dye and videometer lab imaging to visualise the impact of Kantor on spray retention and distribution on pea and wheat leaves. The images show Kantor having the greatest positive impact on spray deposition, compared to the tracer and water control treatment.
For protectant fungicides, this brings crucial disease benefits, which we are seeing more and more of in trials as varieties break down.
Higher uptake into plants
Kantor’s ability to aid the penetration of active ingredients into plants has too been examined in various studies, including at Wageningen University where researchers used UV tracer dye to look at penetration. They found that Kantor delivered higher concentrations of crop protection to the leaf cuticle – compared with when these products were used alone – resulting in significantly higher uptake into plants.
Adjuvant benefits can sometimes be difficult to see in trials, as products are often applied in optimal conditions with knapsack sprayers.
But in this Birds Eye pea trial below, the weed control benefits from adding Kantor to Basagran were clearly obvious.
Flexibility for success
Looking at how the combined benefits affect the overall plant health picture, trials and farmer feedback show Kantor adds valuable efficacy, benefiting weed, disease and lodging control in a wide range of crops, notes Stuart.
“We invest heavily in trials every year – you can download our new Kantor booklet by scanning the QR code below to see some of the latest results. “In trials looking at septoria infection in winter wheat, Kantor has significantly reduced infection levels, compared to when fungicides
were used alone. Looking at how this stacks up financially, we’re seeing upwards of an additional £21.50/ha margin over input cost.“A similar effect was seen in oilseed rape trials, where adding Kantor was found to reduce light leaf spot infection levels, resulting in an additional £134/ha margin over input cost.”
Positive results have also been seen in reducing ramularia infection in barley and fusarium infections in winter wheat, making it a truly versatile product, says Stuart.
“With challenging seasons becoming the ‘norm’, aids like adjuvants are going to be vital for getting the most from crop protection and Kantor is the only adjuvant that helps you mitigate the risks across the entire spraying operation, giving the flexibility for success.”
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How to avoid a tank-mixing disaster
With catchy weather windows often forcing growers to put bigger, more complex mixes in the tank, careful preparation is key to avoid a disaster.
“If we look at weather we’ve seen this last year alone, it has been incredibly inclement and often left spray operators with just a day or two to get a lot done,” says Stuart Sutherland, technical manager at Interagro. “With such tight windows comes ‘larger-thanideal’ mixes – which heightens the risk of a problem. Mixing in cold water, at high pH and with hard water makes mixing troublesome.”
As well as ensuring products are compatible and best practice is followed, Stuart says a compatibility adjuvant can help overcome
some of the challenges. ‘If we take Kantor for example it contains a self-emulsifying agent that makes agricultural chemicals more compatible with each other, preventing undesirable interactions and ensuring that multiple products can be used effectively in a single application.”“Adding micronutrients into the mix can be particularly tricky, but compatibility testing has shown Kantor helps them to dissolve, alleviating flocculation and sedimentation so they can be absorbed fully by target plants.”
Stuart’s top tips for avoiding a disaster in the tank-mix:
1 – Periodically inspect agitation system for wear and tear and ensure any worn parts are replaced
2 – Ensure the sprayer is scrupulously clean before starting
3 – Half fill the spray tank with water before adding any products
4 – Maintain good agitation throughout the filling process
5 – Always mix products in the correct order – ensure product labels are referred to and always follow guidance. Carry out a jar test if you’re unsure of compatibility
6 – Add compatibility adjuvant Kantor (at rate of 0.15% v/v) if water is cold and/or adding more than three products into the tank, to help products dissolve. Kantor will buffer to optimal pH
7 – Add more water as products are added
8 – Make sure concentrates do not come in to contact with each other in the induction bowl and allow one product to completely clear the induction bowl before adding the next one
9 – Check slow to dissolve formulations like wettable powders and water dispersible granules are in solution before adding more
10 – Only mix up what you need – never leave a mixed solution in the spray tank overnight
11 – Clean the sprayer thoroughly between jobs
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Buying time with adjuvants
With high value, comes high risk, something Will Parrott knows all too well.
Springhill Farm – part of Evesham Vale Growers – in Worcestershire. The farm is home to a crop fed anaerobic digester and is the UK’s third largest grower of salad onions with a total area of production stretching upwards of 1,600ha (4,000 acres) annually. In addition, as a group, they supply almost a fifth of the total UK market for tomatoes, 52 weeks of the year – supplying both supermarkets and wholesale customers.
Cereal crops grown include maize, wheat and triticale, grown for grain and wholecrop as well as grass. “All of these crops provide feed for
our own AD plants,” explains Will. “Our teams manage the entire growing process from seed, drilling, agrochemical and digestate applications, as well as harvesting, and packing for all of the spring and salad onion varieties we sell.” “We harvest every product by hand, and we then process the onions in our purpose-built packhouse at Springhill Farm. All salad and vegetable growing is carried out within a 20-mile radius of our packhouse, helping us provide the freshest produce possible.”With such a high demand and value for the crop, careful management is required at all stages of the growth cycle to ensure maximum yield and quality crops.
Dealing with disease
Disease is a huge threat to vegetable crops, and so Will works closely with his consultant Dominic Swainson, senior agronomist at Agrii.
“Downy mildew is the biggest problem and sometimes means we can be spraying weekly for it,” explains Dominic. In terms of the programme, mancozeb and metalaxl-p in the form of Fubol Gold, is key for protection he adds, together with Amistar (azoxystrobin) and Orondis Plus (oxathiapiprolin). There are also early applications of Signum (boscalid + pyraclostrobin) employed to help with white rot, a soil borne disease of alliums.
The main risk timings are April-May and also August-September because this is when moisture and dew points on the leaf are at their highest. “Shorter days means longer time for the dew to be sat on the leaf,” says Dominic. “Irrigation in hot dry weather also runs the risk of raising humidity levels and conditions conducive for downy mildew.
Many of the fields suitable for onion growing are on lighter soils close to the rivers which also adds to the humidity. Some of our summer production is moved up to the Cotswolds to spread growing period and risk, but they also run the risk of staying damp longer in cool conditions.”
The location also impacts fungicide application, forcing Will and his team to frequently spray in less-than-ideal conditions, meaning he often needs to incorporate an adjuvant into the mix. We apply all fungicides with the adjuvant Kantor as the drift reduction and rainfastness it provides are critical to us.
“We never have time to spray in a timely fashion, spray days seem to be getting less and less as the years go by. We end up against it most of the time and Kantor buys us more time.” Kantor, from Interagro, is a highly versatile activator adjuvant which contains a compatibility agent – a self-emulsifying agent which helps products mix thoroughly together, even in cold water, and remain in solution without phase separation. “Kantor also works as an anti-drift aid and benefits coverage and retention, helping keep chemicals where they need to be,” explains Interagro’s Stuart Sutherland.
Agrii agronomist Kathryn Styan, who also works alongside Will and Dominic, adds that as well as the rainfastness benefits on the farm, Kantor helps fungicide retention on salad onions in particular. “Onions grow very upright, and the leaves are very waxy so it can be hard to get the fungicide to stick on.
But effective coverage is absolutely crucial to keep the downy mildew out, so the other major reason we use the Kantor is to help maximise coverage and adhesion to the crop.”
Battling weeds
Keeping the salad onion crop weed-free is also essential as onions are not very competitive and this is worsened by a groundsel endemic at the farm, notes Dominic. “With this in mind, we mostly use repetitive low doses of residuals with the addition of Backrow Max to protect the crop.”
Designed to enhance residual herbicide performance in challenging conditions, Backrow Max is another specialist activator adjuvant from Interagro which has been proven to reduce drift and enhance retention in the soil.
Delving further into the programme, pre and peri-emergence applications of Wing-P (dimethenamid-P + pendimethalin), Stomp Aqua (pendimethalin) and Backrow Max. This is followed by repeat low doses of Wing-P and Emerger (aclonifen) all within three weeks of
each other.As well as optimising the efficacy of the herbicides, Backrow Max brings valuable crop safety because it retains the residual herbicides in the weed germination zone – the top 5cm of the soil, explains Dominic. “Consistency of emergence is crucial so we cannot afford to knock the crop with herbicide damage, particularly if we’re irrigating in the drier conditions to aid emergence.”
Being a minor crop reliant on EAMUs, weed control is also equally challenging in the British Vale of Evesham Asparagus crop — the only asparagus of its type that can be grown in Evesham, says Will.
“We try to use a number of different residual herbicide active ingredients with different modes of action to get season long control,
as there is only one shot – pre-emergence — before the asparagus spears come up. It’s a perennial crop, in the ground for up to
10 years, so crop safety is important too.”Looking at the programme, Will says they rely on a combination of clomazone, pendimethalin, metribuzin and mesotrione, as well as Roundup Biactive (glyphosate) pre- and post-harvest. “It’s a complicated mix, being applied in the spring when the spraying water is cold, so mixing can be difficult with settling out.”
Saving solutions
The complexities and the associated challenges with this mix came to a head in spring this year. “We went to spray the field on 21 March, and nothing came out the nozzles – it was totally blocked up and we had to spend half a day cleaning out the sprayer and unblocking it, having pumped the contents into an IBC.”
Will says that they looked into the spray tank and could see that the mix had settled out, so Dominic suggested trying adding Kantor to see if it could “rescue” the chemistry. “We decided to test it by taking a couple of cans out and added approximately 200ml in to one of the containers.
“We shook it all up and Kantor totally brought the whole mix back into a homogenous solution. We left it overnight and it was still in suspension the next morning.
“So we pumped the contents of the IBC back into the spray tank with Kantor and were able to apply to the fields with no issues to the
crop. The lesson learnt was for complicated tank-mixes, always add Kantor. It saves so much time.” Extensive testing over the years has shown
that adding Kantor to the spray tank before filling speeds up the mixing process and helps difficult mixes homogenise in the tank and
stay in solution, explains Stuart.“Tank-mixing pesticides offers flexibility, saves time and may increase effectiveness, but it can be problematic. Adding any more than three products to the tank increases the risk of a mixing issue.” Of course, thorough mixing is crucial for pesticide effectiveness, he adds.
“Only active ingredients fully dissolved in water can be absorbed by plants. But mixing can be slow and tricky in cold water and some formulations can be hard to mix together, particularly at high pH and with hard water. You could be losing efficacy without even realising it.”
Therefore, adding Kantor to the tank before filling is a good insurance to avoid a mixing problem and achieve dependable crop protection performance, says Stuart. What’s more, although growers should take every precaution to avoid a tank-mixing issue, with time and effort it may be possible to recover a problematic tank-mix using Kantor, as Will proved this spring.
“Once the products have been successfully re-suspended, apply with constant agitation to avoid any further issues,” advises Stuart. With catchy weather patterns, challenging spraying conditions and crop protection weaknesses all putting pressure on the spring workload, Will says that if you can take the stress out of the operation, save yourself time and make the products mix together properly and perform as they need to then it’s a no-brainer. “Optimising the delivery of your crop protection products to where they are needed is crucial to get the most out of them,” he concludes.
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Flexibility cultivates success
In an industry where change is the only constant and resilience in the face of adversity is becoming more and more crucial to long-term sustainability, one inspiring young farmer in Darlington has found flexibility is the key to managing risk and maximising success
– with adjuvants playing a pivotal role in the strategy.Farming 240ha in Winston, Darlington quiet days are few and far between for Luke Medd. Luke farms in partnership with his father, Alan and grandfather, Brian, operating a mixed farming system consisting of arable, grassland, beef, and sheep enterprises alongside a mid-tier countryside stewardship scheme, as well as land dedicated to research and development with various field-scale trials. “It’s a proper mixed farm, where the arable, beef and sheep enterprises need to work together, and as such the cropping is extremely diverse,” says Luke.
Diverse cropping
On the arable side of things, West Whorley Hill Farm boasts a 15-crop diverse rotation including wheat, barley, rye, oilseed rape and
triticale, with herbal leys, forage and silage crops also grown to support the 400 strong Wagyu beef herd and 400 head of sheep.“Stubble turnips are grown as an overwinter cover to feed the sheep and forage crops are ensiled to fatten cattle over the winter months,” he explains. “We’re growing forage rye for the first time this year. It’s in the ground now and we’ll take it off in the spring ahead of the maize and other forage crops.”
The rye will be followed by forage maize in the spring and taken off in October, before winter wheat is sown. “As well as the feed value, the rye provides cover over the winter – I hate bare ground and I’m not keen on overwinter stubbles. Therefore, the forage rye is a great way to help improve soil structure and allows three crops in one field in one year.”
Prioritising soil health
The combination of diverse cropping and the livestock enterprises has huge soil health benefits and is an approach that Luke believes is fundamental for the sustainability of his business. “Fifty years ago it was ommonplace for sheep to be considered highly useful on arable farms. They support the rotation, help keep weeds and cereal pests at bay, and perhaps most importantly, the manure releases essential plant nutrients into the soil for the following crops.”
Over the winter months, Luke grazes the sheep on wheat and triticale – putting them on in mid-January and taking them off in March before the first fertiliser application is made. “Grazing the crop also forces additional rooting and tillering,” he adds.
Establishment trials
Soil health is also being prioritised through the approach to crop establishment with Luke part-way through a long-term trial to transition from a conventional plough-based system towards the end goal which is direct drilling of most crops. “This is crucial for the long-term sustainability of the farm – we’re demanding a lot from the soil, so I feel it’s important to repair it.”
Now into year three, one of the main focuses of the trial is to develop a greater understanding of what the soils are currently capable of and what can be done to further enhance the soils properties, explains Luke. “Organic matter levels are already very high and given the time it takes to build organic matter, its paramount that soil analysis is undertaken to allow these levels to be maintained.” To enable this analysis, Luke is working alongside his agronomist Robert Bowes and deploying Agrii’s Soil Resilience Strategy. “The electrical conductivity scanning
with Rhiza has enabled the trial to be set up in the field where there is no soil variation at all, so the only difference in the field is the cultivation type,” notes Rob.
Luke Medd, Partner, N Medd and Son, County Durham And so far, so good, says Luke. “In the first year of trials, there was little difference in winter wheat and spring barley yields when the two establishment techniques were compared. In year two, the direct drilled winter barley and winter wheat actually outyielded the conventionally sown.”
With the year three winter oilseed rape and winter rye trial now drilled, while it’s too early to make conclusions on yield, Luke has noticed huge differences in ground conditions between the two plots. “We got hit pretty hard with Storm Babet in the autumn. There’s no way we would have been able to travel on the conventional fields, but could have on the direct-drilled plots, so as well as the potential yield benefits, direct drilling is already demonstrating greater ground resilience too.”
Crop protection strategy
Getting the establishment right is just one part of the resilience puzzle and Luke says having a carefully formulated chemistry programme
which balances crop protection with strategic usage is key. Both Luke and Rob keep a careful eye on disease and base fungicide applications on the circumstances in front of them, rather than sticking to the same prescribed programme every year. And to get the best out of inputs, Luke says including an adjuvant in with the tank-mix has proven to be a beneficial addition.“Flexibility is key when it comes to crop protection, and that’s what Kantor gives us – extra flexibility when conditions challenge the performance of our programme.” Kantor is a multi-functional activator adjuvant from Interagro, designed to enhance compatibility in tank-mixes, control drift and improve both chemical coverage and penetration. It’s claimed to be the only plant protection tank-mix adjuvant with a builtin micro-emulsifying compatibility aid to ensure stability in the tank and enhances the performance of all products in the tank.
“We don’t use it everywhere, but it reduces the risk of products not working, and given the costs of inputs, it makes sense to get the most out of them,” explains Luke. Rob has been a big advocate for the use of the adjuvant. “On farm every operation is different – different sprayers, different products, different climatic conditions.
Regarding the crop protection programme, you can be as technical as you want with the best products in the tank, but if the application isn’t right, it doesn’t matter what’s in there – you’re not going to get the right result. Including adjuvant Kantor is all about mitigating the risks from external factors.”
Adding flexibility
The spring of 2023 was an example of where both disease and spray applications were tricky, adds Luke. “Conditions pointed to a high pressure septoria season, and we were conscious of varietal weaknesses in some of our varieties.
“T0 – comprising Sakura (tebuconazole, + bromuconazole), with magnesium and early season PGR – was applied on 3 April to take care of high yellow rust pressure, but come T1, the septoria pressure was high and ideally, I should have sprayed around 25 April. However, the weather didn’t come right and proved to be a huge challenge – delaying T1 by almost three weeks, meaning it didn’t go on until mid-May.
“In the end, T1 turned out to be a big mix of active ingredients and included Boogie Xpro (bixafen + prothioconazole + spiroxamine), Phoenix (folpet), magnesium and trace elements, and Adjust (CCC). As it was such a small application window, we decided to add Kantor to the tank to ensure everything would mix, work properly, and keep product on the plant by reducing drift.
“Not only does the Kantor influence the fungicides, but it also optimises the availability and uptake of the PGR and nutrition in the mix.
Even though it wasn’t windy when we did get on, the leaves were so wet. Therefore, having Kantor in there just gave us a bit of peace of
mind in terms of coverage and adhesion.”Penetrant properties
The coverage and penetrant properties of Kantor also come into their own during autumn phoma fungicide sprays and sclerotinia flowering sprays. “Oilseed rape has such a waxy leaf, which can make penetration of protection products a challenge,” explains Rob. “With phoma control it’s crucial to maximise coverage – and therefore protection – across the leaf. But autumn is a difficult timing to get optimal fungicide coverage on the leaf as it’s often wet and already waxy. This is where we’ve found Kantor to be particularly useful as it reduces surface water tension on the leaf so the fungicide coverage and protection can be maximised.”
Turning focus to spring applications and while the team usually opt for a two-spray sclerotinia programme, the weather in 2023 was “way too risky” to assume that was feasible so timed one spray with Kantor in the mix to increase the efficiency and efficacy of the application on 13 May at midflowering, adds Rob. “As a result, we saw no sclerotinia.” Testament to their success, Luke was the proud winner of the NFU’s 2023
Durham Districts Crop Competition Cereal Class – Oilseed Rape. Luke concludes that as weather patterns seen in 2023 become more the ‘norm’, using partner products like adjuvants are going to be vital.“Weather windows are tight, and that’s likely to continue so it’s crucial to reduce the risk of products not working as well as we need them to. We’re such a mixed, diverse farm that sometimes some jobs get neglected, so we need to increase product efficiency and effectiveness as there’s often such a small window for applications.
“We find ourselves constantly on the backfoot if we don’t get on at the right time, so we end up having to pile products into the tank which is not where anyone wants to be. Using an adjuvant just buys us a bit of flexibility and insurance to help keep us on the right track for success.”
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Direct Driller Issue 24 Contents
Enhancing Crop Establishment: The Advantages of Wider Seed Bands in Modern Agriculture
Written by Ian Clayton-Bailey from BTT UK At Bentfield Bury Farms, the winter wheat and…
BYDV-resistant wheats prove their worth in a difficult season
Written by Robert Harris for RAGT Perceived as niche when introduced five years ago, RAGT’s BYDV-resistant…
Farmer Focus – Philip Bradshaw
September 2024 A year since my last article here and it has been an interesting…
Why scientific credibility and standards compliance are vital for farming and rural communities
Find out why scientific credibility and standards compliant natural capital analytics are critical for farming…
Adapting to the Unpredictable: The Importance of Soil Resilience
Written by Louise Penn from Ceres Rural As much as I’d like to avoid discussing…
Securing sustainability
A move to biological seed treatments has helped a Borders grower move away from chemical…
Land sparing and land sharing – considerations for farming with nature
Written by Dr David Cutress: IBERS, Aberystwyth University. Land sparing and land sharing are two…
Tillage with simultaneous fertiliser placement in classical direct seeding regions
Tillage is becoming increasingly interesting in some no-till regions. Michael Horsch talks about various systems…
2022 US Census of Agriculture Reports Increase in No-Till Acres, Decrease in Conservation Tillage
Among the wins for conservation reported in the most recent U.S. Census of Agriculture was…
Stratified Soil Sampling: A New Lokk at Soil Testing
What happens to the fertiliser which is sown on or near the surface of No-till…
From Innovation to Evolution: A 16-year Journey in Direct Drilling
Written by Clive Bailye It seems like such a long time ago now, but back…
Aitchison Seed Drills
https://youtu.be/L83LrZzaw3g Neil Ford from Aitchison Agri talks to Philip about the Aitchison Seedmatic ASM4020 The…
Direct seeding with the new DIRECTO NO seed drill helps protect soil and reduce costs
https://youtu.be/NMAyIFT30oc Adrian Winnett from Bednar FMT talks to Philip in the Direct Driller drill arena…
The Claydon Opti-Till® crop establishment system
The Claydon Opti-Till® crop establishment system delivers a wide range of environmental benefi ts and…
Dale Drills Eco M Agricultural Seed Drill: Efficiency and Versatility for Modern Farming
https://youtu.be/CQEJWS88Gzo Tom Dale from Dale Drills tells us about the 6m Eco M which gives…
Fentech Agri – TS-600 AP
https://youtu.be/U_xGc840dq8 Find out the latest from Thom Graham from Fentech Agri / Simtech about their…
Horizon MDSX
https://youtu.be/zHjJTD9S7go Charlie Eaton gives a detailed insight of the latest MDSX mounted direct disc drill…
John Deere drill work in all conditions
https://youtu.be/wuwbXwdOJl8 John Deere tell us about the John Deere 750A drill 6m width in the…
Maschio Gaspardo UK – GIGANTE PRESSURE DIRECT SEED DRILL
https://youtu.be/dxvhZNT8i2I Mac Simpson from Maschio Gaspardo in the drill arena for Direct Driller at Cereals…
Moore Unidrill Celebrates 50 Years of Innovation
Moore Unidrill stands out among the many exhibitors at Cereals 2024, marking a significant milestone…
Novag SAS and Primewest Announce Strategic Partnership for the UK Market
Novag SAS, a leading French manufacturer of no-till agricultural equipment, has been at the forefront…
Weaving drills power regen journey
Contract farming 3,500 acres around the parish of Upton Snodsbury, just east of Worcester, Colin…
We are excited to deliver the Güttler Supermaxx Direct tined drill
Since the first exposure of the Supermaxx tined Cultivation system in 2013 at the LAMMA…
Covering Soils – Scotland
We ran our first Direct Driller Covering Soils event in Scotland in May 2024. The…
Featured Farmer – Neil White
My name is Neil White and I hosted the first Covering Soils event for Direct…
Welcome to the first tech focussed edition of Direct Driller Magazine. From now on, issues will rotate between soils issues and tech issues.
Contents –
Old-fashioned farming with modern technology – page 4.
It’s 2030, so how have we done? – page 4.
Labour pains push robotic pickers – page 6.
Industry-leading research in robotics and automation – page 12.
Flash, crackle, pop – page 14.
Agronomist in Focus – Todd Jex – page 16.
The win-wins of regenerative agriculture – page 19.
Robots find their way into farmers fields – page 22.
Bayer and Microsoft forge a new frontier – page 26.
Robitics and perception in agriculture – page 28
What will appear at FIRA24? -30
Farmer Focus – Thomas Gent – 36
From hands-free hectare to aerial delivery – 37
Farmer Focus – Daniel Davies – 39
Catapult plans for UK agritech – 41
Shedding light on LED grow lighting – 46
Drilling down into fixed costs – 48
Farmer Focus – Simon Beddows – 50
Making methane practical – 52
Hitting rock bottom – 53
Basics best for hi-tech wine – 56
Biochar venture wins equity investment – 59
Farmer Focus – Clive Bailye – 61
Manufacturer Focus – Vaderstad – 63 -
Old-Fashioned Farming with Modern Technology
I first encountered this definition of Regenerative Farming about a year ago, and it struck a chord with me. Farmers talk (often nostalgically) about farming again like their grandfather used to, but while that is true in the approach, the method has changed massively. Technology has played a pivotal role in enabling regenerative practices to evolve on an unprecedented scale, and scientific studies have deepened our understanding of soil dynamics.
Reviewing Direct Driller Magazine over the past six years reveals a consistent blend of soil-focused content and technological advancements. Building on this foundation, we have decided to take our exploration further. Future magazine issues will alternate between technology and soils, allowing for in-depth discussions on each topic. Our approach, coupled with the launch of Groundswell in 2016, has profoundly shifted the perception of Regenerative Farming in the UK and increased its visibility throughout the supply chain. This shift is now being recognised with higher commodity prices.
In the realm of technology, our aim is to provide farmers with increased exposure to developments in the UK and around the world. This involves identifying areas for incremental advances and contemplating more extensive changes, envisioning what a modern farm might look like in the next two decades.
We often hear the assertion that “farming is changing”, but the crucial question is: changing to what? We hope that the Tech Farmer issues will assist farmers in understanding how to steer their businesses towards greater profitability and sustainability. Even if certain aspects of their farms undergo significant transformation, these changes will contribute to a more robust and adaptive agricultural sector.
Considering the constant evolution in farming practices, the average farmer in 20 years might be quite different. It prompts us to reflect on our own evolution compared with our parents and wonder whether we really anticipate farming for our children will be that different.
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It’s 2030, so how have we done?
Tom Allen-Stevens travels forward to 2030 and imagines what prospects agri-tech pioneers will have.
In just a few days it will be 2030 – for over a decade, this has been seen as something of a milestone year in farming’s journey to Net Zero.
It also seems a good point to look back on the first issue of Tech Farmer, that was launched just before Christmas 2023. What were the key issues we picked out then, and how have they developed since?
2023 was the beginnings of the Fourth Agricultural Revolution – a time at which it was first recognised (at last) that farmers are innovators as well as capable practitioners. The Basic Payment had reduced to half its original offering, and uncertainty surrounded how SFI would replace it.
No one had ever heard of ADOPT, the new Defra-funded scheme that’s now credited for helping pioneering farmers bring new research into practice. Or at least no one had heard of it until Tech Farmer became the first to announce its arrival (right there on p42 of our first issue, if you have any doubts).
Interesting too that this was announced in the same article that explored the merger of the Agri-Tech Centres and the formation of what then became the Agri-Tech Catapult. Who would have thought back then that these centres would subsequently merge with AHDB?
Robotics was the focal point of that inaugural issue, and the cover story profiled for the first time what was then the relatively unknown potential of CLAWS – Concentrated Light Autonomous Weeding and Scouting (p12). Of course, things have now moved on – it’s incredible to think how much we used to rely on glyphosate for weed control.
And do you remember those pre-emergence herbicides we used to apply with gay abandon, until weed resistance rendered them obsolete and regulators decided they’d had enough? Thank goodness for the pioneering solutions that have developed since, some of them shown at FIRA 2024 (p28).
One thing that struck me, looking back at that first issue, was Jonathan Gill’s insight into what the next ten years would bring (p35), given his experience as one of the heralds of the hands-free hectare.
“My future hope is a flock of drones performing tasks across the fields, all self-launched and tasked by an AI field manager who knows the best conditions day or night to plant or protect crops even down to a single plant,” he says. Wow – just remember, he talked of that at a time when UK regulation made such a hope unthinkable. Thank goodness policy makers took note.
To be fair, that’s one aspect that the agri-tech pioneer of 2030 can be grateful for – the foundations for agri-innovation may have been laid down by the last Tory government (remember them?), but it’s the Coalition that needed to step up to the task, and to be fair it did soon after the General Election in 2024. I certainly can’t remember as much being invested in farmer-led R&D. And its ag policy is clearly proving to be a vote winner, if the recent GE2029 landslide victory for the new Labour administration is anything to go by.
The European picture is now a similar scene of good prospects for those farmers who have grasped the technology nettle and worked to shape it to their advantage. The EU New Horizon for Agriculture Agenda, signed after the end of the Ukraine conflict, at last gave the green light across Europe for gene-edited crops, and put the emphasis squarely on productivity, as the previous Farm to Fork Strategy was quietly dropped. Analysts reckon the policy move aligns the EU much closer to the UK’s current agri-tech tract. This explains why some of the businesses we profiled in that first issue of Tech Farmer are expanding rapidly across the EU.
The global picture has been more of a rocky road, however. UK farmers may have benefited from the soya crisis of 2024, but the economic turmoil in South America that ensued has sent shock waves of uncertainty throughout the global ag industry. We’ve yet to see whether the US president can deliver in her second term of office the promises to support US Agriculture she made in her first, but the impact, in terms of agri-tech investment, is already being felt.
Nowhere was this more obvious than in the halls of Agritechnica 2029. Visitors to the show just six years earlier were treated to innovations such as New Holland’s energy-independent farm (p50) and John Deere’s Farm of the Future. The worry then was that the developments into autonomy and tech made by these global giants wouldn’t be available to UK farms, with our small roads and fields. The UK was in danger of being marginalised out of agri-innovation directed purely at the vast fields and wide, open plains of the Americas and Eastern Europe.
But many who took the treck to Hanover last month were disappointed to find such tech hadn’t moved on as much as had been promised – mutterings of ‘emperor’s new clothes’ were not uncommon. What’s now more likely, according to analysts, is that the investment needed to bring it to market melted away with the confidence in Big Ag, triggered by the soya crisis – whatever happened to the agricultural partnerships promised by the likes of Google, Amazon and Musk?
What Big Ag failed to recognise was the importance of involving farmers in developing that tech, and now those companies are paying the price. It was to represent the interests of those pioneering farmers that Tech Farmer came into being. We had seen how Direct Driller had gelled the interests of those pioneering a path in regenerative agriculture. It was time to bring those interests together with farmers from other sectors. To become a focal point for the surge of interest in agri-tech. To explore the fascinating and fast-developing realms of new tech, of AI, autonomy, of their possibilities to reshape how we farm.
But most of all it was to represent the interests of those who were resolved to shape it. To tell the stories and share the experiences of the farmers at the cutting edge of the Fourth Agricultural Revolution. Because, as we now know, this new chapter in farming’s progression belonged to you. You implemented the innovations, breathed the life and the opportunity into the new tech.
So it’s largely thanks to you that with just a decade to go, UK Ag is now well on track to deliver Net Zero – Happy Christmas and here’s to a prosperous 2030.
Tom Allen-Stevens farms 170ha in Oxfordshire and leads the British On-Farm Innovation Network (BOFIN). 
