A New BYDV Tool Arrives This Summer
New AHDB BYDV management tool
Research
Where is AgTech Really Headed?
For the past decade, the agricultural industry has been sold a vision of the future farm that looks more like a science fiction film than a muddy Tuesday in Lincolnshire. Fully autonomous tractors, robot swarms, and artificial intelligence running everything while the farmer watches from a dashboard were promised as the inevitable next steps. Step …
Proving agri-tech
By CEO, Steve McLean, UK Agri-Tech Centre Our ambition is to make the UK the best place to start, grow and scale agri-tech businesses. But that only matters if technologies are proven in real-world, commercial environments – and adopted at scale. Our strategy is built around helping agri-tech businesses move from innovation to commercial reality …
A promising start for farmer-led research
One year ago, Direct Driller covered the launch of the ADOPT funding scheme from Defra’s Farming Innovation Programme with Innovate UK. ADOPT supports farmers in testing new ideas, products or practices on farm, providing project grants of £50-£100k over 1–2 years. 70 farmer-led projects have now started. With a total initial funding commitment of £20 …
Breaking the Resistance
How an olive-derived compound could save UK Oilseed rape from the cabbage stem flea beetle By Chris Fellows For nearly a decade, arable farmers across the United Kingdom and Northern Europe have been fighting a losing battle against a formidable, albeit tiny, adversary: the cabbage stem flea beetle (Psylliodes chrysocephala, or CSFB). Following the European …
Landmark project develops next-generation oilseed rape and smart disease control
Precision-bred oilseed rape will be put to the test in trials on commercial farms for the first time in Europe, offering fresh hope for a crop under pressure. A new £2.5m, three-year project marks a major step towards rebuilding the UK’s most important break crop. The project, Light Leaf Spot Enhancing Resistance And reducing Susceptibility …
Landmark project develops next-generation oilseed rape and smart disease control Read More »
You’re Collecting More Soil Data Than Ever. Can You Actually Use It?
How UK farmers are drowning in test results from different tools and labs, and what happens when you finally bring it all together. There’s a quiet irony at the heart of modern soil management. Farmers have never had access to more data about their land. Soil chemistry tests, leaf tissue analysis, plant sap readings, nitrate …
You’re Collecting More Soil Data Than Ever. Can You Actually Use It? Read More »
Biofungicide performance pilot for wheat
AHDB-funded trials will provide independent information on the potential of biofungicides in winter wheat. Jason Pole, AHDB Technical Content Manager, explains. Options are good for disease management because they provide flexibility, add strength to integrated pest management (IPM) and help reduce fungicide resistance risks. Biofungicides are an emerging area of interest, but they must get …
Can Certification Truly Pay for UK Farmers?
Written by Chris Fellows The term “regenerative agriculture” is on everyone’s lips, from the halls of government to the supermarket aisles. With it comes the tantalising promise of premium prices for our crops and livestock. But as the market floods with a dizzying array of certifications, standards and claims, many of us on the ground …