bydv – Direct Driller

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 wheats are now catching the attention of a significant number of farmers. Marketed under the Genserus (Genetic Security Virus) brand, these wheats offer season-long control of BYDV, removing the management headaches of autumn aphid control, eliminating the risk of resistance …

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Adapting to the Unpredictable: The Importance of Soil Resilience

Agent in Focus / By Louise Penn

Written by Louise Penn from Ceres Rural As much as I’d like to avoid discussing the weather after this challenging season, it continues to demand our attention. I am writing this after nearly 230mm of rain has fallen in 48 hours in my local area! Houses are flooded and roads impassable where I have never …

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BYDV threat under the spotlight at TWB Farms open day

Products in Focus, Research, Soils Farmer / By RAGT

The increasing threat of barley yellow dwarf virus in winter wheat and the potential of resistant varieties to overcome it was the focus of a recent open day at TWB Farms, near Lichfield. Host farmer Clive Bailye set up an observation trial last autumn, comparing 15ha of BYDV-resistant RGT Grouse with a similar area of …

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BYDV-Resistant Wheat

Farm Trial Results, Soils Farmer / By RAGT

BYDV-resistant wheat is a relatively new concept in the UK that is creating significant interest among farmers and the seed trade.

Pressure from BYDV is building after the ban in 2019 of seed treatments that controlled the aphid vectors, while resistance to insecticide sprays is increasing and government policy on insecticide use is tightening.

Agronomist in Focus – Todd Jex

Agronomist Focus, Tech Farmer / By Todd Jex

GENERATIONAL POINTERS Agrii agronomist Todd Jex gets a steer from his grandfather on how he’s putting newtech into practice. I really enjoy talking to the older farming generation about farming systems and the challenges they faced during their careers. My 92-year-old grandfather is often particularly keen to point out that many of the ‘fashionable’ and …

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Farmer Focus – Andy Howard – July 23

Farmer Focus / By Andy Howard

As I sit here on the last day of May writing this article it is blowing a gale outside and has been for quite a long time now. Our soils have gone from drenched at the beginning of May to having the life sucked out of them at the end of the month. It really …

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The evolution of tillage techniques on heavy arable land in the East Midlands

Farm Trial Results / By The Allerton Project

Written by Dr Alastair Leake from The Allerton Project “There’s a reason why we use the plough” a colleague sagely advised me when I questioned this fundamental agricultural practice; “It works” – and I was treated to a history lesson to-boot. Having transitioned from growing heated glasshouse salad crops in hydroponics, the ultimate zero-till system, …

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Excellent results from the 2022 harvest, but what next?

Manufacturer in Focus / By Jeff Clayon

DIRECT DRILLER MAGAZINE – AUTUMN 2022 Excellent results from the 2022 harvest, but what next? With the harvest safely gathered in Jeff Claydon, Suffolk arable farmer and inventor of the Opti-Till® direct strip seeding system, discusses the results and looks ahead to next season. ——————————————————————————————————————————— 18 August 2022 It has been a very strange year …

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