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Two RAGT wheats gain full UK approval on AHDB’s 2025/26 Recommended List

Agronomist Focus, Products in Focus / By

Breadmaking wheat RGT Goldfinch and soft wheat RGT Hexton made the list after a very strong performance in trials and on farm. RGT Goldfinch RGT Goldfinch, the first high quality breadmaking wheat that is resistant to barley yellow dwarf virus and orange wheat blossom midge, has gained full UK approval on AHDB’s 2025/26 Recommended List. …

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Planning for silage success 2025 – using AgTech to fine tune decision making.

Agronomist Focus / By

Improving quality and producing the right quantity for the animal numbers on farm takes planning and it starts with the soil, test so that you know what you already have on farm in the soil, in the slurry/FYM means than when the conditions are right the correct amount of nutrients can be applied to the …

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Ecoacoustics – a new underground horizon for soil health

Biodiversity, Livestock on Farm, Soil Health, Soils Farmer / By

Following on from a farm trial undertaken by Andy Cato’s Wildfarmed farms, (as mentioned in our Farmer Profile issue Nov’ 24) we’re drilling down (pardon the pun) into the technology behind a new technique for measuring soil health – ecoacoustics. Ecoacoustics is an emerging science which investigates natural and anthropogenic sounds and their relationship with …

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Potato cyst nematodes (PCN): The hidden enemy of potato crops

Agronomist Focus, Products in Focus / By

PCN damage to potatoes Potato cyst nematodes (PCN) are a major threat to the UK potato industry, often invisible and hidden away from plain view. These microscopic pests live in the soil and attack potato plants, leading to lower crop yields and reduced tuber quality. The danger of PCN lies in their ability to remain …

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Long-term fall in phosphate use raises concerns

Agronomist Focus, Products in Focus, Soils Farmer / By

The development of soil-release agents and protected forms of phosphate means growers can meet crop needs without having to apply large quantities of TSP, SSP or rock phosphate. Disincentivised by higher prices for phosphate (P) fertiliser Britain’s growers have gradually reduced application rates to the extent that many soils now contain worryingly low levels of …

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The importance of the winter decomposer cycle

Agronomist Focus, Soil Health, Soils Farmer / By

Written by Mike Harrington, Managing Director of AIVA Fertiliser Following on from the beginning of November, and it is reassuring to see that nature’s autumn cycle is beginning. The time where digestion, recycling and humification occurs in active soil systems. We do not require an expensive test to see this. Our eyes tell us that …

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New seed germination model devised

Research, Soils Farmer / By

New research from Rothamsted Novel tool will give breeders more predictive accuracy for seed development and growth. Scientists at Rothamsted have developed a novel mathematical model for seed germination. The new tool is derived from field data and marks a significant improvement in accuracy over previous models. Germination models use water and temperature as the …

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Worcestershire-based family business wins industry award

Manufacturer in Focus, Soils Farmer / By

Chadbury-based agricultural machinery manufacturer, Weaving Machinery, has been awarded Gold in the British and Irish Manufacturer of the Year category in the LAMMA Innovation Awards 2025. Family business, Weaving Machinery, has launched several new products and innovations over the past five years, with widespread recognition. The Sabre drill debuted in 2020 and quickly became one …

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