Variety Day preview - 27 June

VARIETY DAY WILL BE BETTER THAN EVER

The Fram Farmers/ Apex Agronomy/ Prime Agriculture Variety Day on 27th June, at the BASF trials site on R.H. Forrest’s Mowness Hall in Suffolk, will provide an excellent opportunity to compare 32 winter wheat varieties in one field. The event will attract two NROSO points and five BASIS points.

Fram Farmers work closely with the independent agronomy sector and for this year’s Variety Day we are delighted to be collaborating with two leading independent agronomy groups in the east, as many of their clients are members. Apex Agronomy will co-host the morning session, while Prime Agriculture will be our co-host for the afternoon.

James Forrest

This year’s host farm has been a Fram Farmers member for more than 40 years and operates over 4,000 acres of owned, rented and contracted land, as well as providing contracting services.

JAMES FORREST, a former Director of our cooperative, states: “We take a long-term approach and operate a long rotation which includes winter wheat, winter and spring barley, sugar beet, oilseed rape, spring beans and parsley. A large percentage of our wheat, spring barley and spring beans is grown for seed. All cereal seed crops are hand rogued to remove volunteers and blackgrass, which helps keep the farm clean. We also look after the soil by minimising compaction, incorporating straw, applying organic matter and establishing crops under favourable conditions.

“I work closely with my independent agronomist, Peter Riley, and keep things simple. We grow a limited number of varieties, have a significant area of each, get to know them in detail and really understand how to manage them, particularly in respect of fungicides. This enables us to push them hard and maximise their potential.

“We specialise in high-yielding feed wheats, as they suit our Hanslope/Beccles series soils and there are good markets locally. Each season I assess which varieties for seed will work best and generally produce four varieties of wheat for seed, from which I select one or two for commercial production. Last year we grew 100 ha of KWS Kerrin for the first time, a big commitment for a new variety. It out-yielded Shabras by 3.5%, KWS Santiago by 7% and KWS Siskin by 11.5%, so it became one of our commercial varieties this season.

Matthew Keane, BASF

MATTHEW KEANE, BASF: “This is the first time that BASF have taken part in a variety day with Fram Farmers and we believe it will be beneficial for all involved.

“Two years ago, BASF established trial sites on working farms in key areas of the UK as part of our Real Results Circle programme. This UK-wide agricultural knowledge network brings together experts and industry specialists to identify and overcome issues that erode profits, and generates real results through realworld trials.

“This is the second year of trials at Mowness Hall, where visitors will be able to compare current fungicides and upcoming chemistry on 32 wheat varieties, treated and untreated. The event will also provide an opportunity to discuss other BASF products, including herbicides and the Clearfield system.”

BASF announced recently that it is set to launch a new ‘blockbuster’ azole cereal fungicide. Revysol, an innovative, highly effective fungicide active ingredient from the triazole chemical class, will strengthen the company’s leading position in fungicides and will likely be used as a partner to help slow fungicide resistance.

Revysol is an excellent example of BASF’s well-filled pipeline of innovations and fits perfectly with its successful fungicide portfolio. With Revysol, the company says it has developed an active ingredient with outstanding biological performance in a multitude of crops. Customers will benefit from a unique combination of fast action, long-lasting control and a favourable regulatory profile. In addition to the potential to maximize crop quality and yield in a sustainable way, the proprietary fungicide will play an important role in integrated pest management (IPM) programs.

Ross Dawson

Ross Dawson, Fram Farmers’ Arable Inputs Specialist, has seen great interest in Gleam and says that the seed could be in short supply. RGT Gravity is also popular, while Elicit (Elsoms), which has biscuit and export potential, is generating significant interest.

Rob Hurren, Apex Agronomy

ROB HURREN, APEX AGRONOMY: “The Variety Day will allow our clients to view current and new winter wheat varieties growing on heavy soil, which is typical for many of them. This season I have highlighted three new ones to my clients, Gleam (Syngenta), Elicit (Elsoms) and Jackal (KWS).

“We’ll be keeping a close eye on Gleam, a very high yielding, hard Group 4 feed winter wheat that was added to the Recommended List for 2018. It suits all soil types, performs well in all regions and on heavy land looks like being a very good fit.

“Elsoms’ Elicit, a Group 3 candidate with biscuit and export potential, is generating significant interest with those looking for premium potential, and may well take market share from KWS Barrel, the leading Group 3. Elicit has a highly competitive treated yield and, crucially, a robust disease resistance package - 6 for Septoria, 9 for yellow rust and 7 for brown rust.

“Most of my clients grow hard wheat, but Jackal, a soft Group 4, might have a place on some farms. It’s the highest yielding soft wheat on the Recommended List, producing consistent yields across regions, soil types and rotational positions. It has good disease ratings, short-medium height with stiff straw, OWBM resistance and suits a range of markets, including bioethanol, distilling and soft milling.

“KWS Siskin is a Group 2 which yielded 0.25- 0.5t/ha more than any other variety across my client group last season, but lodging was a problem. We’re looking with interest at RGT Gravity and KWS Kerrin, a very consistent variety which performs well in the East.

“That said, neither did too well last season because of lodging. Similarly, we will want to see Graham (Syngenta) do well this year to maintain interest.”

The Fram Farmers Variety Day will be held at R. H. Forrest Ltd’s Mowness Hall, Mowness Hall Lane, Stonham Aspal, Suffolk IP14 5JJ from 09.00-16.30, with lunch at 13.00. The venue is just off the A140 at Stonham Aspal and approximately four miles from Junction 51 on the A14.

Confirmed Exhibitors Include:

Fram Insurance/AT & A

Gleadell Fertiliser

Yara Fertilisers

Ilex Envirosciences

Premier Seeds

Walnes Seeds

Command Pest Control

FlyiBot

Hummingbird

Needham Chalks

Anglia Water

CASE IH

Pro Straw systems

MDT

RTK

Pan Anglia

AICC

AHDB

VARIETY WATCH - Rob Hurren’s New Wheats to Watch

Gleam - Syngenta

Elicit - Elsoms Seeds

Jackal - KWS

Further details

BASF Crop Protection UK: T: 0845 602 2553 E: technicalhotline@basf.com W: www.agricentre.basf.co.uk

Apex Agronomy: T: 07766 104047 E: info@apexagronomy.co.uk www.apexagronomy.co.uk

Prime Agriculture: T: 01603 881852 E: enquiries@primeag.co.uk www. primeag.co.uk

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