On-farm trials at Strategic Cereal Farm South (2021–2024)

Host farmer: David Miller

Location: Wheatsheaf Farming Company, Hampshire

Duration: 2021–2027

AHDB Strategic Cereal Farms put cutting-edge research and innovation into practice on commercial farms around the UK. Each farm hosts field-scale and farm-scale demonstrations, with experiences shared via on-farm and online events to the wider farming community.

Strategic Cereal Farms

David has embraced regenerative agriculture practices for over a decade. The farm has adopted cover crops and been fully no-till since 2015. He will continue this journey and aims to reduce input use on the farm. This farm’s goal is to be profitable, while maximising carbon sequestration and biodiversity.

This page features a summary of information published in the latest annual report.

Soil and crop health: impacts of different management systems

This project investigates the effect of cultivation and management strategies on soil health and crop health and productivity/profitability.

Headlines

• This project monitors seven fields that have been managed with the principles of regenerative agriculture for over ten years
• It also compares three of these fields (called focus fields) with another (Typhrees) that is transitioning to a regenerative system from a conventional system
• In 2023, the three focus fields did not have the same crop as Typhrees, which is in continuous spring barley with a diverse overwinter cover crop
• However, the 2023 monitoring results provide useful information to integrate with the full data set (from the previous and future seasons)

Action points

• When establishing a long-term monitoring programme to study farm performance, the value of the data collected will increase over seasons
• In some years, the stand-alone value of data collected may seem low, but in a well-designed study, it should be possible to draw some comparisons in each year
• For example, grain samples could have been collected in the other farm spring barley crops in 2023
• This project is one to keep an eye on, as the main messages will arise after several seasons

Soil health at crop establishment

This project examined the effects of two products (targeting biological enhancement) with different modes of action (vermicompost humates and molasses with microbial nutrition) applied with seed on early crop development, root growth and soil health.

Headlines

• No significant differences were detected in crop establishment or root development metrics between untreated areas and any of the treatments (in the soil/season/crop combinations studied)
• The farm is now confident that the longer-term, soil-improving measures (cover cropping and no tillage in combination) have improved the soil health baseline effectively so that any benefits of tactical applications of amendments are not detectable
• From autumn 2023, the trial will change its focus to assess whether a companion crop with wheat has benefits for soil biology and early crop growth

Action points

• Given the inherent variability within soils and root growth habit, anyone thinking of using (or ceasing use of) similar products should consider carrying out strip trials to support decisions
• The main monitoring strategies used in this project are straightforward, require no specialist equipment and all sample analyses are offered by commercial laboratories
• Therefore, these monitoring strategies can be used to examine the effectiveness of such products in your farming system

Cover crops and water quality

This project investigates the interaction between the cover crop species mix, soil health status, and health and productivity of following spring crops. The work complements cover crop trial data collected by FWAG-South East on the farm.

Headlines

• Wheatsheaf Farming Company has used cover crops since 2010
• All spring crop ground has included a cover crop since 2015
• The results helped to confirm that the farm’s long-term decision to integrate cover crops does not have a deleterious effect on following crop health or yield
• Therefore, the selection of the most appropriate cover crop mixture can be made by considering the rate of establishment, canopy development and capacity to develop above or below ground biomass
• From the establishment and biomass results, a property to consider when selecting a cover crop mix is the rate at which species within the mix will emerge and the above/below ground biomass they provide throughout the intended growing season
• For example, where present, radish, phacelia and mustard contributed substantially to the above ground biomass
• The difference in rooting structures meant that only radish and mustard further significantly contributed to the below ground biomass
• However, the dense fibrous root network of phacelia within the top 15 cm of soil created and stabilised a distinct crumb structure
• Species that provide substantial above ground biomass were likely to provide larger canopies which, in turn, for example, could reduce the likelihood of capping
• None of the cover crop mixtures had an observable deleterious effect on spring bean establishment, health or yield
• Data collected by FWAG-South East showed reductions in nitrate leaching where cover crops were grown. However, slug numbers increased slightly in a cover crop, compared with stubble, but overall benefits for beneficial invertebrate species outweighed pest increases

Action points

• The work confirmed that the farm’s long-term decision to integrate cover crops on these light/medium soils does not have a deleterious effect on following crop health or yield
• Integration of cover crops is not expected to be as straightforward on heavy soils
• Selection of the most appropriate cover crop mixture for any site should consider the rate of establishment, canopy development and capacity to develop above-ground or below-ground biomass with regard to the expect drilling date
• For example, it was observed that early-season green cover and canopy development varied between mixes and that various species made different contributions to above-ground and below-ground biomass production
• For on-farm monitoring, consider using VESS assessments (with photos) to monitor rooting patterns and soil structure impacts