Strategic Cereal Farm Harvest 2022 Results

Our Strategic Cereal Farms put cutting-edge research and innovation into practice on commercial farms around the UK. We ran a series of Wednesday webinars during November 2022 to highlight the latest results from across the network, delivered by our farm hosts, industry experts and researchers.

What this webinar covered:

Strategic Cereal Farm Scotland

• Drill date trial results: Investigating optimum conditions for direct-drilled spring barley germination to improve establishment reliability. 

Strategic Cereal Farm South

• Crop establishment trial results: Comparing the impact of soil amendments targeting biological enhancement on early-stage crop growth in winter wheat.

Strategic Cereal Farm North

• Priorities for year one: Looking into soil and crop health, drainage and an extensive on-farm database to identify correlations with (and barriers to) increased yield.

What this webinar covered:

Strategic Cereal Farm East

• Cover crops and water trial: Investigating the role of cover crops in reducing nitrate leaching across the rotation, on cultivated land and a one-pass system
• Flowering strips trial: Looking at whether flowering strips/margins affect the diversity, distribution, and number of beneficials and pests in an arable field

Strategic Cereal Farm Scotland

• Cover crops destruction trial: Comparing different destruction methods to explore the impact of cover crops on soils, biodiversity and the following crop

Strategic Cereal Farm South

• Cover crops and water trial: Assessing the impact of different cover crop mixes on soil health, water quality, biodiversity and the following crop
• Soil health baselining: Looking at the impact of regenerative practices on soil health

What this webinar covered:

Strategic Cereal Farm East

• Managed lower inputs trial: Investigating the cost-benefit of different fungicide programmes.

Strategic Cereal Farm Scotland

• Amended nutrition trial: Testing whether amending nutrition throughout the season in response to crop testing can reduce the need for additional inputs.
• Optimising nitrogen application trial: Comparing foliar and granular nitrogen application to optimise nitrogen use efficiency and reduce losses.

What this webinar covered:

Strategic Cereal Farm East

• Marginal land trial results: Database analysis to classify areas of land at the Strategic Farm that provide agricultural value.

Building on the findings from the marginal land trial, the Strategic Cereal Farm hosts will discuss the future of sustainable arable businesses, including opportunities for implementing environmental schemes.

Missed Strategic Cereal Farm Results week?

All the webinars have been recorded and now available on the links displayed below. They will share the latest results and findings alongside hearing from the Strategic Farm hosts, industry experts and researchers.