Lessons learnt from the challenging season of 2020 – South East Farmer – James Short

Driving around farms, the difference between fields where good soil management has been practised and those where it hasn’t is very noticeable. There is no doubt that the key to these better performing crops comes down to the condition of soils at drilling. Where soils were well structured and received regular application of biosolids and manures, crops performed well.

For example, where wheat was drilled into good soil conditions during September 2019 it has yielded well – around 10 to 12t/ha. However, wheats drilled later in the autumn into poor conditions, where establishment was compromised, have produced very variable yields.

The type of cultivation also influenced crop performance; plough-based systems tended to do better in the deteriorating late autumn conditions, while many farmers who had adopted direct drilling and min till systems found that soils were not resilient enough when weather conditions deteriorated. Strip till and tine drills performed well and allowed for later autumn drilling into unmoved stubbles. We also learned that heavy trailed drills travelling on previously cultivated soils do not perform at their best when tractors struggle for traction.

There continues to be much debate over the value of cover crops in rotations and soil health. Always openminded, I continue to question the positives and negatives and remain of the opinion that growers need to proceed cautiously and learn to manage cover crops on their own farms.

Growing the right cover crop for the soil and the intended following harvested crop will reap benefits but requires careful planning, patience and a cultivation and drill system that can manage the residues.

Cereal variety performance has remained consistent with previous years. There was little disease due to the dry spring/summer apart from yellow rust which had to be managed accordingly. Good sunlight levels helped photosynthesis and many wheat crops performed better than expected.

Looking at some of the more popular varieties, Skyfall coped well and has delivered consistently across the region. New wheat variety Extase looks promising with early maturity, good grain quality and excellent Septoria resistance. However, the new Group 3 Firefly has proved more variable and has not tolerated poor soil conditions, suffering from stem-based diseases.

Winter oilseed rape is the crop that everyone has been worried about after the devastating effects of cabbage stem flea beetle last season, especially where rape was planted on light and poorer soils or where seedbeds were dry during the establishment period. The highest yields have come from hybrid varieties or where good, rapid establishment was achieved.

There are many discussions about the future of OSR and how to minimise the risk of crop failure. There is no perfect answer, but retaining soil moisture and ensuring adequate crop nutrition to allow rapid establishment is very important, and many farmers are trying a range of establishment techniques that suit their own soil types and farming systems.

Winter linseed could be considered as an alternative to winter OSR; it’s an interesting crop and has yielded 2 to 2.5t/ha, but weed control can be challenging. Spring linseed remains very variable and harvesting is a challenge without an effective desiccant.

It’s not been a good season for pulses, as soil conditions at planting are critical for a good crop. However, winter and spring beans fared best when planted early, producing yields of up to 5t/ha with good quality and little bruchid damage. Spring peas have struggled, and yields have been very variable. Soya crops are few and far between, with perhaps more grower interest once improved early maturing varieties are available.

Looking ahead, many growers have taken the opportunity of an early harvest, and having felt the consequences of last autumn intend to drill cereals in September this season. With early drilling comes the need to manage crops appropriately, with much greater risk of barley yellow dwarf virus from aphids and the requirement for robust grass weed management. For an early drilled crop to reach its full potential, it is essential to manage the risks. Remember, no season is the same as the last one!