The neonic outcome is a challenge for seed supply but triumph for science – Arable Farming – Darryl Shailes
This winter seems to be dragging on, with soils still very wet and cold and spring work delayed as a result ...
We’ve managed to cut the lawn at the top of the garden once but the bottom marshy ground is still squelchy under foot, just like many of the fields at the minute.
One benefit of the high water is that the chub have been feeding in the Waveney, and with little else to do, I’ve managed a few late evening sessions at weekends and finally managed to catch a nice 5lb chub on cheese paste. However, the dosed season is now upon us, so no more forays until June 16.
The other notable event is that I have now had my Covid-19 vaccination. How fantastically well organised it was by our local centre. I was in and out in 15 minutes with no queues and apart from feeling a little achy the following day, no side effects.
During the pandemic, we have seen science come to the fore in the mainstream press. The speed at which the vaccines have been manufactured has been amazing and the science behind it is newsworthy on its own. Hopefully once this pandemic is under control and behind us, we will hear in more detail of the process to allow us to appreciate the enormity of what has been achieved.
We have heard lots of discussions around science-based models and much talk from Government on how decisions are being led by science. And in an industry that is also science-led, we in agriculture should applaud this view.
In our own small way, we have also recently had a very significant science-led decision made.
Virus yellows
We are all aware that the Emergency Approval for Cruiser SB (thiamethoxam) was granted on the back of the virus yellows prediction model developed by Rothamsted Research and used by BBRO, to justify the use of neonicotinoid seed dressing. This is predominantly based on the weather and the potential for infection across the beet crop.
The model has shown that less than 10% of the national crop is likely to be infected with virus yellows, so the approval has not gone through. While this is a challenge in terms of sugar beet seed supply getting onto farms – although the current soil conditions probably negate the delay – it’s a triumph for science.
Rothamsted Research was founded in 1843 by John Bennet Lawes, the then owner of the Rothamsted Estate, and is the longest running agricultural research institute in the world. In association with Joseph Henry Gilbert, the famous long-term experiments at Broadbalk were set up and laid the foundation of modern scientific agriculture.
BBRO has developed from what was formerly Brooms Barn Research and has been at the forefront of sugar beet research since 1962. 1 remember going to Brooms Barn when I started working and even as recently as 2020, when l attended the International Institute of Sugar Beet Research conference in Brussels just before lockdown last year, many of the presenters quoted work done by Brooms Barn as part of their current research.
As far as I’m aware, we are the only country which based the decision to use the seed dressing on a science-based model. So many countries in Europe will go ahead, despite the hard winter and the effect it will have had on the aphid population – again a plus for UK science.
At Hutchinsons we are looking to our Helix project to bring the latest science into our thinking to enable our clients to farm in a more science-based and sustainable manner.
We have seen huge amounts of negativity in the press about the decisions to allow the use of a neonicotinoid seed treatment, but nothing about the outcome of the threshold testing and the fact that it’s not going to happen. I’m sure they will catch up with this science – led, good news story, but I won’t hold my breath.
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