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Reliable Second Wheat Formula Delivers
19th March 2006
Despite being drilled three weeks later than planned, second wheat at Smeathalls Farm, Birkin in the shadow of Yorkshire’s Ferrybridge Power Station averaged more than 9.5 t/ha (3.8 t/acre) last season, underlining the reliability of the Masstock SMART farm’s crop improvement recipe.
Wet weather delayed the drilling of the 65 ha of Latitude-treated Gladiator until October 13th in 2004 – a good three weeks after SMART farm technical development manager, Philip Marr’s September 20th target. And the crop didn’t emerge until the end of October.
Even so it still produced half as much grain again as the farm has traditionally brought-in from October-drilled second wheats, and at a particularly encouraging 81 kg/hl specific weight.
“We’d easily have topped the 10t/ha mark we’ve been averaging from our September sowing policy if the weather hadn’t got so comprehensively in the way of drilling,” stressed Philip Marr. “As it was, though, we’re very pleased with the performance in both yield and quality terms. Especially so when compared with many other second wheats up here this year.”
“Including certified seed and specialist take-all seed treatment, our growing costs for the crop were just over £30/tonne. Which means we’re still able to make reasonable margins even with wheat at under £65/tonne off the combine.”
The combination of Gladiator and Latitude stood us in particularly good stead on our light, take-all susceptible land,” he added. “We’ve stuck with it again this year and having been able to get back to mid-September drilling once again hope to make the very most of this winning combination in getting the superior root development we’ve found makes all the difference with second wheats. |
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