Places have been reserved exclusively for CPM readers among the 50 growers joining BASF’s Real Results Circle. Those who take part in on-farm trials will receive free BASF product, as well as independent advice and crop performance reports.
CPM readers have been actively encouraged to join a new UK-wide network of on-farm trials, and put wheat fungicides and oilseed rape profitability to the test.
BASF will be providing technical support and supplying fungicide to 50 growers to help them decide which is the best wheat fungicide at T1 and T2. Places have been reserved exclusively for CPM readers.
The aim is to set up a Real Results Circle of growers, to test Adexar and Librax against any other SDHI they care to choose, on their farm, in their soil and in a way that conforms to their farm’s systems and drivers.
“We’ll cover the costs of the BASF products, expertise and on-farm trials management,” says BASF’s UK marketing manager Tim Short. “We’ll be conducting the trials in partnership with independent industry partners ADAS and Agspace.”
The initiative was launched at the end of Jan, and growers who are interested in joining have until the end of Feb to register their interest. To apply for one of the places reserved exclusively for CPM readers, sign up at www.basfrealresults.co.uk and add “CPM” after your name.
One grower who’s already signed up is Russell McKenzie, manager of John Sheard Farm on the Cambs, Beds and Northants border, who shared his story, and the results of his on-farm trials with CPM.
Expert advice
Dr Daniel Kindred of ADAS will be on hand to help those taking part decide on what fungicide comparisons are to be made and what will be most relevant to them on their farm. “We’re involved to make sure the comparison is fair to start with and that the two areas of the field chosen are comparable. We know that there is spacial variation within fields and it’s easy to come up with the wrong conclusion,” he notes.
Statistical approaches will be used, so if there’s a difference between treatments, growers can be confident this is due to the treatment rather than the inherent variation, he adds.
“Across the 50 farms in different regions of the UK, you’ll then be able to see where you have the biggest effects and where you don’t have any. It’ll also be possible to see how certain situations, for example extremes of weather, influence the treatments.”
The hope is that this will give the circle of growers real insight into unlocking yield potential. “As with the ADAS Yield Enhancement Network (YEN), we’ll be defining the yield potential for the crop based on site data. We’ll gather information on the soil and the weather at the site. We’ll also be taking grab samples to get a handle on how the treatment has had an effect on yield as well as calculating the Harvest Index.”
At the end of the trial, growers will get a detailed independent report on the crop, with results and yield potential or barriers. Those participating in the trial will also get an invitation to the exclusive Real Results Conference, in partnership with CPM, where they can meet the 49 other farmers in the trial.
Involvement isn’t limited to just the 50 chosen farmers, adds Tim Short. “By registering your interest at www.basfrealresults.co.uk, you’ll get access to the content and information from the 50 farmers selected and advice and information on how you can set up your own trials in a simple but effective way. You can also submit results to be benchmarked against other farm results of similar variety, soil type and establishment technique.”
OSR gains
BASF is also conducting trials on OSR to help growers capture performance from a crop that can be notoriously difficult to grow effectively. The Real Results Circle for OSR profitability again sees industry experts, agronomists and farmers partner up, says BASF’s oilseeds campaign manager Matt Goodson. “We’ll be able to give growers the in-depth technical advice needed to grow this crop profitably.”
Trials will be conducted on two farms, one near Bishop’s Frome in Herefordshire and the other an ADAS Monitor farm near Huntingdon, Cambs. Tailored advice and general tips will all be backed up with real science from ADAS.
“We have eight tramline-width strips,” explains Julie Smith of ADAS. “These will be sprayed commercially with farm sprayers and monitored fortnightly, right through the season, so we’ll be able to provide results which will be of real relevance to growers.”
Key topics coming into focus will be the risks of lodging, drought protection, light leaf spot control, resistance management, the benefits of canopy manipulation and green leaf area duration. Video updates will be posted on the Real Results website and members of the Circle will also receive instant notifications throughout the season, helping them take timely decisions which could increase the yield of the crop. There’s more information at www.basfrealresults.co.uk.
The Real Results Circle
To combat growing uncertainty, BASF and CPM invite everyone with a passion for UK farming to unite to help form an agricultural knowledge network of experts, industry specialists, agronomists and farmers.
We want farmers and agronomists to share knowledge and conduct on-farm trials. By coming together to face challenges as one, we can find out what really works and shape the future of UK agriculture.
CPM readers are among the most progressive farmers in the UK, and are uniquely placed to benefit most from conducting their own on-farm trials, which is why 10 places in the Real Results Circle have been reserved for those who’d like to take part.
To find out more and sign up to become part of the BASF Real Results Circle of growers, go to www.basfrealresults.co.uk. To apply for one of the exclusive places reserved for CPM readers, add “CPM” after your name when you sign up.
Look out also for updates on the CPM website and through regular eshots.
