The harvest at Ethie Mains, near Arbroath, has been disappointing so far this year. Farmer Will Gray reports that the yields are shaping up to be the lowest since he began detailed record-keeping in 2019.
The direct drilling and minimum tillage (min-till) trials used last year do not appear to be delivering promising results to date. Will attributes this to the local climate and conditions during the 2023 autumn sowing period.
Min-till in Angus
Will highlights that min-till establishment methods can be challenging in Scotland. Ethie Mains’ crops are typically harvested between mid-August and early September. By October, the ground is often cold and wet leading to weaker germination which appears to be exacerbated by direct drilling.
Will believes that the lack of time to create stale seedbeds in Scotland will also hamper direct drilling efforts; particularly for Winter Barley which lacks herbicide options to deal with the resulting grass weeds.
Impact on yields
The yields for winter cereals and oilseed rape have been lower across the board this year. Initial yield estimates, calculated using the combine, are being viewed cautiously by Will. More accurate figures will be determined once the crops are sold or stored.
The conventional ploughed and combi-drilled winter barley yielded about one tonne per hectare below the five-year average, while the direct-drilled crops were a further tonne below that.
Will reflects on the long-term potential of min-till: “Perhaps we might see a benefit to the soil in seven years, as many min-till proponents suggest. However, I won’t be willing to stomach such a yield penalty across the farm for seven years to find out unless there is considerable funding available to compensate”.
Environmental considerations
Will also expressed concerns about the environmental impact of lower yields, noting that if grain isn’t grown locally, it must be sourced from elsewhere, potentially increasing the carbon footprint.
“Fundamentally we have to produce a certain quantity of food to feed the global population. That is non-negotiable. The key metric for hitting net zero is therefore tCO2 equivalent emissions per tonne of grain produced.” Will suspects that if we factor in the yield reduction from direct drilling in this part of the world,; even with all the supposed benefits; conventional establishment would probably produce less CO2 emissions per tonne of grain produced than direct drilling.
Add on top of that the food miles and biodiversity loss from making up for this lost production elsewhere in the world and he is worried that any policy which forces farmers to adopt inappropriate establishment methods could be disastrous for farm profitability and an ‘own goal’ for Net Zero ambitions. This highlights the delicate balance between adopting sustainable farming practices and ensuring adequate crop production.
Oilseed rape struggles
The oilseed rape harvest has also been challenging, with yields varying significantly. The five-year average yield for oilseed rape at Ethie Mains is 4.7t/ha.
However, this year, yield estimates look to be in the region of 3.6t/ha on average. Will attributes these lower yields to inclement drilling conditions which particularly affected later drilled crops, a lack of sunshine and cooler temperatures over the past twelve months, which the Met Office suggests have included the coldest summer in nearly a decade.
Plans for next season
Looking ahead, all the Acaia oilseed rape at Ethie Mains has been drilled early after winter barley.
To address the higher weed burden, Farm manager Dave has sprayed the direct drilled winter barley stubble area with glyphosate in addition to the usual pre-emergence spray.
Additionally, Berseem clover, also known as Egyptian Clover, has been broadcast at 4kg/ha as a companion crop on part of the OSR area to help fix nitrogen in the soil.
One grain merchant has offered a premium of £45/ha for crops sown with two regenerative practices, such as direct drilling and using clover as a companion crop in a min-till system.
Will is considering this offer for the OSR but it would require a commitment to one merchant when it comes to selling the crop. “It’s not a hugely significant sum but would cover the cost of the companion crop seed and might be a sign of things to come”.
Winter barley and wheat varieties
Will plans to continue with the LG Mountain variety of winter barley for 2025 but will be looking to change for the following year. LG Capitol, LG Caravelle, and KWS Tardis appear to be top of the recommended list just now.
For winter wheat, RGT Bairstow will be going back in whilst Bamford will replace Skyscraper for 2025 Harvest.
Oats and fertiliser management
This year’s winter oat crop looks to have yielded around 7.5t/ha. As with the winter barley and OSR this is below expectations although winter oats have not been grown on the farm in recent years.
Despite the lower yields, Will plans to plant the winter oat variety Mascani again this year.
To manage the wet spring conditions, Will and agronomist Peter adjusted the fertiliser strategy by splitting nitrogen applications into three dressings rather than the usual two.
This change aimed to better distribute nutrients throughout the growing season. Whether this achieved the desired goal is hard to say just yet; especially without a proper control plot.
Late finish
As it stands the harvest looks likely to finish about a fortnight later than usual. How this will affect drying costs and the condition of the spring barley crops remains to be seen.
The Scottish Farmer will catch up again with the team at Ethie Mains after harvest home and the yields have been calculated.
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