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© 2021 Foundation for Arable Research (NZ)
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keeping you in the know about everything you grow
223 Episodes
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Travelling the world as NZ’s Special Agricultural Trade Envoy, Methven arable farmer Hamish Marr says that what we consider “normal” for agriculture here is different elsewhere. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Anna Heslop that everywhere he goes, the main talking points are climate change and emissions.
The 2024 Arable Awards’ Positive Environmental Impact winner, Waikato maize grower Daniel Finlayson, has fully integrated environmental considerations into his farming system. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Anna Heslop that profits and yields are up, and greenhouse gas emissions down, through actions like switching to strip till and trying alternative nitrogen sources.
FAR has developed a fungicide decision tree which poses a set of questions for growers to help them to decide whether a T0 fungicide is needed in wheat. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR senior cereals researcher Jo Drummond tells Alison Stewart that rather than adopting a “just-in-case” approach, growers need to retain chemistry for when they really need it.
UK plant pathologist Dr Aoife O’Driscoll visited in August as part of the ‘A Lighter Touch: A new approach to crop protection’ events. In this episode of Cut the Crop, she tells Anna Heslop that increasing disease pressure and rising agchem costs in the UK have led to a trend towards more resistant wheat cultivars, use of wheat cultivar blends and wheat grazing.
Catch crops are sown as soon as possible after grazing of winter forage crops to mop up nitrogen during the coolest and wettest months. In this episode of Cut the Crop, Plant and Food Research team leader Brendon Malcolm tells Anna Heslop that catch crops not only reduce nitrate leaching but also provide production benefits.
Waikato dairy farmer and maize grower Alan Henderson is part of a Growers Leading Change group trying out alternative nitrogen products in maize crops. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Alison Stewart that as well as trying dairy effluent and chicken manure, he is using legumes faba beans and hairy vetch as cover crops to fix nitrogen in the soil.
Mixing multiple wheat cultivars and sowing them together in the same paddock is being trialled by FAR and tried by some growers with promising results. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR cereals researcher Andrei Costan tells Alison Stewart that mixes have the potential to reduce disease pressure and spread, as well as increasing yield stability.
An all-women Canterbury Growers Leading Change group aims to support its members to gain a better understanding of their arable business. In this episode of Cut the Crop, group member Erica Callaghan tells Anna Heslop that it is also valuable for making social connections.
Growers wanting to reduce agrichemical inputs in their crops but not sure where to start have the opportunity to learn more at a series of ‘A Lighter Touch’ events in August. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR senior cereals researcher Jo Drummond says there will be something for everyone to adopt on-farm.
FAR senior environment researcher Abie Horrocks last month travelled to Groundswell, a popular UK regenerative agriculture festival. In this episode of Cut the Crop, she tells Alison Stewart that the event was huge, with hundreds of speakers catering for every interest, both rural and urban.
To assist growers to make the most of new tools and technology, FAR has developed a wide-ranging research strategy. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR technology manager Chris Smith tells Anna Heslop that this includes everything from independently evaluating opportunities with digital tools to a back to basics look at maximising farm machinery.
A Mid Canterbury Growers Leading Change group is looking at ways to reduce applications of synthetic nitrogen to maintain profit and contribute to environmental compliance. In this episode of Cut the Crop, group member Darryl Oldham says that nitrogen alternatives including biological products and legumes are promising.
FAR is holding five maize winter workshops in the North Island in July. To encourage growers to head along, FAR senior environment researcher Dirk Wallace tells Anna Heslop in this episode of Cut the Crop about research which shows that legumes can reduce and even eliminate the need to apply nitrogen to a maize crop.
Visiting United States Professor of Agricultural Communications Dwayne Cartmell says that US farmers, like their Kiwi counterparts, often feel that the general public doesn’t understand what they do. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Anna Heslop that farmers need to tell their stories without getting bogged down in science, or getting defensive.
Birds provide biodiversity, but on arable farms can cause significant crop losses and farmers have few options for effectively controlling bird damage. In this episode of Cut the Crop, University of Canterbury masters student Fergus Lowen outlines his study comparing common bird deterrents and bird activity in exotic and native hedgerows.
Mechanical weeding is being researched by FAR senior field research officer Charles Merfield (Merf) as a way of reducing herbicide applications. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he tells Alison Stewart that rather than being a relic of the past, the technology is advancing rapidly and can offer exceptional levels of weed control.
There is always plenty of interesting trial work happening at FAR’s two Canterbury research sites, Chertsey and Kowhai Farm near Lincoln. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR researcher Owen Gibson says that as well as cereal and herbage seed small plot trial work, technology is also being evaluated.
A Growers Leading Change group is working to dispel the belief that minimum tillage is too challenging for crop establishment in parts of the lower North Island. In this episode of Cut the Crop, Marton grower David Lee-Jones tells Anna Heslop that having achieved comparable yields for maize, the group is now turning its attention to cereals.
A Southern Arable Hub at Knapdale near Gore was established by FAR early last year to provide a focus for Southland and South Otago arable farmers. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR deputy board chair and Southland farmer Steve Wilkins tells Anna Heslop that suggestions are sought from growers on planting options, including more marginal crops like maize.
Growers often wait until they have a crisis with insecticide resistant pests before seeking to adopt Integrated Pest Management, says Australian IPM expert Paul Horne. In this episode of Cut the Crop, he suggests growers start small with one paddock and that beneficial insects are more abundant than people realise.
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