‘Crop nutrition is key’ to navigating the new normal for growers says ADAS, as 150 arable and pulse growers met at the annual Yield Enhancement Network (YEN) Conference to review 2024 and celebrate great yields achieved ‘against the odds’.
The quest for nutritional excellence was the theme of this year’s conference, with awards being made for the first time to growers achieving the best quality peas and for consistent high yields of peas and beans.
Prof Roger Sylvester-Bradley, ADAS Haed of Crop Performance and founder of the YEN commented:
This last season probably won’t be remembered fondly by most growers. It is a real testament to the best cereal, pulse and oilseed growers involved in YEN that so many have managed to achieve very good yields in 2024 despite the difficult conditions.”
Answers lie in the YEN database
The big bank of YEN data collected over the last 12 years shows consistent farm-to-farm differences and how the best growers do so well. It confirms how much farms can learn from each other, especially if they are willing to share their data. Excellence in crop nutrition becomes evident in farms that measure the nutrients they harvest, as well as their yields – so ‘measure to manage’ has become YEN’s mantra.
Roger summarised:
If challenging years like 2024 are to become our new normal, we must figure out how to adjust and adapt what we’re doing. All the farmers involved in YEN understand that farming is a continual learning process – without taking an objective look at our performance, we can’t hope to move forward.”
“By benchmarking themselves against their peers, the farmers in YEN are identifying the challenges that others can’t see. This is particularly true when it comes to crop nutrition where, by measuring harvested nutrients, YEN data repeatedly identifies differences between farms that would otherwise remain unseen and unknown."
International collaboration on crop nutrition
Highlighting key learnings from YEN, crop physiologist and ADAS Associate Managing Director Dr Sarah Kendall said:
The YEN’s discovery of harvest analysis can transform crop nutrition management. Our work in YEN has gone on to enable the formation of a European wide thematic network called ‘NUTRI-CHECK NET’ which is now promoting the YEN’s ‘measure to manage’ approach to crop nutrition all across Europe. We also plan on working in closer collaboration with the North American YENs in 2025 which should enable UK farms to compare with and learn from their counterparts overseas."
Awards for harvest 2024 were presented as follows:
Cereal YEN
Cereal Yield
- GOLD: Tim Lamyman of Lincolnshire, 15.6 t/ha
- SILVER: David Passmore of Oxfordshire, 13.1 t/ha
% of Potential Cereal Yield
- GOLD: Annabel Hamilton of Berwickshire, 82% of 14.7 t/ha
- SILVER: Tim Lamyman of Lincolnshire, 71% of 22.0 t/ha
Yield in Cereal Trials
- GOLD: Freddie Grant of Essex, Sponsored by Hutchinsons 14.4 t/ha
% of Potential Yield in Cereal Trials
- GOLD: Freddie Grant of Essex, Sponsored by Hutchinsons 71% of 17.6 t/ha
Regional Awards
For the Highest Cereal Yield
- Scotland: Annabel Hamilton of Berwickshire, 12.0 t/ha
- East Midlands: Dyson Farming of Lincolnshire, 12.6 t/ha
- East Anglia: Matt Fuller of Bedfordshire, Sponsored by Hutchinsons 9.6 t/ha
- South East: Richard Budd of Kent, Sponsored by BASF 12.1 t/ha
- Outside UK: Peter Rostgaard of Denmark, 12.2 t/ha
For the Highest % of Potential Cereal Yield
- Scotland: Craig Peddie of Fife, 58% of 11.4 t/ha
- East Midlands: Dyson Farming of Lincolnshire, Independent entry 66% of 10.8 t/ha
- East Anglia: Matt Fuller of Bedfordshire, Sponsored by Hutchinsons 58% of 11.7 t/ha
- South East: Richard Budd of Kent, Sponsored by BASF 56% of 12.1 t/ha
- Outside UK: Rainer Leidik of Estonia, 57% of 10.1 t/ha
Oats
Yield
- GOLD: Mark Popplewell of Lincolnshire, 11.46 t/ha
% of Potential Oat Yield
- GOLD: Simon Budden of Hampshire, 64% of 13.5 t/ha
Barley
Winter Barley Yield
- GOLD: Tim Lamyman of Lincolnshire, 14.6 t/ha
% of Potential Winter Barley Yield
- GOLD: Tim Lamyman of Lincolnshire, 66% of 22.0 t/ha
Spring Barley Yield
- GOLD: Tim Lamyman of Lincolnshire, 12.9 t/ha
% of Potential Spring Barley Yield
- GOLD: Simon Budden of Hampshire, 78% of 14.3 t/ha
Oilseed
Yield (gross output)
- GOLD: Richard Budd of Kent, Sponsored by YARA 7.6 t/ha
- SILVER: Lars Riis of Søgaard, 6.4 t/ha
% of Potential Oilseed Yield
- GOLD: Richard Budd of Kent, Sponsored by YARA 55% of 13.7 t/ha
- SILVER: Lars Riis of Søgaard, 51% of 12.6 t/ha
Peas
Pea Quality
- GOLD: Martin Stuffins of Thorney
Pea Yield Stability
- GOLD: David Passmore of Oxfordshire 9% deviation from an average yield of 4.4 t/ha
Beans
Winter Bean Yield Stability
- GOLD: Robert Wright of Suffolk 13% deviation from an average yield of 5.2 t/ha
Spring Bean Yield Stability
- GOLD: Guy Wakeham of Cambridgeshire 7% deviation from an average yield of 5.0 t/ha
YEN Innovator of the year award
- David Fuller-Shapcott of JN Fuller-Shapcott
For his innovative ideas, and use of data and trials, for enhancing yield, nutrient management and crop sustainability.