Last Thursday we hosted the first Open Day at the Strategic
Potato Farm in Staffordshire. A day which drew strong delegate numbers –
sufficient to consume over 170 portions of fish and Shropshire chips, populate
5 guided tours, swarm three soil pits and observe one flying drone.
Our host, James Daw, and AHDB's Philip Burgess welcomed and introduced delegates to the 20
hectare site, 'Gravelly Bank', which this year is cropped with Innovator for the processed chip
market.
Breaking into groups, delegates then took one of our expert lead tours around eight key demonstration areas being presented at the SPot Farm.
Preventing run off
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| Philip Wright |
Philip Wright of Wright Resolutions Ltd took the first slot
of the tour and introduced delegates to the tramline machinery which is being
trialled, in a session entitled ‘Preventing run off.’
Delegates were shown comparison strips where three different tramline machines had been used on a gentle
sloping area of the field. And we observed was quite marked difference between those treated (with
either the Richard Lapage Wonder Wheel, Briggs Tied Ridger or Aquagronomy Wheel Tracker roller) and untreated. There were clear benefits to using the machines in preventing run off compared
with a bare tramline.
The importance of organic matter, and the effect of tyre
pressures and axle loads, on soil structure was another topic Philip presented
on. With tyre pressures changes from 18psi to 13psi resulting in infiltration rates
six times faster. Demonstrating how relatively slight adjustments can have significant impacts. Both Philip and James emphasised the importance of
maintaining and building organic matter levels within the soil, with
workability being just one of the benefits highlighted.
Visiting http://potatoes.ahdb.org.uk/agronomy/soil
will give you access to all our latest news, publications and information relevant to soils.
Making the most of every drop
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| Graeme Ditty |
Graeme Ditty and Jenny Bashford,
from Harvest Agronomy Ltd and AHDB Potatoes respectively, presented on irrigation scheduling and the importance of efficient and appropriate water use by businesses.
Graeme, James’ agronomist, walked delegates through the
NIAB-CUF irrigation schedule which is being used on the site. This incorporates
CanopyCheck app (ground cover) assessments as well as meteorological and soil probe
data to calculate a weekly schedule that draws irrigation water from James' newly
installed reservoir. Irrigation timings on the site are based on the clay loam soil and an increasing soil moisture deficit to a maximum of 47mm. Delegates were urged that improved resource efficiency makes good business sense. A dynamic irrigation system which changes to meet the crop's evolving demand was advocated as Graeme - matching crop development and root growth.
Delegates were
also shown an unirrigated – effectively droughted – strip of crop, and quite astounding differences in its development were visible, with up to 40% less crop
in the unirrigated land.
Jenny Bashford highlighted there being an abstraction reform underway. She briefed delegates on the impending expiration of
time-limited licences granted to agriculture in the next seven years. Jenny also advised of a process to licence previously exempt activities (such as trickle
irrigation) expected this year with implementation in 2016. And called for
levy payers to sit up to attention and keep up to date with changes that could
influence production in the very near future. For more information and the latest information,
visit http://potatoes.ahdb.org.uk/agronomy/water
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| Matt Smallwood |
Challenges of varietal development
Matt Smallwood, McCain Foods GB agronomist, spoke of the
challenges of varietal development. He highlighted the advances in genomics and the mapping of the potato genome.
Don’t forget we have an AHDB Potatoes Variety database http://varieties.ahdb.org.uk/
which provides
independent data on GB-certified potato varieties that have undergone
independent resistance testing for key pests, diseases and pathogens. The variety testing which is presented in the database is undertaken through the AHDB Potatoes-funded Independent
Variety Trials (IVT) programme. This provides independent resistance data for
pests, diseases and pathogens deemed to be of high importance/threat to our potato crops.
Jim Wilson, from Soilessentials, and Keith Geary, from Low
Level Earth Observation, introduced delegates to some of the precision techniques James
and Sam are employing on the site, with talk of soil mapping and drones being two
particular highlights.
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| EC scan of Gravelly Bank |
Soil scanning and yield mapping is allowing James and Sam to
build up a wealth of information. It is also helping them to better understand the land their working with
and where they can push the yield potential further and make savings in areas
that consistently under perform.
And so that that takes us to the half way point in the tour - more to follow very soon!
