New ideas bring record yields
Published on 21 November 2014
Author: Roger Sylvester-Bradley
Our 2014 crop yield competition has revealed a new record UK cereal yield of 14.50 t/ha, achieved by Tim Lamyman, who farms on the Lincolnshire wolds. What is more, this winning crop realised 76% of its estimated potential yield – another record!
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This was the headline achievement of ADAS’s Yield Enhancement Network, announced by Sir Jim Paice at its Annual Awards Meeting at Stoneleigh on 13th November.
However, the YEN’s successes do not just concern record yields. The aims of the YEN are to recognise and foster farm innovations so that the UK can achieve ever greater crop productivity and, in their ‘Ideas Lab’ at Stoneleigh, network entrants were clearly buzzing with ideas for further yield enhancement.
For example, Tim Lamyman described his novel strategy which aims to encourage what he calls ‘cytokinin growth’. Eight or ten times through a crop’s life Tim applies nutrient products that he believes enhance rooting and ‘take the brakes off’ shoot growth. Certainly the evidence of a successful strategy is evident in all of Tim’s yields.
YEN Awards for cereal yields in 2014
Best Field Yield
GOLD:
Tim Lamyman, Worlaby, Louth, Lincs., with Hutchinsons
14.50
SILVER:
Martin Hoste, Co. Meath, Ireland with Syngenta
13.92
BRONZE:
James Faulds, near Stowmarket, Suffolk with Hutchinsons
13.86
Best % of Potential Yield
GOLD:
Tim Lamyman, Louth, Lincs., with Hutchinsons
76% of 19.0
SILVER:
Robert Pask, Grantham, Lincs., with Syngenta
72% of 18.7
BRONZE:
Martin Hoste, Co. Meath, Ireland with Syngenta
69% of 20.1
Best Research Trial Yield, & % Potential
GOLD:
John Keer of Richard Austin Agriculture at Boston
12.80
60% of 21.2
SILVER:
Bob Bulmer of Hutchinsons at Kings Lynn, Norfolk
12.30
58% of 21.4
BRONZE:
Ben Giles of Bayer at Duxford, Oxon
12.21
56% of 21.7
Other award winners in 2014 were from Ireland and East Anglia, and employed strategies such as extra care in soil management, slow developing varieties, and prolonged programmes of nutrition and protection.
Prof Roger Sylvester-Bradley, Head of Crop Performance at ADAS, explained that the philosophy underpinning the YEN is to know what resources of light energy and water are available to drive crop growth, and to set crops up to maximise their capture and conversion. High cereal yields nowadays depend on high crop biomass, so maximising photosynthesis is vital.
More information about the YEN and contact details for competing in 2015 can be found at www.yen.adas.co.uk.
Published on 21 November 2014
Author: Roger Sylvester-Bradley
Our 2014 crop yield competition has revealed a new record UK cereal yield of 14.50 t/ha, achieved by Tim Lamyman, who farms on the Lincolnshire wolds. What is more, this winning crop realised 76% of its estimated potential yield – another record!
This was the headline achievement of ADAS’s Yield Enhancement Network, announced by Sir Jim Paice at its Annual Awards Meeting at Stoneleigh on 13th November.
However, the YEN’s successes do not just concern record yields. The aims of the YEN are to recognise and foster farm innovations so that the UK can achieve ever greater crop productivity and, in their ‘Ideas Lab’ at Stoneleigh, network entrants were clearly buzzing with ideas for further yield enhancement.
For example, Tim Lamyman described his novel strategy which aims to encourage what he calls ‘cytokinin growth’. Eight or ten times through a crop’s life Tim applies nutrient products that he believes enhance rooting and ‘take the brakes off’ shoot growth. Certainly the evidence of a successful strategy is evident in all of Tim’s yields.
YEN Awards for cereal yields in 2014
Best Field Yield
GOLD:
Tim Lamyman, Worlaby, Louth, Lincs., with Hutchinsons
14.50
SILVER:
Martin Hoste, Co. Meath, Ireland with Syngenta
13.92
BRONZE:
James Faulds, near Stowmarket, Suffolk with Hutchinsons
13.86
Best % of Potential Yield
GOLD:
Tim Lamyman, Louth, Lincs., with Hutchinsons
76% of 19.0
SILVER:
Robert Pask, Grantham, Lincs., with Syngenta
72% of 18.7
BRONZE:
Martin Hoste, Co. Meath, Ireland with Syngenta
69% of 20.1
Best Research Trial Yield, & % Potential
GOLD:
John Keer of Richard Austin Agriculture at Boston
12.80
60% of 21.2
SILVER:
Bob Bulmer of Hutchinsons at Kings Lynn, Norfolk
12.30
58% of 21.4
BRONZE:
Ben Giles of Bayer at Duxford, Oxon
12.21
56% of 21.7
Other award winners in 2014 were from Ireland and East Anglia, and employed strategies such as extra care in soil management, slow developing varieties, and prolonged programmes of nutrition and protection.
Prof Roger Sylvester-Bradley, Head of Crop Performance at ADAS, explained that the philosophy underpinning the YEN is to know what resources of light energy and water are available to drive crop growth, and to set crops up to maximise their capture and conversion. High cereal yields nowadays depend on high crop biomass, so maximising photosynthesis is vital.
More information about the YEN and contact details for competing in 2015 can be found at www.yen.adas.co.uk.