Got BLACK GRASS? Then, I need your help...

[Northantsplants]

Hi
I am setting up a collaborative project to develop a biological method of control for black grass. For this I will be setting up the 'Black Grass Biology Group' where farmers will work alongside our technical team to develop a biological control method ON FARM.

If this sounds of interest, and you have black grass on your farm currently, please sign up by following the link below:

https://eutrema.co.uk/the-black-grass-biology-group/

Thanks

Dr Russell Sharp
Eutrema Ltd

 

[Simon C]

Intriguing, I've signed up.

 

[Jack Russell]

I hope this is legit, sounds a little like the emails we get about some poor soul in Nairobi, stuck in a flat with millions of dollars just waiting for my bank detail. That said I will sign up.

 

[Brisel]

I’ve signed up as I’m not far away from your site.

 

[holmes65]

Are you planning to do any work with ryegrass?

 

[Gedd]

Are you planning to do any work with ryegrass?

Or brome grasses

 

[Two Tone]

I’ve signed up as I’m not far away from your site.

Me too. I’ve signed up.
I’m not far away either. But I reckon it is wetter here than in Daventry and the amount of ‘Wetness’ definitely affects the amount of BG we get each year.

 

[Adeptandy]

Interested, so signed up

 

[tr250]

Me too. I’ve signed up.
I’m not far away either. But I reckon it is wetter here than in Daventry and the amount of ‘Wetness’ definitely affects the amount of BG we get each year.

Really? My cousin farms at daventry an seems to get more than us. A couple of weeks ago I drove up the fosse from Cheltenham then cut across to daventry and thought how clean the crops were until I got north of daventry

 

[Two Tone]

Really? My cousin farms at daventry an seems to get more than us. A couple of weeks ago I drove up the fosse from Cheltenham then cut across to daventry and thought how clean the crops were until I got north of daventry

I’ll elaborate: IMO, it’s not just the amount of ‘wetness’, but also the type land or more specifically, how well it drains that seriously affects the amount of BG we get. Some of that land around Daventry is pretty heavy.

But like our heaviest land fields we have here, given a drier year with consequently less BG, they will yield well.
However, with the very wet March and April we had here this year, that heavier land ain’t going burst the Grainstore doors open and the consequential increased level of BG is also another obvious reason why.

Unbelievable hay and Haylage yields though! Which proves that grasses, including BG, likes it wet!

 

[Northantsplants]

I hope this is legit, sounds a little like the emails we get about some poor soul in Nairobi, stuck in a flat with millions of dollars just waiting for my bank detail. That said I will sign up.

Hi Jack
Yes, 100% legit. It is not a ruse to sell, promote, or data extract. You have my word that it is a legitimate farmer-centred research project.

As mentioned by others above; yes we have a crazy amount of black-grass to the north of Daventry. I live in Welford and some of the fields there are dominated by the weed, even in late-sown barley. Would love to get some farms from the extremes of the current black grass distribution (Kent, Sussex, East Anglia, South East, and even Ireland) so we have as much material to work with as possible.

All the farms that sign up will get full details shortly once the hypothesis has been tested. I do not want to over-promise on this one too early.

Many thanks to the 41 farms who have signed up to the group in the first 24h.

Regards

Russ

 

[Simon C]

@Northantsplants what size BG plants do you want, most are out of the top of the crops now but your reply email say small plants. I have some at tillering stage in a late drilled spring crop which may be more suitable.

 

[Northantsplants]

@Northantsplants what size BG plants do you want, most are out of the top of the crops now but your reply email say small plants. I have some at tillering stage in a late drilled spring crop which may be more suitable.

Hi Simon
They don't have to be small. But if there is a small one, choose that one.
If you have one from the field edge, or near a pond/tree, choose that one.

But don't worry too much about it, just one plant will do the job.


Many thanks for taking part

Russ

 

[Northantsplants]

Are you planning to do any work with ryegrass?

We will definitely move on to other weeds, such as ryegrass, brome, and fescue if we can prove that the concept works on black-grass.
Russ

 

[warksfarmer]

Hi
I am setting up a collaborative project to develop a biological method of control for black grass. For this I will be setting up the 'Black Grass Biology Group' where farmers will work alongside our technical team to develop a biological control method ON FARM.

If this sounds of interest, and you have black grass on your farm currently, please sign up by following the link below:

https://eutrema.co.uk/the-black-grass-biology-group/

Thanks

Dr Russell Sharp
Eutrema Ltd

Blackgrass is not the problem. Ryegrass is 10 times worse.

 

[Northantsplants]

Blackgrass is not the problem. Ryegrass is 10 times worse.

Blackgrass is not the problem. Ryegrass is 10 times worse.

Thanks. I feel your pain with that report.
maybe I should do a poll on here to decide the next target if the black grass project is a success.

 

[Northantsplants]

Many thanks to the 59 farms that have signed up to join the BLACK GRASS BIOLOGY GROUP project.

We now need you to send in your black grass samples to: Eutrema, The Die Pat Centre, Broad March, Daventry, NN11 4HE

If you haven't signed up already, and you are interesting in being part of the project to develop a biological solution to black grass, please enter your farm details here:
https://eutrema.co.uk/the-black-grass-biology-group/

Thanks
Russ

 

[alomy75]

Blackgrass is not the problem. Ryegrass is 10 times worse.

I can think of one or two farmers who may disagree with that

 

[Northantsplants]

Quick update:
We now have 68 farms signed up for the Black Grass Biology Group. So we are well on our way to searching for a biological control method for Black Grass.
So far only 14% of farms that have signed up have sent in a sample. So if you have signed up but haven't seen the email from me giving instructions, please check your spam folder.

Many thanks

Russ

 

[Northantsplants]

You might be interested to see the location of the farms that have signed up to the Black Grass Biology Group (see map below).
Do you think that this represents the distribution of Black Grass in the British Isles? If not, please let me know.
It could be that these are just the locations where black grass is having a significant impact on yield.
If you would like to sign up to the group, please visit:

- Eutrema

Sign up page for farmers to join the Black Grass Biology Group. Developing a BIOLOGICAL solution for black grass.

eutrema.co.uk

If you are already a member, we will be sending an update on the lab work next week.