Harvested low input cereals.

[snipe]

Thinking of the above for countryside stewardship, what are people experiences, seed rate, yield in relation to a normal crop?

 

[Brisel]

I do this for AB14 in my current Higher Tier. Just 6m margins around the fields. I don't harvest them as they are usually full of weeds which I don't want elsewhere though there are some approved herbicides like amidosulfuron (Eagle) and Axial Pro. Wide row spacing and low plant densities are easy enough. Just block off every other row on the drill and drop the seed rate. I keep mine separate from the main field crop but that's the choice of my boss - a traditional "conservation headland" would be harvested, have an additional tramline for when you're doing a tank mix with herbicides in it and require you to go back and put a permitted herbicide on the headland less fertiliser etc.

This is my current AB14 prescription from NE. Note I didn't take the Unharvested Cereal Headland AB10 option - this means you have to leave it for ages & results in a rat infested mess that takes ages to clean up.

This was just lifted from Google Images. You can see the narrow strip of lower plant counts and more weeds. This will be heaving with birds & insects. Longer thinner strips give more benefit than single larger plots but it's down to you how you fit them in. I have around 22 ha of these as 6m strips alongside beetle banks and around the outside of the fields.

If you're doing this in the autumn, be aware that there's nothing you can really do about blackgrass & ask yourself whether you're happy to have weeds you'd otherwise not tolerate setting seed.

The GWCT website has some good info if you dig around. These options really benefit grey partridge, so include this in search criteria when looking for info.

https://www.gwct.org.uk/

Conserving the grey partridge - Game and Wildlife Conservation Trust

www.gwct.org.uk

Hope this helps.

 

[snipe]

I was wandering about using hybrid barley, I could plant it at a low seed rate and still get a half decent crop.

 

[SpottedFlycatcher]

I was wandering about using hybrid barley, I could plant it at a low seed rate and still get a half decent crop.

What was the outcome of this? Any advice on seed rates etc? We will be using it as a whole field option.....

Just had a Mid tier accepted and AB14 is one crop in a 5 year rotation of WW > WB > AB14 (wheat next spring) > GS4 > GS4

Thanks in advance

 

[snipe]

didn’t use that option so can’t help. sorry

 

[Huno]

What was the outcome of this? Any advice on seed rates etc? We will be using it as a whole field option.....

Just had a Mid tier accepted and AB14 is one crop in a 5 year rotation of WW > WB > AB14 (wheat next spring) > GS4 > GS4

Thanks in advance

1 yrs seed equals 10yrs weeds unless you are no till! Good luck

 

[SpottedFlycatcher]

1 yrs seed equals 10yrs weeds unless you are no till! Good luck

Aiming for no-till whenever possible.....

 

[Flat 10]

Surely it suits spring barley more than ww?

 

[ollie989898]

I'd sooner they paid you properly to establish the crop in the designated areas and you didn't spray or harvest it at all but got to top it off at some stage before all the weeds set seed. Some parts around here you wouldn't have to go far to find resistant BLWs that you'd rue the day you ever allowed them to grow on.

Proper game strip would be a better bet in my mind.

 

[Farma Parma]

out of it in HLS after 10years its ok but only suited a spring crop imho.
i did overwintered stubbles mostly first tho as that was in scheme also.
Less yields but less seed & less Nitrogen.
Id rather sow a winter crop given the choice, which i now have again.