Cereals - Autruy-Sur-Juine, France
Inputs
- → Soil testing
- → Sulphur application
- → Nitrogen application
- → Air cooling grain
- → Equipment callibration
Soil testing
The farm carries out soil testing for Phosphate, Potash, Magnesium and pH on all the fields every five years. The soil test reports provide information influencing annual fertiliser recommendations and application rates which optimise fertiliser input. This approach maximises yields and returns, whilst avoiding over-application, which wastes time and money and substantially increases the risk of environmental pollution. This is especially important for the farm as it operates within the strict environmental criteria laid down by the schemes it participates in.
Sulphur application
The farm also applies liquid Sulphur to the growing crop, as this element is an integral part of the plants proteins, and deficiency results in poor crop growth and quality.
Nitrogen application
Nitrogen is the nutrient with the greatest influence on crop yield and quality, through effects on chlorophyll and protein production. The farm undertakes routine annual soil testing for nitrogen concentrations in the early part of the year (February), enabling the farm to calculate an application programme which meets the demands of the plant. The testing ensures that ideal nitrogen levels can be maintained in the soil to optimise plant growth and yields whilst avoiding the potential of over-application which is damaging to the environment and economically costly. Testing wheat plant tissue gives a recommended application rate for the final amount of nitrogen required.
Air cooling grain
Air cooling grain is the most simple and effective way of controlling insect activity within stored grain. Once the grain is harvested and any necessary cleaning and conditioning has been carried out, the grain is first cooled to below 20ºC and then below 15ºC. Temperatures below 15ºC prevent the saw-toothed grain beetle from developing - one of the most serious bulk grain storage pests. The final temperature target is below 12ºC. At these temperatures insects breeding stops and therefore populations cannot increase. The stored grain temperature is monitored constantly and checked regularly to ensure that targets are being achieved and to see if aeration fans need further running.
Another advantage in reducing the temperature of stored grain is that it limits the growth of moulds, which may produce myotoxins.
Equipment callibration
Currently in France there is a legal requirement that all agricultural sprayers are professionally calibrated every 5 years. The farm has increased this frequency by undertaking the tests every 3 years. Inaccurate application, whether due to operator error (see Management) or most likely sprayer error, is usually very expensive and results in squandered chemical, poor pest control, or even crop damage. For these reasons the farm feels that increasing the frequency of calibration is an overall benefit.
The farm regularly calibrates their fertiliser spreader with the use of collection trays. A working pass is made in the field with the tractor and spreader over the trays; a proportion of the fertiliser will fall into the trays which is then collected and weighed. From this data the Coefficient of Variation (CV) can be calculated for the spread pattern and any necessary adjustments can be made. The spreader can be set up for different fertiliser types and regular testing can be easily undertaken in the field. Fertiliser prices have risen dramatically over the last few years and the need to reduce costs has become critical. This approach ensures that these expensive products are applied accurately and precisely to get the best possible economic return for the investment.
The farm’s fertiliser spreader has a headland kit fitted to the machine to avoid spreading fertiliser into the field margins and hedges when working on the field perimeters. This equipment reduces the distance the spreader throws the fertiliser and keeps it on the cropped area. This is extremely important as this fertiliser may find its way into areas where it is not required (wasteful) or may potentially cause environmental pollution.
Regular soil and nitrogen testing, and calibration of spraying equipment, enables accurate application of optimal amounts; reducing the risk of environmental damage and saving unnecessary cost wastage.