Genetic seed news

http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2013/dec/12/brazil-gm-terminator-seed-technology-farmers

Winter cereals surface capping

Surface capping on very light low organic matter soils. .. prevents aeration of the soil. Soil underneath wet and cold. Reduces soil microbe activity and hence nutrient mineralisation. Contact an SSM advisor for preventative solutions.

Winter cover crops

The picture shows the rooting difference between mustard and stubble turnip variety.

It is clear that the mustard sown after wheat prior to potatoes has a much smaller rooting ability and therefore impact on soil structure compared to a more extensive and penetrative stubble turnip root.

It was also noticed this autumn that the mustard suffered badly from diamond backed moth larvae in comparison to the turnip varieties.

Mustard has started to fall away now whilst the benefits of the continued root exudate and growth for soil microbes will continue with the Stubble Turnips.

Root health issues

Due to the very mild autumn many crops are advanced for the time of year, with little signs of cold weather growth is expected to continue. whilst on the surface this is a good thing, underground is very differant. we are seeing brown rust appearing on foliage along with mildew and septoria in wheat, rhynchosporium and net blotch in Barley and Phoma , light leaf spot in Oilseed rape crops. all these diseases cause an abiotic reaction within the plant. add to this colder and wetter soil conditions and we begin to see phosphate and Magnesium being restricted in availablity. crops growing a good foliage are empty of nutrition to match. roots suffering from nutritional deficiency and abiotic conditions will not develop correctly, and if the roots are not present the plants can not access nutrition when it demands it, possibly leading to wasted, or leached nutrients. The key here when we think of soils is to keep air in the ground, which reflects back to how we created the seed beds, soil chemistry and the soils biology. maintaining a viable root system through the winter is one key area in achieving a succesful crop.

Welcome to my new Blogg pages. it is my intention to post comments and agronomically relavant issues relating to soil health on a weekliy basis. i hope it can provide the reader an insite into the day to day faming world from a soil related perspective.