Norfolk crop trials demonstrated by Frontier at Honingham

Crop specialists Frontier Agriculture showed farmers how plants were coping with the rigours of a changeable year during Thursday's open day at the firm's trials site in Honingham, outside Norwich.

More than 30 types of wheat were on show, from premium bread-making grains to animal feed varieties, each with differing characteristics for yield potential and disease resistance.

Wheat crops at Frontier's trials site in Honingham (Image: Chris Hill)

The trial plots allowed farmers to compare how each had performed, with or without protective sprays.

Andrew Melton, Frontier's regional agronomy manager, said the "hidden value of the fungicide programme" had been proven in a year which had brought infections including septoria, yellow rust and tan spot, but also less common aschochyta leaf scorch

"It has probably been one of the most challenging springs I can remember," he said.

"We have gone from very cold, to very wet, to very dry and hot. 

"Only six days ago it was 12 degrees, and the north-easterly wind chill made it feel like eight. Then we went to 28 degrees the next day. Even I have found that tricky, so the crops and everything else have too.

Diseased wheat crops in an untreated trial plot at Honingham (Image: Chris Hill)

"The challenging thing for us as agronomists is the disease in the wheat. We have not had a septoria year for many many years, and we are growing a lot of [higher-yielding] varieties which are more susceptible to septoria. 

"There was also a lot of tan spot and aschochyta, which we have not seen for many years. That demonstrates what a strange year we have been having."

Mr Melton said the effect of different establishment techniques was also evident across the Norfolk countryside, with many of this year's best crops established in ploughed fields, while some direct-drilled into wet fields have suffered.

"It is about appropriate tillage, you cannot have 'one size fits all'," he said. "Every field has different soil types and weather patterns are changing constantly, so we have to adapt to work with Mother Nature."

Farmers discussing wheat trials at Frontier's open day in Honingham (Image: Chris Hill)