A new exciting, farmer-led project aims to measure the level of mycorrhizal fungi in UK arable soils.
Just how much do you know about the fungal community in the soil below your crops? A new farmer-led project, co-ordinated by BOFIN (British On Farm Innovation Network) aims to find out.
BOFIN is working with the Crop Science Centre, Cambridge, to study arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) in arable soils. The aim of the project is to get a more accurate idea of the level of AMF across a range of soil types and cultivation approaches.
“We know that AMF plays a crucial role both in transferring nutrients from the soil to the crop and in sequestering carbon,” says Dr Tom Thirkell of CSC who leads the project.
Tom Thirkell
“What we don’t know is the actual amount of this fascinating fungi we have in arable soils, how this varies and how it’s influenced by management practice.”
Farmers interested in being involved in the project should fill out this form or contact tom@bofin.org.uk .
“We plan to take plant samples with roots intact from around 30 first wheat crops in May or June this year,” Tom explains.
“There’s a standard test we can apply in the lab to the roots that gives a very accurate idea of how much those plants have been interacting with AMF. We’re hoping to deliver the results at the Groundswell event in June.”
Those who register for the webinar will join BOFIN’s Soil Circle, a group of farmers and scientists keen to know more about soil fungal communities. Farmers in the group interested in taking part in the survey will be asked to give details of their soil type and cultivation system when they register for the webinar.
BOFIN will then invite from the Soil Circle members who will become the Soil Squad – those who will have their plant roots analysed for AMF activity. BOFIN and CSC will then work with the Soil Squad to ensure the samples are taken correctly and give an accurate picture of the AMF levels for each of the samples contributed.
“This is the first time UK arable soils have been benchmarked in this way, and I’m really excited about what we’ll find,” enthuses Tom.
“We already have the six Green Farm Collective farmers signed up to the Soil Squad as well as Paul Cherry, host of Groundswell. I’m looking forward to working with many more farmers within the Soil Circle, and I hope we’ll get a real spread of farming systems and cultivation approaches involved.”
Anyone can join BOFIN’s Soil Circle by simply registering for the webinar – it’s free and there’s no obligation. Farmers who join can choose whether they wish to apply to be part of the Soil Squad, which will require them to provide brief details of soil type, cultivation system and wheat variety.
Simon Cowell
They will also agree to provide a sample of their first wheat crop later in the season. Those involved in the project can choose to keep all data gathered anonymous.
Tim Parton
At the webinar on Thursday 16 February at 8:30am, Tom will share his deep insight into the science behind AMF and explain a little more about the project.
He’ll be followed by Essex farmer and co-founder of the Green Farm Collective Simon Cowell. He’s been improving the soils on his low-lying coastal farm for the past twenty years and will share his experiences and results of some of the AMF monitoring work he’s been doing.
Fellow GFC co-founder Tim Parton, who farms in Staffordshire will join the discussion. Tim is passionate about building ‘functioning’ soil, applying ‘brewed’ biology instead of synthetic inputs.
Three UK farmers have been taking part in Britain’s first on-farm trials of a combine-mounted seed mill, putting harvest weed seed control to the test.
The trials, co-ordinated by NIAB, tested the efficacy of the Redekop seed control unit (SCU) in UK conditions. Results of the first year of trials will be revealed at a webinar taking place on Wednesday 16 November at 6:30pm.
Anyone with an interest in the technology can register to attend and will join the Knowledge Cluster tracking progress and helping to shape the project.
Will Smith
Will Smith, senior trials manager at NIAB, has been chasing about this harvest gathering seeds and will reveal all – the results from the trials that have taken place on three farms across the UK.
Tom Allen-Stevens
The three farmers involved in the project will then join BOFIN founder and co-ordinator Tom Allen-Stevens to gather their feedback and their perspective on the ground-breaking trial.
Jake Freestone
Jake Freestone, farm manager at Overbury Enterprises, Worcestershire, has an SCU fitted to his John Deere S685i combine to tackle a bit of a problem with meadow brome.
Ted Holmes
Ted Holmes, Velcourt farm manager in Warwickshire, has an SCU fitted to his New Holland CR9.90 and for him, ryegrass is enemy no1.
Adam Driver of Driver Farms, Suffolk, is hoping the SCU fitted to his Claas Lexion 8800 will stop the lines of blackgrass in the following crop where it spreads the chaff.
Adam Driver
Joining the discussion from Canada will be Trevor Thiessen, co-owner and president at Redekop Manufacturing. He’ll offer further insight into the SCU and bring us up to date on latest developments.
Trevor Thiessen
The panel will also be addressing questions and discussing suggestions live from webinar attendees. This is the point at which the Knowledge Cluster will help decide how the project goes forward and the activities it will undertake.
The webinar is ideal for farmers, scientists or anyone who’s curious about how this technology can control up to 98% of even highly resistant weeds without the merest sniff of a chemical – not even glyphosate.
It’s free to attend and there’s no obligation. All you need to do is register. If the date’s not good for you, register anyway and you’ll be sent a link to access the recording after the event.
Farmers looking for a better way to deal with the annual scourge of slugs are invited to join a webinar that will present progress on finding a wheat that’s resistant to the slimy pest.
Taking place on Wednesday 5 October at 8:30am, the webinar will give an insight into the landrace variety consistently spurned by slugs in lab tests, which is now under scrutiny in a ground-breaking trial with ten BOFIN members. There’ll also be news of an elite wheat line, suspected to have the same properties, which is being included in the trial.
Anyone with an interest in keeping crops slug-free, or just curious about the behaviour of these creatures and whether plant genetics can help, can register to attend.
In doing so, they will join the Slug-resistant wheat Knowledge Cluster that will track progress, help shape how the trial develops and share experiences.
Farmers in the cluster will work with scientists on the project to develop an understanding of farming systems at the same time as developing the next generation of wheat genetics.
Simon Griffiths
At the webinar, Dr Simon Griffiths from John Innes Centre will explain the background to Watkins 788, the landrace wheat believed to be resistant to slugs. He’ll outline the lab tests done to date and what they’ve learned about the wheat in the two years it’s been grown at the JIC field station near Norwich.
Keith Walters
Prof Keith Walters of Harper Adams University will bring the latest research on slug behaviour and how the trial has been set up to determine how grazing will be monitored.
Tom Allen-Stevens
Some of the farmers involved in the project will then join BOFIN founder and co-ordinator Tom Allen-Stevens to discuss the trial and its prospects and how they hope the project will shape up.
There’ll then follow a discussion, bringing in the webinar attendees, which will be an opportunity to gain further insights into the wheat genetics and slug behaviour. Uniquely, those who attend the webinar will help shape the project and decide the activities the Knowledge Cluster will undertake.
If there is a trait that can be bred into modern wheats, farmers in the cluster will be the first to try it. This may take many years, during which they will work with scientists to co-design strategies around crop palatability and develop a far more sustainable approach that will combat the pest in conjunction with genetic resilience.
It’s free to attend and there’s no obligation. All you need to do is register. If the date’s not good for you, register anyway and you’ll be sent a link to access the recording after the event.
To take part in the Knowledge Cluster, you will need to register with the Trinity Pioneers platform and then join the Slug-resistant wheat project.
Over the last 2 years, we have been putting the Watkins 788 landrace variety to test through analysis by scientists at the John Innes Centre and Harper Adams University, through on-farm trials by our Slug Sleuths and from slugs sent in by our Slug Scouts. Watch this video to find out what the results were of this incredible project.
Although this project has now come to a close, we are underway with another slug-focused project; SLIMERS. Make sure to join the slug circle to keep receiving updates and join in our mission to tackle arable farmings biggest pest:
Watkins 788 is one of a collection of landrace wheats currently being screened for interesting traits by scientists working on the Defra-funded Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN) programme.
10 Slug Sleuths, BOFIN farmers conducted trials for this project by following an in-field trial protocol drawn up by slug behaviour expert Professor Keith Walters of Harper Adams University.
Results can be found in the video above or by clicking here.
BOFIN members are taking part in what’s believed to be the first ever field trial of wheat to see if it’s resistant to slugs. Those interested can now join the Slug Circle.
Researchers at John Innes Centre have identified the potential trait in one of a diverse collection of landrace wheats currently being screened for properties of interest.
Alongside this line, some of the growers taking part in the trial are also testing an elite wheat, bred by UK plant breeder John Blackman, that may have the same property.
“We decided to screen some of the Watkins material for slug resistance as this was identified as a priority,” says Dr Simon Griffiths of JIC who carried out the work as part of the Defra-funded Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN).
This lab-based research singled out Watkins 788 as a variety slugs consistently spurn. The aim of the trials is to determine if this is also the case in the field, where the wheat will be the only food source available.
Ten farmers from Devon to Yorkshire have been growing the wheat in 20x20m plots within fields known to have a problem with slugs.
A protocol for how the trial is managed has been drawn up with the help of research staff at JIC working with Professor Keith Walters of Harper Adams University. He’s led an AHDB-funded project into slug behaviour that concluded in 2021.
Meanwhile, wheats bred by independent UK plant breeder John Blackman suffered sorely from slugs last autumn. But curiously there was one line the slimy pests barely touched. The site at Great Abington, near Cambridge, on alluvial, heavy boulder clay, is where John multiplies up promising lines and selects those to go forward for National List trials.
“I had about 30 pre-NL1 multiplications, but many of these were on a part of the site that suffered heavy rainfall soon after drilling in early November,” he recalls. Slugs moved in and hollowed out much of the seed before it had even germinated. “We never expected the slugs, but they were worse than we’ve ever had them.
“The pellet application we applied was too little, too late. Of the 30 lines, only 10 can be salvaged.”
One of these, located right in the centre of the worst affected area, is a KWS Santiago/Graham cross that appears relatively unscathed, despite all of the other candidates in the surrounding plots being almost completely obliterated.
“Every plant you get from an F1 cross is different,” explains John. “This one appears to have something in its genetics the slugs don’t like.” John kindly offered all of the remaining wheat seed from this particular cross to be included within the BOFIN trial. “This level of losses in an NL1 prospect is a disaster. Let’s hope something positive comes of it,” he says.
Four of the ten BOFIN members have been growing John’s wheat alongside the Watkins. Overseen by the scientists involved, the trial protocol was finalised through consultation with the trial farmers and through discussion with members of the BOFIN Slug Circle wheat.
Farmers, scientists and anyone curious about slug-resistant wheat or slug behaviour are encouraged to join the Slug Circle to gain insight on the project, share experience and shape how it evolves.
If there is a trait that can be bred into modern wheats, farmers in the Seed Circle will be the first to try it. This may take many years, but the aim will be to work with scientists to gain an insight into slug behaviour in the field and co-design strategies that will combat the pest in conjunction with genetic resilience.
“Slug management usually focuses on control of the pest, mainly through applying pellets,” points out Keith. “There is so much we now understand about slug behaviour that we can develop with growers, bringing in aspects of crop palatability.”
The aim is to develop understanding of farming systems at the same time as developing the next generation of wheats, explains Simon. “This is a far more sustainable approach than traditional plant breeding where the two are developed in isolation. It’s made possible through the introduction of new plant-breeding techniques that considerably shorten the timespan it takes to bring a new trait to market,” he notes.
Wheat believed to be resistant to slugs will be one of the star attractions at the Breeders’ Day at the John Innes Centre on Tuesday 21 June 2022.
BOFIN members have been invited to attend the event and a select few will get the opportunity to put this wheat to the test in a ground-breaking trial this autumn.
The wheat is one the Watkins Collection of landrace wheats currently being screened for interesting traits by scientists working on the Defra-funded Wheat Genetic Improvement Network (WGIN) programme.
A set of choice chambers was used that allows slugs to choose at random varieties they would like to graze and those they prefer to avoid. Researchers found there was one wheat that stood out as consistently spurned – Watkins 788.
“We don’t know yet whether this wheat truly resists slugs or whether they’d still eat it in a field situation where there’s no other choice,” explains Prof Simon Griffiths of John Innes Centre who leads the research.
Could landrace wheat Watkins 788 be resistant to slugs?
The concept was put to BOFIN members in 2020 and considerable interest came back in conducting trials of 0.4ha plots of the wheat – the area required to provide the optimal foraging distance to study the slugs’ behaviour.
“On the strength of this initial interest, we’ve spent the last two years multiplying up enough seed, and we’re now ready to go,” say Simon. The trial will start this autumn, closely monitored by JIC entomologists.
Only BOFIN members will be able to take part in the trial. Fields with a history of slug activity are sought, preferably following a crop (such as oilseed rape) that will promote slug activity.
As a landrace variety, Watkins 788 will not be an easy wheat to grow – it will be prone to lodging, susceptible to disease, and will not yield well. But following the monitoring, it will be important to bring the crop to yield with viable, clean seed as very little of the line currently exists.
“If the wheat truly resists slugs this will be a very valuable trait to pinpoint and bring into UK breeding programmes,” says Simon.
“Long term funding from Defra and Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) have given us the tools we need to identify the genetic basis of valuable pest resistance such as this.”
There’s currently about 0.5ha of the ‘slug-resistant’ wheat growing at John Innes Centre and BOFIN members have been invited to the Breeders’ Day on Tuesday 21 June to view it.
The plan is to have a ‘huddle’ next to the plot with Simon and other members of the research team to get an insight into Watkins 788 and the work they’re doing.
Any BOFIN member interested in taking part in the trial should contact tom@bofin.org.uk. They are also strongly recommended to attend the Breeders Day. To register, click the button below:
Farmers looking for an alternative way to control key grassweeds are invited to join a webinar that will offer some insight into harvest weed seed destruction.
Taking place on Thursday 26 May at 6:00pm, the webinar will give details of a ground-breaking research project involving three UK farmers, co-ordinated by NIAB, to test the efficacy of the Redekop seed control unit (SCU) in UK conditions.
Anyone with an interest in the technology can register to attend and will join the Knowledge Cluster that will track progress and help shape the project.
Trevor Thiessen
Trevor Thiessen, co-owner and president at Redekop Manufacturing, will join from Canada to give some background into the harvester-mounted SCU and explain what it does.
Will Smith
Then Will Smith, senior trials manager at NIAB, who carried out the first UK trials of the SCU with a unit that arrived in the country last year, will run through the plan for this harvest.
Tom Allen-Stevens
The three farmers involved in the project will then join BOFIN founder and co-ordinator Tom Allen-Stevens to discuss their priorities and how they hope the project will shape up.
Jake Freestone
Jake Freestone, farm manager at Overbury Enterprises, Worcestershire, has a new John Deere S790 combine and a bit of a problem with meadow brome.
Adam Driver
Adam Driver of Driver Farms, Suffolk, has a Claas Lexion 8800 which puts blackgrass into its chaff lines.
Ted Holmes
Ted Holmes, Velcourt farm manager in Warwickshire, has a New Holland CR9.90 and for him, ryegrass is enemy no1.
There’ll then follow a discussion, bringing in the webinar attendees, which will not only be an opportunity to gain further insights into the technology. Uniquely, those who take part will help shape the project and decide the activities the Knowledge Cluster will undertake.
The webinar is ideal for farmers, scientists or anyone who’s curious about how this technology can control up to 98% of even highly resistant weeds without the merest sniff of a chemical – not even glyphosate.
It’s free to attend and there’s no obligation. All you need to do is register. If the date’s not good for you, register anyway and you’ll be sent a link to access the recording after the event.
A group of UK farmers are taking part in a ground-breaking research project into a novel, chemical-free method of controlling tricky grassweeds at harvest.
The farmer-led project will put the Redekop Seed Control Unit (SCU) to the test over two years on three farms in Worcestershire, Warwickshire and Suffolk. BOFIN members are invited to join a ‘knowledge cluster’ to hear first hand how the project progresses and help shape its development.
The Redekop SCU is a mill that’s fitted to the rear of the combine and processes the chaff, proven to kill up to 98% of weed seeds as they exit. Used extensively and successfully by farmers across North America and Australia, Redekop is now introducing the technology to Europe – the UK farmer-led project is the first to put the unit to the test in a maritime climate.
Potential benefits of the SCU include reduced herbicide usage and long-term reduction of weed seeds in the soil profile. It’s an option to control weeds during harvest – a window rarely used in the UK – particularly useful for those with herbicide resistance. It also reduces dependence on glyphosate.
As part of the project, weed specialists from NIAB will closely monitor populations of grassweeds such as meadow brome and ryegrass to get an accurate idea of efficacy under UK conditions.
Knowledge cluster
While just three units will be operating, more than 30 BOFIN members have expressed an interest in being involved in the project and have been invited into a cluster that will share results and other information to help shape how the project develops.
The units will be fitted, at no cost to the farmers, to a John Deere S790, New Holland CR9.90 and Claas 8800. At harvest, this will be brought in and out of operation in designated areas with weed population and subsequent germination closely monitored.
The farmers will also share their experiences with the cluster on what the SCU is like to operate, its benefits and costs. Engineers from Redekop will also come into the cluster and views will be sought from farmers operating the SCU in other countries.
BOFIN would welcome into the cluster any farmer genuinely interested in the project. You must be a BOFIN member, which is free to join and there’s no obligation.
There are plans for a webinar in May or early June to kick off activity for the Redekop Knowledge Cluster. Members of the cluster themselves will decide what happens thereafter.
Areas of interest include using modern breeding techniques to develop new crops.
Farmers are being asked to take part in ambitious research projects designed to bring new, innovative methods of food and energy production and technologies into the field.
Two competitions have been launched under the Farming Innovation Programme, run by Defra and UKRI worth a total of £20.5M. Bids have been invited for projects that will help farms become more productive, environmentally sustainable, and more resilient to the global food security challenges of the future.
BOFIN is looking to be a collaborative partner in one of the projects and is asking members interested in being involved to come forward.
The Farming Futures Research and Development Fund offers £12.5 million to projects valued between £3-6M, lasting up to four years. It will fund large-scale, ambitious, and transformative projects that focus on mitigating greenhouse gas emissions or help the sector adapt to climate change.
Areas where innovation can help include using modern breeding techniques to develop new crops that are better equipped to cope with extreme weather events such as drought, extreme temperatures, or flooding.
The projects must be collaborative and must benefit farmers and growers based in England. The closing date for an Expression of Interest is 18 May.
The industry-led partnership fund aims to drive forward large-scale research, development and demonstration of solutions to substantially improve the productivity and environmental sustainability of England’s agricultural and horticultural sectors.
Projects must have a significant focus on demonstration and knowledge exchange to enable the commercialisation and adoption of new solutions.
With projects lasting up to four years, the value of each will be £3-5M and again must deliver benefits to farmers and growers based in England. The closing date for full applications is 29 June 2022.
BOFIN has attended the briefing events for both of the two funds and is actively looking to be involved within a consortium to engage a group of BOFIN members interested in testing innovative technologies on farm. Funding for the farmers who take part is available.
Any BOFIN member interested in taking part should email tom@bofin.org.uk.
The British On-Farm Innovation Network, NIAB and Redekop Manufacturing are looking for farmers to take part in an on-farm trial of harvest weed seed control.
The study is a UKRI and Defra-funded two-year program that will evaluate the effectiveness and long-term benefits of weed seed mills on combines.
Mills such as Redekop’s Seed Control Unit have been proven to kill up to 98% of weed seeds that are exiting the back of the combine. Potential benefits of this include reduced herbicide usage and long-term reduction of weed seeds in the soil profile. It’s an option to control weeds during harvest – a window rarely used in the UK – particularly useful to those with herbicide resistance. It also reduces dependence on glyphosate.
BOFIN is leading a bid for funding for the trial through the UKRI and Defra-funded Farming Innovation Programme. If successful, a number of units will be installed at no cost to the farmer on compatible models of Case IH, John Deere, New Holland and Claas combines. Weed burdens will be closely monitored by NIAB specialists and the farmers involved will share experiences with other farmers in the project and with the wider farming community.
We’re keen to hear from any BOFIN members who’d like to take part in the trial. The deadline for expressions of interest is January 28, 2022.
Most suitable for combating ryegrass or brome grasses, anyone interested should email tom@bofin.org.uk, stating make and model of your combine and the weeds you’d be most interested in controlling.
This £12M funding competition looks to support the development of novel innovations that will shape a productive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural sector.
Feasibility studies with costs up to £250,000 will test the viability of new ideas, and proposals must involve farmers, growers or producers to explore the potential of early-stage farm-focused solutions. These projects start in October 2021 and will last for 12-18 months.
Another strand of the funding competition supports industrial research, including the development of innovations to develop and support a productive, resilient, and sustainable agricultural sector. These projects start in October 2021 and will last for up to 24 months.
BOFIN members interested in being involved in four projects in particular are urged to come forward:
Grassweed control
This feasibility study, led by NIAB, will look at control of grassweeds using the Redekop Seed Control Unit. Not currently available in the UK, this unit fits to a combine and destroys more than 98% of harvestable weeds. The project will explore its efficacy and application.
A small number of units (around 4-10) will be imported and retrofitted by a UK dealer to combines for the 2021 and 2022 harvests. Participating farmers will get to use the unit free of charge and designate a trial area in their field in which efficacy of the unit will be assessed through post-harvest monitoring, carried out by NIAB.
Most suitable for combating ryegrass or brome grasses, anyone interested should email tom@bofin.org.uk stating make and model of their combine.
High protein beans
Roasted bean flake
This feasibility study aims to test a unit developed by McArthur Agriculture designed for on-farm processing of dried field beans. The unit heats beans to a high temperature for a short period which significantly increases bypass protein and makes them suitable for replacing soya bean meal in high performance dairy diets.
The project will try out pre-commercial units that can be a small 200kg/hr unit or a large contractor unit processing 10t/hr into flakes, meal or whole roasted beans. Feeding studies will be carried out in parallel to verify the nutritional value of the processed product.
Participating farmers will get to try a unit for free in return for submitting samples and information on energy usage, ease of use, etc. This is most suitable for farmers who grow field beans and have a ready use for the processed product – an on-farm or neighbouring dairy herd, for example – and could also participate in the feeding studies.
Anyone interested should email tom@bofin.org.uk with details of approx anticipated crop from harvest 2021 in tonnes, variety, and potential outlet for product.
Soil monitoring
This feasibility study will apply understanding and sensors developed for soil and carbon monitoring. Researchers at the University of Leeds are looking for interest in testing sensors and systems that monitor soil properties and provide metrics on aspects such as carbon capture.
Most suitable for those with an interest in climate change, and in particular if you use carbon-accounting software, this will involve designating areas in arable fields for detailed monitoring, preferably over a range of cultivation regimes. Anyone interested should email tom@bofin.org.uk with brief details of anticipated arable cropping for 2021/22 season, cultivation regime(s) and carbon accounting tool used.
Bean foot rot
This industrial research project involves PGRO, University of Warwick and ADAS Bean YEN. The aim is to develop understanding of bean foot rot and develop a decision support tool.
Most suitable for those growing field beans, participating farmers will be enrolled in the Bean YEN in return for access to crops for sampling and monitoring. Anyone interested should email tom@bofin.org.uk with brief details of anticipated crop for 2021/22 season.
Timelines and involvement
Initially, project partners are only looking for potential interest from farmers – there’s no obligation on those who show interest to be involved. Proposals for these projects are competitive must be submitted by 28 April with successful projects notified in mid June 2021.
For those projects going ahead, those farmers who showed an interest will be contacted in order to form a group. Level of involvement and resources required will vary, but it is envisaged any out-of-pocket expenses will be reimbursed. Farmers will also be actively involved in the design of the project, communication and delivery of results. These activities will be co-ordinated by BOFIN.
