The availability of modern swede varieties has resulted in growers getting an extra 18% dry matter yield. In Limagrain’s UK trials, based at the James Hutton Institute in Scotland, modern swede varieties Gowrie and Lomond outyielded older variety Ruta Otofte by 1.7 t/ha and 1.1 t/ha of DM respectively.

“This highlights the fact that swede growers can get at least an extra tonne of DM simply by switching to newer varieties,” points out Limagrain’s Martin Titley.

In addition, Martin stresses that many new varieties have also been bred with resistance to important diseases such as club root and powdery mildew. In the same trials both Lomond and Gowrie, exhibit resistance to powdery mildew with the maximum score of 9 – whereas Ruta Otofte only scored 4.

Martin explains: “Modern swede varieties offer newer genetics, increased yields and better resistance to key diseases. This can allow fields to support more livestock and thereby help to reduce feed costs. It is worth mentioning that Lomond was bred in Scotland – which makes it ideally suited to our climate – as opposed to some varieties which have been bred in other parts of the world.”

The swede is an excellent, high energy winter feed with an ME of 12.8-13.1 MJ/kg/DM and a crude protein of 10-11%. With low growing costs, DM yields range from 9.8 to 11.5 tonnes/ha.

There is more information about swedes in our “Essential Guide to Forage Crops” which is available free of charge. If you would like a copy then please e-mail us on info@limagrain.co.uk

March 2013

As part of its pledge to help growers earn a sustainable return from the market, seed breeder Limagrain has produced a new oilseeds technical guide to help growers select the most appropriate variety for the coming season.

The oilseeds guide is the latest in the ‘Growing for the market’ series, which already covers wheat, spring barley and pulse crops, and shows how variety selection can be critical to a securing a good return.

“With oilseeds there is less diversification of traits needed for the available end markets, so that any variety will go into any market, with the exception of HEAR (High Erucic Acid Rape)and HOLL (High Oleic Low Linolenic) varieties. This means that the oilseed grower is free to make a variety choice based entirely on yield, agronomic characteristics and on farm suitability – and this guide is based on these factors,”  says Les Daubney, oilseeds product manager for Limagrain.

“As breeders we are best placed to offer this information using data collected from a range of our own farmer and independent trials, as well as that from official trials performed by the HGCA. This guide intends to make this process as simple and straightforward as possible, and is centred around a comprehensive table that illustrates the yield comparisons, agronomic characteristics, seed quality and disease resistance of Limagrain’s key winter and spring oilseed rape and linseed varieties.”

“For example, it is clear to see from the yield data in the winter oilseeds table, that the new top performing conventional winter oilseed rape Anastasia, which is recommended for the HGCA north region, has consistently outperformed hybrid varieties in trials yielding 106% over controls. Anastasia’s robust disease resistance profile is clear and alongside agronomic characteristics such as good resistance to lodging, and early flowering it makes it an attractive variety for the whole of the northern region – anywhere north of the Humber Bridge!”

Available free to growers the guides can be ordered as paper copies from Laura Davey on 01472 370151 or downloaded from the group’s website (www.limagrain.co.uk).

There is no doubt that one of our most sought after technical guides highlights the agronomic and financial value of pasture renovation programmes. This is because there are many livestock farmers who have leys which are basically sound but just need improving to generate more grass for grazing and/or conservation purposes.

It is a fact that even the best managed medium and long term leys will deteriorate over time and within 5 years it is not unusual to find the percentage of the original sown species to have been reduced by 50% or more. The ingress of weeds and poorly performing grasses (such as annual meadow-grass, rough stalked meadow-grass, creeping bent and Yorkshire fog) will lead to a loss of digestibility, a reduction in yield and an inefficient use of expensive fertilisers.

By assessing your pastures you might well be able to avoid the more expensive full re-seed and take advantage of a renovation programme. This option is also very convenient if you have fields which, for one reason or another, cannot be taken out of production to facilitate a complete re-seed.

To make a renovation programme a success there are various key guidelines to follow – and our updated Guide to Successful Pasture Renovation provides you with all the key agronomic pointers.  We provide details on the most suitable mixtures to use as well as links to the availability of other technical brochures which will be equally valuable.

To obtain a copy of this informative publication you can e-mail us on: info@limagrain.co.uk and advise whether you would like a hard copy or an electronic file, in pdf format, which you can keep for reference of your computer. Please write ‘Pasture Renovation’ in the subject box as this will help us to deal more efficiently with your request.

March 2013

If you have read through one of the recent issues of The Scottish Farmer (9th March) you may well have seen the article on pages 30/31 which describes how Andrew Farquharson (whose family has owned the 10,000-acre Finzean Estate in Royal Deeside for over 400 years) won the Best Newcomer Award in the North of Scotland Grassland Society competition.

Andrew says, quite rightly, that the process of getting the optimum silage quality starts at the very beginning with the right grass seed mixture. The blend which was used to produce this prize-winning silage was Flexiscot – a dual purpose, medium to long term mixture designed for Scotland and the north of England. Flexiscot, which is featured in our very popular Monarch range of mixtures, contains hybrid ryegrasses which will deliver early growth for spring grazing or first cut silage.

The mixture also boasts a range of varieties which will provide a successive growth pattern throughout the season. Not surprisingly Flexiscot has excellent winter hardiness, is suitable for all classes of stock and can be grazed or cut for silage or hay. The mixture can be supplied with, or without, our Ensign Plus white clover blend – if you specify this then you will be able to take advantage of the ‘free’ nitrogen that will be fixed by this blend. There are many other advantages associated with white clovers – more information can be found in the Monarch catalogue.

If you would like to read the full story then you can CLICK HERE to be taken to the appropriate section on the Scottish Farmer website.

March 2013

Farmers with land available for spring sown arable crops obviously have a number of alternatives to consider before making a final decision on their cropping plans for 2012.

Clearly, one of the key options is spring barley – a crop which when grown well, has an attractive yield potential, coupled with lower growing costs than those associated with a typical winter sown barley. There is also the valuable opportunity of boosting financial returns still further by opting to grow a spring barley crop for seed production. Nick Rodgers, Field Contract Manager with Limagrain UK, says, “Currently, we are able to offer seed production contracts for several leading spring barley varieties and these will all attract an appropriate premium to reflect the additional level of care and attention to detail which is required.”

He points out that seed growers play an extremely important role within the arable sector of the market: “A dedicated team of cereal seed growers is vital for UK agriculture as they multiply up the seed which, after processing, is then released for C1 or C2 production. Apart from having the satisfaction of delivering a high quality crop, membership of this select group can also provide an opportunity to evaluate the newest varieties prior to their full commercialisation.”Mr Rodgers stresses that the relationship between the grower and the seed breeding company is very much a partnership. “We endeavour to build up long term relationships with our growers which ensures continuity of supply and a sound awareness of what both parties need to secure from the partnership.

“Those farmers willing to put in the extra effort can reap a welcome premium and have the satisfaction of being at the hub of a professional team which is dedicated to ensuring that all cereal growers in the UK have access to high quality varieties this year and in the future.”

If you have land available this spring and would like to consider growing a crop of spring barley for seed then contact Nick Rodgers either by telephone on 01472 370107(direct line) or via e-mail using the following address: nick.rodgers@limagrain.co.uk

The 2012 HiBird catalogue is a vital source of information for gamekeepers and anybody else who is keen to maximise the value of their on-farm shooting facilities. This new 36 page catalogue is arranged in a logical sequence so that you can quickly access the information which you are looking for.

There is very detailed advice on how to grow several key crops – maize, sorghum, kale and millet – and information is provided on the subject of herbicide tolerant mixtures.

In terms of new introductions the herbicide tolerant Jack Russell blend is an interesting option as it is eligible for the Entry Level Scheme (ELS). The mixture contains grain sorghum for structure and winter hardiness as well as spring triticale, a millet blend and sunflower to provide a succession of feed for farmland birds.

Cocker and New Pointer are two other new entries to the comprehensive HiBird range. The former is Butisan tolerant, provides full season cover for two years and offers excellent feed value for pheasants and partridges. New Pointer offers good weed control options, as well as delivering excellent driving cover.

If you would like a hard copy of the HiBird catalogue then email us on hibird@limagrain.co.uk and we will arrange to post it out. Alternatively you can open and download a copy via our website.

February 2012

Matrix Enhanced® Ryegrass, which was developed in New Zealand, has given a strong performance during the winter months and looks set to help even more farmers to exploit the value of an extended grazing system. Ian Misselbrook, Limagrain's Grass Seed Manager for the UK and Ireland, takes up the story.

“Observations of our own trials in Lincolnshire and those at NIAB Harper Adams in Shropshire confirm that Matrix commenced growth as early as January.”

Mr Misselbrook says that photographs taken on 31st January in Lincolnshire demonstrate very clearly how Matrix outperforms conventional ryegrass varieties. While the conventional mixture (comprising mainly intermediate and late heading varieties) is still completely dormant the Matrix in the neighbouring plot is exhibiting excellent growth.

“A visit to the NIAB site at Harper Adams in early February provided similar results – which was especially relevant as this location often records the coldest temperatures in England.”

Mr Misselbrook points out that Matrix (which is an inter-generic hybrid consisting of around 80% diploid pasture perennial ryegrass and 20% meadow fescue) is particularly suitable for those farmers keen to exploit the value of extended grazing systems.

“The results we have seen in our current trials and the performance of the grass in commercial situations demonstrate how valuable Matrix can be in an extended grazing regime for cows or sheep. This grass delivers a cheap and nutritious food source at a time of the year when the expense on bought in feeds is at its highest.”

More information about Matrix (and the various Matrix-based mixtures we recommend) can be found on this website – just click on Forage Grasses in the menu on the left hand side of this page.

February 2012

Richard Camplin, Limagrain's technical trials manager, stresses that whilst it is important to choose a variety that will grow vigorously through plastic cover and produce high yields, it is also just as important that the variety selected will make silage with a good feeding quality.

“The under plastic system has been developed using selected varieties from the Continent that achieve high dry matter yields. Most of these varieties are over 10 years old and have not changed since the system was first introduced.

“However, since then, breeding programmes for maize have become more sophisticated. Now, in addition to bulk, newer varieties can have better nutritional characteristics – in particular starch content and cell wall digestibility. This leads to higher levels of metabolisable energy in the silage, and better animal performance.

“So whilst farmers are always looking for high yielding crops, they can now also maximise the energy yield and density of their maize by sowing modern varieties which have been bred to provide superior feeding quality.”

Maize breeder Limagrain UK is focused on developing LG brand forage maize varieties for the UK market. And for the past three years, the trials programme has also included evaluations of LG varieties sown under plastic. Just as for maize bred for open sowing, the LG breeding programme, selects not just for their DM yield but also their starch potential and digestibility.

Consequently, Mr Camplin says that whenever maize is being sown under plastic it is vital not just to opt automatically for the existing limited range of established ‘plastic' varieties.

“They may look good in the field, but there's more to consider than just bulk. Where varieties with good nutritional characteristics are selected then a higher energy density of silage can be achieved, leading to a bigger boost to animal performance and improving the profitability on livestock units.”

This was demonstrated in a maize under plastic trial carried out last year at a mainstream growing site near Newark in Nottinghamshire. Amongst the varieties sown, were the standard plastic variety Benicia, the improved digestible LG variety Award, and an earlier maturing LG variety Beacon. See table 1.

 Mr Camplin explains: “The highest yielding variety across the whole site was Award, producing nearly a tonne of dry matter more than mainstream ‘plastic' variety Benicia.

“Not only did the more modern genetics in Award deliver a higher yield, but it also showed a higher starch content and better cell wall digestibility than Benicia. So the ME yield per hectare was also greater by 10,572 MJ/ha – that's a difference in milk production potential of nearly 2000 litres of milk from each hectare of crop.”

Table 1: Performance of varieties under plastic in Newark

Mr Camplin adds: “In very marginal conditions, or for later sowing, then Award and Benicia may not be the best choices, because of the shorter growing season available. They would be less likely to reach maturity and their full energy potential, compared to earlier maturing varieties.

“Instead, where conditions are less than favourable, then an early maturing variety like Beacon may be the best option. Indeed, this has been the case in Scotland where Beacon and another early LG variety Hawk, have proven popular and reliable for sowing in plastic systems. This is reflected in Beacon's higher DM and starch content in the Newark trial, whilst delivering the same starch yield as Benicia.

“As maize drilling time approaches, farmers should be considering their variety choice based on how it will fill the clamp and feed out in the ration. Contractors can help ensure their customers maximise the energy content of their clamps by looking beyond dry matter yields, to also take into account the feeding quality and energy potential of a variety.”

February 2012

Spring barley growers will have more marketing choices available to them with the recommendation of three new varieties for this spring.

Considering that the Scottish malt distilling market represents about 700,000 tonnes, grain distilling an additional 70,000 and wheat for distilling 550,000 – this clearly demonstrates the size and value of this market to the UK as a whole – and to us as plant breeders contends Lee Robinson, marketing director from Limagrain UK.

To this end, Limagrain has focussed on bringing varieties such as Odyssey, Chronicle and Overture to the market which demonstrate not just a step forward in terms of yield and agronomics, but a flexibility of marketing options.

Based on a parentage of Concerto X Quench, these ‘sons of Concerto’, demonstrate similar quality characteristics to Concerto, which is the only UK variety to have both IBD approval for brewing and distilling, and also French CBMO approval.

“Odyssey, Overture and Chronicle are currently the only three new varieties in IBD trials,” says Mark Glew, senior barley breeder for Limagrain. “Currently, Odyssey and Overture are suitable for brewing and distilling, however the extensive overseas evaluations we have carried out could create export markets in the near future. Overture in particular is generating the most interest in Europe. Chronicle is also suitable for brewing and distilling, but not yet developed overseas.”

“In our regional trials, we looked at how the varieties performed individually across a range of geographical locations; Odyssey and Chronicle performed well in the north with average yields of 108% and 107% respectively; demonstrating a distinct improvement on the brewing variety Propino (105%) and the distilling variety Concerto (101%). Odyssey also performed well in the east, along with Overture,” he adds.

 â€œIn terms of quality, all three varieties are GN-non producers but what we found breaking it down into specifics was that Odyssey and Chronicle  showed a low to medium SNR – ideal for distilling whilst Overture and Odyssey showed complimentary malting characteristics – suitable for malsters to meet their specifications.”

Ripening Scores“The characteristic that is critical to varieties grown in Scotland particularly, is the ripening score, as early ripening helps to minimise the risk of delayed harvests.

“We broke down the data behind the ripening scores for these three varieties to see if in fact there was any significant difference,” says Mr Glew. “What we found was really rather interesting – although all three varieties rate +1 for ripening, against the standard.” 

“Looking at the raw data with decimals, Chronicle was actually the earliest of the three at 149.5 days to ripening in comparison to the 150+ days for Odyssey and Overture This small difference may not look too exciting at first, but with ripening scores for malting varieties varying so little: from zero (149 days) to +1 (150 days), and the differences getting stretched further north, this demonstrates again Chronicle’s suitability to conditions in the north.”

Andy Stirrat of Fingask Farm, Rhynd, in Perth, is very clear on his requirements when choosing new barley varieties: “Where I farm up here in Perth, we can get unprecedented levels of rain– so the conditions are challenging and I need varieties that can cope with this.”

“What this means that when I am looking at new barley varieties, yield and disease resistance are important but equally as important will be ripening score. Up here two-three days can make all the difference to getting a crop harvested and the next one in.  In fact, should a variety have great yield and robust disease scores but a higher ripening score, I would have to think very carefully about if I would grow it, but a variety with a low ripening score and is earlier, but maybe not the highest yield, would always be considered,” he says.

“Last season with the wet weather setting in later in the summer, it really showed how valuable this characteristic is, as those who had earlier ripening varieties had more chance to get the crop harvested. Those that didn’t have probably still have barley sitting in the ground! In simple terms of farm management it also has an impact, for example if a variety is three days later then it could mean a clash with drilling oilseed rape.”

“We usually have about 45ha of our own spring barley in the ground, and 75h on contract. We have done well with Concerto, as this has a good combination of disease resistance, standing power and is relatively early. Luckily, I am also in a position where I can see varieties in trial, in situ here on the farm, as I host Limagrain and Frontier demonstration sites on the farm. These give me a good insight into current and upcoming varieties; I will be interested this spring to see some of the ‘sons of Concerto’ in trials and how they perform,” says Mr Stirratt.

A potential shortage of blue peas this coming season mean there are some profitable opportunities, but meeting quality specifications is vital as it can mean the difference between a £250/t and £175/t crop.

• Potential blue pea shortages this coming season 
• Variety and priority at harvesting key to meeting colour specs  

Last year saw a 40% reduction in blue pea plantings, says Limagrain’s pulse product manager, Les Daubney.

“The certified seed tonnage fell from 5300t in 2010 to about 3000t last season. And while PGRO predictions are for a slightly higher area this season, it is still forecast to be well below 2010 levels,” says Mr Daubney.

Howard Jackson, group grain buyer for Masham Micronized Feeds adds that there could be supply issues this year, as last year was helped by some carryover from the 2010 season. “If we see a poor harvest this year, there could be a shortage of blues.”

There are several reasons for the fall in area, most notably was that the strong cereal and oilseed rape prices tempted growers to increase their winter crop area. On top of this, there had been a succession of poor crops with growers failing to secure quality premiums and this had put some growers off, as they are effectively left with feed peas.

“There is a feed market for peas, but in practice it is difficult to find a buyer, says Mr Daubney. “A lack of quantity and consistency in supply during the year means compounders tend not to maintain a pea bin.”

But securing the premium is consistently achievable, believes Mr Daubney, by selecting the right variety, not scrimping on inputs and cutting crops earlier to avoid bleaching.

Growers should aim to produce the largest, greenest pea they can. “Smaller seeds that are bleached will lead to a declining premium. Also the sample should be clean with no broken peas.”

Colour is a key requirement of the premium pet food market, says Chris I’Anson, chairman of Masham Micronized Feeds. “We are aiming to produce a big flake, and as green as possible which adds to the visual appearance that ultimately attracts consumers.

The key cause of bleaching is exposure to rain and sun, says Mr Daubney. “As with marrowfats, harvesting crops at 18-20% moisture when they are still green and then blowing out the last few % of moisture helps prevent colour loss. Leaving it until the crop is at 16% to save on drying costs brings more risk of bleaching, particularly if it rains.

“Go out into the field and look at the crop. If you think it is near, then get them in. Leaving it a day or two is tempting to save on drying costs, but you could easily see a £250/t crop become a £175/t feed pea crop in just a couple of days.”

Cutting earlier also means stiffer straw and the canopy stands better, making it easier to combine. A crop on the floor is a nightmare to harvest. Earlier harvesting also cuts the risk of shedding.

However, he acknowledges that growers now face a harvest clash due to the trend for earlier wheat drilling sowing. “Traditionally peas were cut before wheat. Pulling your combine out of your wheat to fetch the peas is a difficult decision.”

One solution is to opt for an earlier maturing variety such as Zero4, which is ready for harvest 10 days earlier than newer varieties. It is a small, blue pea so isn’t on the Recommended List. But if you drill at 110 plants/sq m instead of the conventional 70 plants/sq m, yields are on a par with other varieties.

It typically yields about 2t/acre and is comparable with Nitouche on the Recommended List. It is short strawed at 54cm and is resistant to pea wilt. It is widely grown in the north east as early maturity is a necessity, but Mr Daubney believes it also has a place in eastern counties.

In summary, either opt for an earlier variety or if you grow one of the newer varieties, be prepared to prioritise harvest and cut at 18% to ensure retain colour, says Mr Daubney. 

To read more about Zero4 click here

A key premium area of the blue pea market is the micronizing sector, supplying flaked peas to the various feed sectors.

Masham Micronized Feeds has been using the technology since 1974 and is one of the largest manufacturers of micronized feeds, supplying feed manufacturers across the UK and Eire as well as other countries within Europe.

As its chairman Chris I’Anson explains, it is a cooking process using natural gas aimed at making the feed more digestible to animals. “The natural gas burners give off a certain wavelength (infra red) that causes cooking from the inside.”

Peas are pre-soaked and each grain acts as a pressure cooker and as the moisture expands, heat travels outwards and cooks the starch. Peas then pass through a roller mill to produce the highly attractive green flakes.

Micronizing is better than steam cooking as it helps retain the colour. The vibrant colour is of particular value in creating visually appealing finished feeds, especially with pet food as it attracts consumers, says Mr I’Anson.

It’s not just peas, the company micronizes many other materials including beans, cereals, maize and oilseeds tailoring the time and temperature.

The process breaks down the anti-nutritive factors, so more energy and nutrients are available to livestock. This is particularly beneficial for starter diets for younger animals, says Mr I’Anson.

Micronized peas are sold as raw materials into the feed sector and are included in feeds for ruminants, monogasteric and small pets UK wide and also exported. “The pet food market is still growing, increasing opportunities for UK blue pea growers.”

Pulse market at a glanceThere are three key types of pulses, marrowfats, white and blue peas.

Marrowfat peas are mostly grown on contract with peas going for canning as mushy peas or export to the Far East.

White peas are the old feed pea and are a premium product used in pigeon mixes and for producing split peas and pea flour. However, it is a very small market accounting for about 8% of the certified tonnage in 2010.

The bulk of the pea acreage is large blues and there are two key premium markets. Some go for canning as mushy peas as a lower price alternative to marrowfats when there is a shortage.

But the main premium market is the micronizing sector, supplying a high quality raw material to the feed and premium pet food sectors.

Competition between spring cropping options is intense, but the improving performance of modern marrowfat varieties which offer gross margins in excess of spring oilseed rape mean spring peas are worth more than a cursory look.

Supported by a strong export market premiums are currently around the £75/tonne mark for those able to achieve the necessary quality while the high residual nitrogen is of great value to the following cereal crop.

Other benefits include the opportunity to control problem weeds and the option to spread harvest workload. However, their contribution to boosting the performance of the following cereal crop has only recently come to be fully appreciated.

Peas are the most drought resistant spring cropping option available to the UK grower. This is a salient point with the memory of last year and the current situation in the East of the country where water restrictions are likely to limit irrigation activity.

Pulses typically leave a residual amount of nitrogen after harvest in the region of 60kg/ha, equivalent to Index 1, and with ammonium nitrate at roughly £1/kg this represents an instant saving of £60/ha in nitrogen for the following wheat crop, but the value of pulses goes much further.

A three-year study performed between 2008 and 2010 by UNIP, the French equivalent of the PGRO, over 36,000 wheat crops found that wheat after peas yielded 0.84t/ha more than wheat after wheat, and 0.68t/ha more than wheat after oilseed rape.  The average nitrogen fertiliser saving was over £85/ha.

To build on this research the HGCA, in partnership with the PGRO and other industry groups, has launched a project to investigate the relationship between residual nitrogen deposited by pulses and its uptake by the following crop.According to PGRO technical director Anthony Biddle preliminary results indicate that the nitrogen uptake of cereals after pulses is greater than a soil test the previous autumn or spring indicates is available. “This suggests the benefit of pulses in the rotation is vastly underappreciated,” says Dr Biddle.

For Cambridgeshire grower Alison Murphy of E H Morris, near March, spring peas are a valuable break crop in a rotation built around wheat, potatoes and sugar beet.

Last year her crop of Neon, the highest yielding marrowfat on the 2012 PGRO Recommended List, yielded 5.69t/ha while Prophet, a large blue, yielded 5t/ha, though its lesser performance can be partially attributed to two harsh spring frosts which knocked its development.

“Last season was clearly favourable to peas and both crops received the same agronomic inputs, but we do tend to see new varieties perform better,” says Mrs Murphy.

Last year Neon was grown on a seed contract for breeder Limagrain, but this year will be produced as a true commercial crop.

As a new variety Neon is still under evaluation with major end-users, but preliminary tests performed by Dunns of Long Sutton have returned very encouraging results.

“Our tests indicate it is variety that is fit for purpose. We have seen no problems with its cooking performance and its taste is quite acceptable with high palatability scores,” says Commercial Manager Peter Busfield.

“We will be contracting more Neon this year and feeding it into markets that are not variety specific while it continues its long term evaluation by one of the major end-users.  This will take a while, but it looks promising. “Everything we hear from our growers about Neon has been positive. All the growers who trialled it in 2011 have committed again for 2012 and one Buckinghamshire farmer commented that it was the best crop of peas he had ever produced.”

“We always encourage growers to produce the best crop they can and will pay a favourable premium to those with samples that meet the quality specification.”

Dunns is currently offering a premium over feed peas of £75/tonne for samples that meet specification.“I would like to see another year’s data on it [Neon] before I could say that it is as good as Kabuki, but it is certainly in the same league.

Growers who are yet to conclude their spring cropping options would be wise to consider the returns to be made from spring beans after concerns over supplies helped drive premiums to nearly £100 a tonne over feed wheat.

According to Allan Macaulay, northern pulse trader for Frontier Agriculture, a poor French crop coupled with concerns over the state of the Australian crop has ensured supplies remain tight helping to swell premiums for samples that make the grade for human consumption to £60-70/tonne. 

“Demand from the Middle East for human grade beans remains strong and the UK continues to enjoy a good reputation. With poor availability from France and concerns over the Australian crop this means beans will be a very profitable crop for many growers this year,” said Mr Macaulay.

Beans destined for animal feed usually attract a premium over feed wheat in the region of £30/tonne while those that meet the standard for human consumption will attract a further £60-70 a tonne meaning the grower can achieve a price of around £100/t over feed wheat.

For Berwickshire grower and Edrington Mains farm manager, Jim Macfarlane, attaining the necessary quality to meet human grade specifications without compromising yield is all about choosing the right variety.

Under the advice of Paul Huntley from MSP Agriculture he grew a crop of new variety Babylon for seed and was highly impressed with its performance.

“I was delighted with the way it performed. It was the best yielding crop of beans I’ve ever had,” said Mr Macfarlane. “We typically expect to exceed 2t/ac (4.94t/ha) with spring beans, but last year we managed roughly 160t from 59.97acres (24.28ha) giving us an average yield of 2.66t/ac (6.58t/ha).”

Babylon was the only crop of beans on the farm so it’s not possible to compare its performance with other varieties, but it exceeded expectations in what was a difficult season. “We had a difficult season with little sunshine so all crops matured late, but it yielded well and its performance belies its rating on the PGRO Recommended List.

“It has an official yield of 103, but that’s an underestimate if my crop is anything to go by.”

The crop was desiccated with Reglone in late September and Mr Macfarlane recalls how high the crop stood at that time, a factor he believes that supported its high yield.

“It was so tall it was like walking through a crop of oilseed rape. I noticed at the time that even the bottom pods were well above the ground, I think this contributed to the ease at which we were able to combine it and the low incidence of header losses.

“In the past we have had to practically shave the ground to get the crop in, but this was not the case with Babylon. Its height was not a problem.”

His observations that it outperforms its official ranking is shared by MSP’s Paul Huntley who suggests growers look to the joint PGRO/SAC table to see how it performs under northern conditions.

“In national listings it sits slightly behind Fuego for yield and maturity, but in SAC trials it’s the highest yielding commercially available variety by a considerable margin and a day earlier to mature,” said Mr Huntley.

“Our experience of Babylon is limited, but it has performed well and it is at odds with official results so we would urge growers to look at the regional data before making a decision.”

A final tip from Mr Huntley for those considering growing beans with a view to achieving meeting the grade necessary for the human consumption market is to choose a variety with strong disease resistance. 

“Downy mildew is a particular threat to beans and a variety with a strong score for this disease should not be overlooked. Babylon has the best disease resistance of any spring bean suited to the human consumption market and its value should not be underestimated.”