Rising demand from the livestock sector, growing bedding requirements, expanding biomass markets and tighter overall supply have pushed straw values to levels that are now impossible for growers to ignore.

“Profitable and sustainable farming is increasingly about making every hectare work harder,” says Heather Oldfield of Limagrain. “When straw values are contributing a substantial proportion of a crop’s income, growers need information that looks beyond grain yield tables.”

The numbers tell their own story. At the start of 2026, wheat straw was trading at £66 per big Hesston bale, roughly 500kg. AHDB‘s more recent figures put big square barley straw at £86 ex-farm on average, with big square wheat straw ranging from £70 to £92 ex-farm depending on region.

In some areas, straw income is now running close to grain income on a per-hectare basis.

Nowhere is that clearer than at Grasby House Farm, where a rotation of sugar beet, potatoes, winter barley and spring barley sits alongside a straw trade that’s become central to the business.

Grown for seed, the farm’s barley crop does more than one job: alongside the seed contract, its straw goes to Cherry Valley, at sites in Walesby and Buslingthorpe, where it’s used for housing ducks.

Cherry Valley — now under Chinese ownership — pays well for straw, but it’s fussy about what it buys. “Quality has to be consistent, which means variety choice matters as much for straw length and brightness as it does for grain performance and yield,” explains George Thompson.

“This year, the farm brought in around 15 bales/ha, within its usual target range of 12 to 20 bales — worth roughly £247/ha in additional income on top of the seed crop itself.”

Putting varieties to the test

George carries out his own trials on the farm, and this year ran a comparison of two similar four-hectare fields, one drilled with a six-row hybrid barley, the other with Limagrain’s winter barley, LG Caravelle.

“LG Caravelle produced significantly more straw than the hybrid, and the quality gap was just as noticeable — the hybrid’s straw simply didn’t match what came off the Caravelle. So we are justified in our decision to grow the variety for our straw business.”

LG Caravelle produced a significant amount of straw in George’s comparison trials.

Agronomy on the farm is built around flexibility rather than a fixed calendar. Winter barley drilling isn’t rushed; last year it ran as late as the third week of October, once the preceding potato crop had finally come off the ground.

Cultivations alternate between plough and press, or a one pass stubble cultivation with a DTX depending on conditions, with a combination drill doing the sowing and nutrition applied according to soil testing.

Getting the crop right in the field is only half the job, though. Straw has to be stored properly too — kept on pallets, rodent-free, and, with growing concern over bird flu, now sheeted and covered in transit before it’s delivered to Cherry Valley as required, using a forklift.

“Straw is my all-year-round bread and butter,” says George. “But that does mean it has to be stored well but the extra value to the crop from the straw is well worth the effort.”

Not every grower treats straw as a product to sell, however. For Ryan MacCormack, manager at Dennington Estates in Suffolk, the value of straw is seen as part of the whole farming system, not as a standalone commodity to be maximised in isolation – but is an important contributor to the overall value of the crop.

“It is all about the full output off each hectare — every part of the crop has a value,” he says. “This may well be through the SFI contribution, the whole grain, and also the straw value, be that chopped or baled.”

Ryan believes that straw is an important contributor to the overall value of the crop.

Variety choice, he explains, is weighed across all those outputs together — grain quantity and quality, straw quality, and ultimately the total tonnage coming off the field.

With straw prices around £42 a tonne in the row in mid-August — sold rowed up rather than baled — Ryan points to the wider cost picture behind that decision.

“The greatest value for us comes from the grain, and then we would look at the straw — but it’s all part of the financial equation.”

That equation has to be balanced against costs and expected output, and also where the crop sits in the wider rotation, he points out.

“I look at where in the rotation the crop fits, what it’s following, how it’s going to be cultivated, and whether it’s going to be chopped or baled – all of which have associated costs.”

“Leaving straw in the row rather than baling it can save on additional combine costs. Chopping it, meanwhile, brings its own trade-offs: it can push up cultivation costs for the following crop and increase slug pressure, so in some situations, removing the straw altogether is the more cost-effective route.”

Click to download the brand new guide!

The recent exceptionally dry seasons have challenged maize growers, with moisture stress affecting crop development and reducing yields. As a result, demand for forage maize is expected to remain strong, as dairy and livestock producers seek to rebuild silage reserves.

Continued expansion of the anaerobic digestion sector is also expected to support further market growth.

Improved genetics and earlier-maturing varieties are enabling successful maize production in more northern and marginal growing regions than ever before. Grain maize also presents increasing opportunities for arable growers, offering improved profitability, rotational benefits and greater cropping flexibility.

The independent five-year data featured in this LG Maize Guide highlights varieties that deliver consistent performance across a wide range of growing conditions and seasons. Key agronomic characteristics are included, such as rapid early vigour, which helps crops make the most of available soil moisture, establish strong root systems and achieve early canopy cover to maximise yield potential. By using the LG Maize Guide, growers can reduce risk, optimise variety selection and fully benefit from the advances in maize genetics.

The UK is not alone in experiencing weather extremes, with drought affecting many maize-growing regions across Europe. This has inevitably impacted maize seed production for all breeders, resulting in some supply challenges. We therefore encourage growers to discuss variety requirements and availability as early as possible to secure their preferred choice.

We wish you a successful and productive growing season!

Download the Limagrain Maize guide today.

For tips on how to get the best out of the brand new maize guide, you can watch Tim and Richard over on our YouTube channel!

Despite a challenging season and yields coming in at 10-12% below last year, Essex grower Richard Carr of Lawling Hall Farm near the coastal town of Maldon, says that Crusoe winter wheat has once again delivered a reliable performance, averaging 8.9 t/ha.

Mr Carr is a big fan of the variety – ever since its launch onto the AHDB Recommended List 14 years ago, he has continued to grow Crusoe almost every year since, at his 220-ha farm.

Harvested between 13^th and 19^th July, his Crusoe crop is part of what has been described as one of the farm’s earliest harvests, since 1976. Drilled around 10^th October last year, Crusoe established well and continued to look strong throughout the season.

Farming in an already naturally low-rainfall area, Mr Carr chose Crusoe for its consistency, premium milling market and ability to deliver good protein levels: “I went for Crusoe due to its premium market, consistent performance and high protein content,” he says.

Reminiscing on the variety’s introduction to the market back in 2012, Mr Carr says that for him, Crusoe proved a natural successor to Hereward, which was beginning to show its age. Crusoe now sits as the farm’s main milling wheat, while LG Beowulf is grown on his farm further north.

Crusoe established well despite the early harvest.

Disease pressure was relatively low, with brown rust present but easily managed through the farm’s established approach. Overall, Crusoe stayed clean and required no significant management changes.

Looking ahead, Mr Carr plans to stick with a similar approach, although the increasingly frequent dry springs could prompt earlier nitrogen applications. In addition, observations from neighbouring farms suggest there may be benefits to getting fertiliser on earlier, when conditions allow.

With the crop marketed through local merchants Dengie Crops and North Herts Farmers, as well as going into local mills, Crusoe continues to have a clear role within his rotation.

“Crusoe looked good all season,” comments Mr Carr, adding that the crop “drilled and established well, similar to others on the farm.”

With 8.9 t/ha achieved, despite the incredibly testing season for most of the UK farming industry this year, Crusoe has unsurprisingly secured another place in next year’s rotation.

Oilseed rape looks set to be Lincolnshire grower Ben Jackson’s most profitable crop this year, but he’s avoiding any knee-jerk reaction to increase his area for 2027.

Success in recent years has come from a more considered approach, with the crop grown no more than one year in five across the rotation, taking its place alongside first wheats, barley, legumes, linseed and maize.

Also underpinning rape’s upturn in fortunes on the farm has been a fresh look at establishment, which includes a firm philosophy to drill according to conditions and not date, along with a commitment to hybrid varieties.

“We’re taking a long term view with our cropping, and that includes oilseed rape,” says Mr Jackson. “Reducing its frequency in the rotation has certainly helped us to achieve better and more consistent performance, particularly in combatting flea beetle, as has being more selective about the fields used to grow it each year.

“We still don’t know enough about how far the beetle will migrate within a farm, so maximising the distance between previous rape crops and new drilling is an additional safeguard that we’re taking.”

Mr Jackson’s approach reflects several of the management principles promoted by the OSR Reboot Programme, including special separation and careful field selection, hybrid variety choice, and establishment based on conditions rather than calendar date.

From a base at Low Farm, Somerby, J.J. Jackson Ltd grew 480ha of oilseed rape for a 2026 harvest that spanned 11^th to 17^th July. Split mainly between the Limagrain Field Seeds hybrid varieties Attica, LG Adapt and LG Avenger, the crop achieved an average yield of 4.5t/ha, at 7.5% moisture and with an oil content of 45.5%.

“We’re very happy with the outcome,” says Mr Jackson, “with these yields well above the norm for us. We’re really seeing the value of hybrid vigour in these varieties, and will continue with broadly the same acreage and with the refined growing methodology that we’ve developed in recent years.”

Patience at drilling time is one of the key points, with nothing going into the ground until both moisture and soil temperatures are optimal, and there is greater accuracy in the use of a Sumo LDS that places the seed alongside liquid fertiliser.

“I’d rather wait until September than go earlier in the wrong conditions,” he adds. “Hybrid vigour is a big benefit here, as the crop requires less time, so there is no real pressure to drill early.

“We’re using a lower seed rate too, to give these more vigorous plants the space to grow.

“The important thing is to be ready to go as soon as conditions come right, so that we achieve the rapid establishment that will allow the crop to put its roots down and grow away from the flea beetle threat.”

Pre- and post-emergence herbicides are important, and some blackgrass control is incorporated into what is a largely standard inputs programme. Much of the land benefits from farmyard manure, so spring fertiliser tends to focus on nitrogen and sulphur, split over three applications, with P and K applied only where needed.

“We’re looking for the crop to kick on again in the spring, and the hybrid varieties do just that, developing a thick stem within robust and resilient plants,” says Mr Jackson.

“Harvest has been earlier this year, for all crops, but this has certainly not been to the detriment of the oilseed rape.”

With high quality oilseeds safely in store, it’s now about applying discipline in relation to next year’s crop, maintaining a sustainable acreage in the rotation, waiting for optimum conditions, and continuing to draw on the latest hybrid breeding technology.

A strong harvest performance from Ambassador and LG Armada oilseed rape varieties, has given Sherborne, Dorset grower, Tom Matthews of Marston Agriculture, plenty of confidence to put Limagrain OSR back in the ground next season.

Harvested on 9^th July, Tom’s two crops averaged a yield of 4.75 t/ha over the weighbridge, with his best field of Ambassador reaching an impressive 5.39 t/ha.

For Tom, Ambassador’s performance comes as very little surprise, having previously been impressed by the variety’s pod shatter resistance, alongside Limagrain’s track record for reliable, high-yielding OSR varieties.

“Five years ago, we grew a competitor variety which did not perform well,” Tom says. “LG’s pod shatter trait impressed me because it actually worked! LG always seem to have the top yielding oilseed rape varieties.”

Tom has been impressed with Limagrain’s oilseed rape varieties.

Ambassador was originally recommended by Nickerson’s southern regional manager, Fraser House, and given how highly Tom values the technical knowledge and support on offer from the Nickerson team, it was an easy choice for him.

Drilled from 9^th to 11^th September, Tom’s crops remained particularly clean throughout the season, however, considering the general unpredictability of OSR yield performance, Tom admits that the real test comes at harvest, once the combine goes into the crop.

All of Tom’s crops are grown without desiccation, and his oil content results are still awaited – although the farm has historically achieved high results, consistently exceeding 46%, and reaching a record of 49%, with Limagrain OSR varieties.

As one of the earliest harvests on record wraps up across the UK, growers turning their attention to oilseed rape drilling are being urged to hold their nerve and wait for moisture, rather than be guided by the calendar. 

The advice comes from Florentina Petrescu, oilseed rape product manager for Limagrain Field Seeds UK who says the hot, dry summer has left soils critically short of the moisture needed to establish a crop successfully. 

“There needs to be a decent amount of rain to restore moisture levels to where they need to be to sustain a rapidly emerging rape crop,” she says. 

Oilseed rape seed goes through a series of physiological processes during germination. Initially, the seed rapidly takes up water through imbibition, initiating germination. Continued water uptake is necessary to support further metabolic activation until germination is complete.  

“How often have we seen seed that has started to germinate, only for it to wither away through lack of soil moisture before completing emergence?” says Florentina. “This shows how sufficient moisture is needed in the soil to start the process, and then more rain following drilling, to ensure there is enough moisture for the crop to emerge.” 

Her advice is to be guided by seedbed conditions rather than the date on the calendar. 

“With not much rain in the forecast, many will be worrying about compromising establishment by holding off drilling until conditions improve. However, holding off doesn’t compromise yield,” she says.  

“It is possible to get good yields from later-drilled rape, when it is sown into the right conditions. In fact, later-sown crops can often outperform some of the earlier drilled crops.  

“Hybrid varieties will also have better vigour contributing to faster emergence and greater early biomass accumulation which results in a rapid establishment of the crop.” 

She points out crops drilled mid-September up in the Lincolnshire Wolds achieve yields of over 6t/ha, so there is definitely high yield potential for crops drilled into September in the right conditions. 

Florentina explains how strong oilseed rape yields can still be achieved from later-drilled crops when established in the right conditions.

“It is crucial to give the crop the right conditions to establish from the start, because that gives it the best chance of reaching its full yield potential. Drilling when conditions are not right means yield potential has already started to be eroded before the crop is even out of the ground.” 

That principle of waiting for the right conditions has been borne out for Rutland grower Sarah Bell, whose 17-hectare crop of LG Armada has delivered exceptional results after being drilled into a firm, moist seedbed last August after timely rain in late July into early August — proof, she says, of what a modern hybrid can achieve when conditions are favourable from drilling right through to harvest. 

The crop yielded strongly at 10% moisture, fully justifying the decision to grow it. 

“It is a strategic decision to grow oilseed rape, based on a risk-versus-reward calculation,” says Sarah, “and this year it has certainly paid off. 

“I like the Limagrain varieties because of the genetic resilience that’s been bred into them. Good disease resistance, strong vigour and good rooting are all traits that help to tip the balance a little more in the grower’s favour, so it’s an important part of the decision-making process.” 

Sarah has been impressed by the disease resistance and strong vigour of Limagrain’s oilseed rape varieties.

On the mixed farm, which runs suckler cows and sheep alongside its cropping, soils generally benefit from the legacy of farmyard manure, and the field that grew the LG Armada was in a favourable state. 

“This was a relatively light, but well-bodied site, and it had been ploughed two years earlier,” Sarah explains. “Spring barley preceded the oilseed rape, with minimal carryover risk from cover cropping, and there was plenty of moisture for early drilling. 

“We used berseem clover as a companion crop and, crucially, the rape was up and out of the ground and looking great very quickly.” 

The crop received a top dressing of 30kgN/ha in the autumn, and 190kgN/ha plus SO3 in two applications in the spring, with some early grass weed control. Fungicides and other inputs were kept to a bare minimum — a decision that paid off in a low disease-pressure season. 

“Our rainfall from April through to June was around 25% less than our average, and what we did have came in two heavy bursts,” Sarah adds. “The fact that the oilseed rape did so well is testament to the strength of its rooting, and the long dry spells kept any fungal disease at bay. 

“By harvest, in mid-July, the crop was seven feet tall, with stems as thick as my thumb. It has really shown what can be achieved when conditions allow full genetic potential to be realised.” 

Conditions will again determine whether winter oilseed rape goes into Sarah’s rotation for 2027, but she is content in the knowledge that — when there is moisture at drilling time and flea beetle pressure is low — she can reap the benefits of progressive plant breeding. 

This season’s prolonged dry weather may have taken its toll on winter barley yields, but for Lincolnshire farmer, George Thompson of Grasby House Farm, LG Caravelle has still earned its place in the rotation.

Harvested from mid-July, yields ranged from 5.6 t/ha on the poorest fields, to just over 8 t/ha on the best. While below the 10 t/ha achieved in better seasons, George says that the crop stood up well, given the conditions.

“Looking at my barley crops at the beginning of April, they looked marvellous,” he says. “I was hoping for close to 10 tonnes per hectare at harvest, then the drought set in. We had less than one millimetre of rain in June and July, which caused the crops to lose tillers and, in turn, yield.”

George has been impressed with both the yield and straw quality of LG Caravelle.

Despite the challenging season, George has no hesitation about growing LG Caravelle again.

“Definitely,” he says. “I tried a competitor variety previously on two 10-acre fields, and LG Caravelle combined a tank load more – four tonnes more in fact. LG Caravelle was better quality too, with better straw.”

Recommended by both the LG contracts team and George’s agronomist, LG Caravelle has consistently impressed in both independent trials and on-farm. For George, who supplies straw commercially, producing a clean, high-quality straw crop is just as important as grain yield, with straw returning £346/ha this year.

Disease pressure remained low throughout the season, allowing the crop to perform well with a simple, need-based fungicide programme. Looking ahead, he plans to apply nitrogen slightly earlier in dry springs, while continuing to favour later October drilling, after seeing his best grain samples come from crops drilled later in the month.

LG Caravelle has once again demonstrated reliable performance for George, even when the weather had other ideas.

With a first oilseed rape harvest in three years safely in storage, Lincolnshire grower David Bristow is pleased with the outcome and has already committed to at least maintaining his acreage for 2026-27.

Like so many growers, he was forced to take a break from the crop following years of battling flea beetle, but has been tempted back by plant breeding developments, including greater resilience to CSFB.

He has grown 52ha of LG Avenger, recording a finally verified yield of 4.04t/ha, with moisture content between 7 and 9%. Whilst being at the lower end of his mid-season expectations, he’s very satisfied, not least given the impact of the exceptionally hot and dry conditions leading up to harvest.

“We harvested the oilseed rape on the 10^th and 11^th of July, which would be a week to ten days earlier than normal for us,” he reports. “Given the rate at which the crop dried, which may have caused some issues with the desiccation, it was a relatively easy harvest.”

Farming at the 650ha Stourton Estate, on the edge of the Lincolnshire Wolds, David is pleased to have a viable oilseed rape crop back in his rotation.

Following winter barley, the crop was drilled in the last week of August. Stubbles were cultivated with a low disturbance subsoiler before drilling with the farm’s Horsch Avatar at 2.6 kg/ha, alongside a companion crop of buckwheat (5 kg/ha) and a surface dressing of 150 kg/ha of DAP fertiliser.

LG Avenger established quickly and evenly at Stourton Estate, helping Mr Bristow achieve a successful return to oilseed rape.

Waiting for moisture before drilling paid dividends, as the LG Avenger was up and away quickly, with the drill achieving an even seed depth and excellent establishment.

An absence of the classical ‘shot-holing’ in the autumn was noted, and – as larval assessments in the spring confirmed – CSFB pressure was generally fairly low. This was despite no insecticides being used on the farm for the past six years, with a large area now under the SFI no insecticide action (CIPM4).

Nevertheless, Mr Bristow is very aware that CSFB remains a threat to oilseed rape, so has been keen to do all he can to mitigate the risks when coming back into the crop. This includes selecting LG Avenger, for it’s CSFB resilience, alongside the other management practices.

“A number of small things around establishment have added up to make a significant difference,” he says, “as has the right nutrition to boost spring growth.”

“We only applied two fungicides in the spring, and nothing last autumn, as the combination of LG Avenger’s phoma resistance and our careful disease monitoring was enough. Crops just never reached the threshold for treatment.”

Pod shatter resistance is another trait Mr Bristow has valued, especially as the tractor and trailed sprayer used for desiccation lack the ground clearance of self-propelled machines.

“LG Avenger has been a nice variety to grow, yielding well from a relatively easy harvest,” he concludes, “so we’re happy to be growing it again next year.”    

North Yorkshire farmer Paul Rogers is reporting one of his best ever oilseed rape harvests, with his 43ha crop averaging well over 5 tonnes/ha.

He points to the continuing progress in plant breeding as a major reason why he’s kept rape in his rotation for the last twenty five years, and sticks to a management philosophy that ensures he makes the most of the genetics.

“You have to be led by the conditions, and moisture in the seedbed with relatively early drilling are amongst the most critical factors,” he says. “We grow a hybrid variety, because it has the vigour to get up and out of the ground and establish quickly, which we find is the best way to combat flea beetle.”

Mr Rogers has grown Limagrain’s hybrid LG Adapt for the last two years. High ranking for yield and oil content, and suitable for all areas, the variety also has an outstanding trait package, including pod shatter resistance, strong stem health, and resistance to Phoma and Turnip Yellows Virus.

The 2026 crop followed spring barley, with the majority going in on 3^rd August and a 9ha block drilled three weeks later.

Paul has praised Limagrain’s plant breeding programme.

“We have an air seeder mounted on our Vaderstad TopDown, with a roller directly behind that helps to keep the moisture in the seedbed,” he explains. “It’s not as precise as some sowing methods, but has proven to be effective over the years.”

On land benefitting from plenty of farmyard manure in the past, the fertiliser inputs are relatively modest, with seedbed nitrogen at 75 units/ha and a 0:20:30 PK compound applied at around 115kg/ha.

“The main crop grew away really quickly, and we were concerned it might have become too big, but it sorted itself out,” recalls Mr Rogers. “The later drilled field was affected by flea beetle, so we had to spray it three times, but it came through alright.”

“By the spring we could see that the crop had real potential. We sprayed against Sclerotinia, and top-dressed with fertiliser in early March.”

Harvested on 26^th July, the earlier drilled proportion yielded 5.7t/ha, around half a tonne per hectare more than the later drilled field, with moisture content for most of the crop being under 9%.

“We’re very happy overall,” concludes Mr Rogers. “We stick to a tried and trusted method, and have great faith in the plant breeding programme, which continues to offer resilient varieties.”

Oilseed rape is expected to be one of the outstanding performers this season across Andrew Reed’s 800 hectares of mixed arable cropping, up in the north eastern corner of Northumberland, near Berwick-upon-Tweed.

He had taken the bold move of replacing previously successful Aurelia with newly recommended LG Adapt, staying true to his commitment to continually push forward with new breeding advances.

As the rape harvest concluded on 2^nd August, he was estimating a yield of close to 5.5t/ha, confident that his crop management had enabled the new hybrid to deliver fully on its genetic potential.

“We selected the variety on the basis of our agronomist’s advice and Limagrain’s trial results, with disease resistance traits as important as its yield potential,” says Mr Reed. “It has been a fantastic crop throughout, holding up to the weather conditions and delivering the kind of performance that we’d hoped for. There was a nervous period leading up to harvest, as it was a good 18 days between the desiccant going on and making the decision cut, but it looks like we were right to be patient.”

Andrew has been impressed by the consistent performance of Limagrain’s oilseed rape varieties.

Oilseed rape has long been a part of the rotation at East Anscroft Farm, typically grown one year in seven, following two wheats, two spring barleys, beans and winter barley. Seed for the 2026 crop was drilled with a seeder on the Simba SL 400, with a liquid starter fertiliser, and slug pellets applied, before firming up the seedbed with Cambridge rolls.

“This was all carried out within a tight window, between the 15^th and 20^th August,” adds Mr Reed, “and the crop got away well.”

In addition to some weed control and foliar micronutrients, an insecticide was applied in the autumn, but no fungicides were required.  In the spring, the crop received two main fungicide applications, one with additional growth regulation and foliar micronutrients at stem extension in March, and one more at flowering in late-April. Phosphate and potash was applied at variable rates in March, and the crop had a total of 245kgN/ha in three splits.

With the farm’s trailed sprayer lacking the clearance of many self-propelled machines, and much of the land being relatively exposed to the elements, seed loss around harvest is always a concern for Mr Reed, but he’s confident the variety’s strengths have paid dividends.

“The plants were well structured, rigid and hardy, and the pod shatter resistance has been effective, so we’re very happy with the outcome. We’re certainly going again with Adapt.”

This summer’s dry conditions have once again highlighted the value of grass reseeding for livestock farmers looking to improve forage production and build more resilient grazing and silage swards. New grass leys are generally better able to withstand drought stress thanks to deeper rooting systems and the absence of shallow-rooting weed grasses. As weather patterns become increasingly unpredictable, investing in high-performing grass mixtures can help improve long-term productivity and forage security. 

View Grass Reseeding as a Long-Term Investment 

While tight forage supplies may tempt some to opt for a short-term solution using Westerwold or Italian ryegrass, reseeding should be viewed as a long-term investment. While Perennial ryegrass-based mixtures may carry a higher initial cost, they typically deliver greater persistence, improved forage quality and a stronger return on investment over their lifetime. Selecting the right seed mixture can have a significant impact on productivity, grazing performance and silage quality for years to come. 

Start with Soil Fertility 

Successful reseeding starts with understanding soil fertility.  

Carrying out soil testing before sowing will identify any pH, phosphate or potash deficiencies that could limit establishment. A soil pH of 6.0 to 6.5, combined with adequate phosphate and potash levels is essential for seedling and a healthy root development. 

Soil testing before sowing is essential for seeding and healthy root development.

Create the Ideal Seedbed 

Seedbed preparation is equally important when establishing a new grass ley.  

Regardless of the cultivation method used, the aim is to create a fine, firm and level seedbed that provides excellent seed-to-soil contact. Good seedbed conditions improve germination rates, encourage even establishment and help maximise the performance of the new sward. 

Choose Proven Grass Mixtures 

Selecting the right grass seed mixture is vital for successful establishment and long-term productivity.  

Recent poor grass seed harvests across parts of Europe have increased the importance of checking that mixtures contain recommended, proven varieties.  

It is also important to choose mixtures with a proven track record in the field. While the performance of individual varieties is a key consideration, mixtures should also be trialled to ensure they deliver consistent performance when grown together.  

Crucially these trials should assess not only yield and persistence, but also forage quality, providing confidence that the mixture will support both productive grass growth and livestock performance. 

Mixtures containing a higher proportion of tetraploid ryegrasses often establish more rapidly due to their greater seed energy reserves. Farmers may also benefit from seed treatments such as Headstart Gold designed to promote early root development and improve establishment success. 

Timing and Early Management are Key 

For the best results, drill into moist soils between August and early October, depending on local conditions.  

Use soil analysis results to guide fertiliser applications and support early growth. Once the new ley is established, careful first-grazing management is essential. Early, light grazing encourages tillering and helps create a dense sward that will perform for years to come. 

Autumn grass reseeding offers an opportunity to improve forage quality, increase drought resilience and boost long-term sward performance. By focusing on soil fertility, seedbed preparation, proven grass mixtures and effective early management, farmers can maximise establishment success and secure a stronger return on their reseeding investment.  

Click here to find out more about Limagrain grass mixtures. 

Robert Mann is a business partner in R and G Mann, which farms over 450 hectares north of the river Blackwater in Essex. Operating a diverse arable rotation, the business has grown through both contract and shared locations. 

Having taken a break from growing oilseed rape as part of his rotation, Robert was advised to grow LG Academic to fill a gap in his rotation. His typical rotation consists of  wheat, barley, grass, and oilseed rape, with oilseed rape grown once every seven years.  When Robert was searching for a variety, he needed strong agronomic traits, particularly pod shatter resistance and Turnip Yellows Virus (TuYV). LG Academic met these requirements, as part of its robust disease resistance package. 

Robert has been impressed with the disease resistance and yield of LG Academic

At harvest in July, LG Academic delivered a yield of 4.2t/ha, a result that impressed Robert given the challenging weather throughout the season.

“It was certainly above what I was expecting as conditions have been horrendously dry. As the crop grew, I could see it was the real deal. I believe you can always tell the quality of a crop once you’ve combined it, and the stalks were still green after harvest.”

Following the impressive yield results this season, Robert has no hesitation growing LG Academic again.

“I will certainly grow it again next season alongside a large percentage of hybrids. I was amazed at how well it produced large healthy plants.  It delivered exactly as it described; I’m quite nervous when spending money on seed due to the conditions, but we’ve more than made our money on it.”