Deficiency of selenium predicted to increase under future climate change
Climate change could increase the risk of the human diet being deficient in a vital mineral, selenium – a deficiency which could contribute to problems such as poor immune function, impaired thyroid function and heart muscle issues – research has found. Selenium is an essential micronutrient, or mineral, for human and livestock health that we […]
Farming for free
Farmers at the Leicester Monitor Farm meeting on 10 January were encouraged to make the most of free resources available. The meeting covered soil health, crop nutrition and cover crops. Harry Henderson, AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds Knowledge Exchange Manager, said: “Farmers’ own knowledge and that of their neighbours, as well as sunlight, water and soil […]
N8 AgriFood success in securing £1.5m funding
N8 universities have been successful in securing more than £1.5m of funding through six awards from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and Innovation Club (SARIC). SARIC, a public-private partnership, is a collaboration between three research councils (BBSRC, NERC, and ESRC*) and 12 private partners to address some of the challenges of sustainable intensification in agriculture. Ten […]
Increased field bean and combining pea area in 2016
A significant 5% increase in the 2016 field bean area, plus a substantial 18% increase in the combining pea area in the DEFRA June Survey, underlines the fact that the picture for pulses is very healthy, reports PGRO Chief Executive Roger Vickers. “As the pulse harvest progresses northwards into Scotland, we see pulse yield levels […]
Farming ‘cookbook’ reveals the ground-breaking benefits of cover cropping
A ground-breaking study has revealed that cover cropping can increase crop yields, boost soil health and bring about a range of environmental benefits. In the study of 13 Kellogg’s farmers by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany (NIAB), farmers who used cover crops saw yield responses up by 10 per cent and a 50 per […]
UBC research aims to help Canadian flax farmers
A UBC professor’s flax research could one day help Canadian farmers grow a car fender. In a recent study, UBC researcher Michael Deyholos identified the genes responsible for the bane of many Canadian flax farmers’ existence; the fibres in the plant’s stem. “These findings have allowed us to zero in the genetic profile of the […]
Plant molecule crucial to improving stress tolerance in cereal crops
Tiny molecules found in plants are being targeted to breed cereals with the potential to deliver high crop yields under stressful growing conditions such as drought and heat. Researchers from the University of Adelaide found small gene-regulating RNA molecules already present in plants could be used to understand why certain strains of cereals fared better […]
Kellogg’s enlists ‘Compost Chef’
Kellogg’s has enlisted a ‘compost chef’ as it begins working towards its landmark sustainability commitment to more than halve its greenhouse emissions. Renowned soils expert Anna Becvar is working with Kellogg’s British farmers to ensure the health and sustainability of their crops. Ms Becvar is advising farms in the Kellogg’s Origins Programme – the Manchester-based […]
Provisional results reveal high average specific weight for GB wheat
The average specific weight for wheat harvested in 2015 is one of the highest on record, according to the provisional results of AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds’ Cereal Quality Survey 2015. For the 22,004 wheat sample data analysed by 31 August, the provisional average specific weight was 79.8kg/hl. However, current results are predominantly based on wheat […]
