Crops and Forage

With increasing costs and lower returns, the wash up of the 2022-23 season has seen a review of alternative cropping enterprises that have some synergy with sheep-dominant farming operations. By Simon Glennie.

Pastoral farmers tempted to grow cereals on their farms as a result of recent high prices are being urged to tread carefully as the market returns to a more normal demand and supply situation. By Glenys Christian.

Not so long ago RPR was seen as the new fertiliser saviour, but science and experience has shown it to be less of a success than first predicted and promoted. By Dr Doug Edmeades.

Independently run cereal performance trials have given arable growers confidence that the cultivars they are selecting have been tested in commercial conditions and their performance rigorously analysed.

With the right timing and a bit of patience, catch crops can reward growers with high-yielding supplementary feed crops that can generate gross margins of more than $1000/ha. By Sandra Taylor.

A leading United States crop scientist told delegates at February’s FAR conference in Hamilton that maize growers need to have the basic requirements of soil structure, drainage, season-long weed control and foliar disease protection right if they are to chase high yields.

Look for the sweet spot when buying fertiliser, soil scientist Dr Doug Edmeades says.

PhD research from Lincoln University has found the best pasture mixes, Joanna Grigg writes.

A farming operation relies on good soil so it pays for farmers to understand it, Lynda Gray writes.

Fifty years ago Southland farmers were into all-grass wintering. Now there is interest again in more use of grass and less of crop, Ken Geenty writes.