Highlights for 2008 will be available closer to the event but please see 2007 highlights below for a flavour of what’s on show.

Cereals 2007 Crop Plot Highlights
The Crop Plots are the ‘must see’ technical heart of the Cereals Event. Over thirty exhibitors have them and they are drilled with the spectra of combinable crops; game crops and field margins to show sector-leading research and development in action. Use them for a first-hand opportunity to see the field performance of both new and established varieties, agrochemical comparisons, end-market focused agronomy including recommendations for the highly pertinent biofuel markets.

Varieties

• All the varieties in one place at one time - the HGCA plots will give you a chance to see all the Recommended List varieties of wheat, barley (winter and spring) and winter oilseed rape; to complement these, plant breeders will have their latest varieties on show, including candidate wheats from Nickerson and new-to-market oilseed rape from Pioneer.
• ‘They’ say small is beautiful – so NIAB will be showing you just how small you can go with Dwarf wheats!
• Visit Grainfarmers’ plots to see new early drilling wheat Humber (the first feed wheat of its type for many years) and two major advances in barley - Cassata for malt and Bronx for barn-filling.
• See the latest science with Rothamstead Research. The team will be looking at oilseed rape and its susceptibility to light leaf spot and stem canker, Septoria and other disease resistance in wheat, Rhynchosporium resistance in barley and the impact of climate change and aphids.

Agrochemicals

• Would you use a pre-em without a post-em follow-up for black-grass control, or vice versa? Highly unlikely, which is why Velcourt has crop plots to study just how well the two options work in isolation of one another. Taking the concept further, Velcourt also has plots to show how cereal fungicide strategies might work if you applied either just a T1 or just a T2 spray to determine the relative strengths and weaknesses of fungicide products and approaches.
• The HGCA takes the agchem debate to another dimension by putting f ungicide performance to the test in the highly popular appropriate fungicide dose plots for wheat, barley and oilseed rape.
• New cereal herbicide - Dow AgroSciences will have plots which replicate national trials to give you a sneak preview of their new chemistry, pyroxsulam, for weed control in cereal crops.

Oilseed rape

• Given the importance of rape to rotations and emerging end markets, Grainfarmers HOLL and Hybrid oilseed rape plots will also be well worth a visit, especially if you want to discuss how hybrid vigour - linked to the right establishment approach - can iron-out inconsistencies and poor yield performance.
• From there go to the HGCA plots to see their work on how to balance root and canopy growth in oilseed rape crops.

Wheat Agronomy

• For pure wheat agronomy, go to The Arable Group’s plots; they have a Winter Wheat variety trial, arranged in ‘quality’ order and nitrogen trials to study the need for high N rates for high yielding milling wheats – a conflict with the cross compliance requirements or is it?
• NIAB plots will get to the heart of cereal disease management with demonstrations on choosing a variety to reduce the risk of rust epidemics and ergot development; the latter being of greater concern with the increase in grass margins.

Nitrogen and RB209

• The RB209 review is at the forefront of any arable farmer’s mind; Rothamsted Research has an update on the review and you can see science in practice in their nitrogen trials and soil nitrogen probe demonstrations.
• Velcourt has a nitrogen dose trial and plots showing crop response with/without a compost and biosolid mix.
• Nitrogen is not the only limiting factor on vigour and yield potential, even when nitrogen rates are cut by as much as a third; hear more from the Glenside Group.

Beet, oats and pulses

• For sugar beet growers aiming to meet British Sugar’s 70t/ha yield challenge, the British Sugar/BBRO plots will demonstrate improved crop recovery, fungicide options, 2008 variety selections, crop nutrition and soil management.
• Just Oats – the quiet revolution – Senova will be demonstrating oat innovation from breeding and research through to the highly diverse and growing end-market; is this crop the answer for those seeking a low-input regime?
• Just pulses – then head over to Wherry & Sons – they have a range of marrowfat pea and winter bean varieties being trialled along with Arthur, a new variety to be launched this autumn and trials looking at plant populations/ sowing dates/sowing rates.
• How to get the best from potatoes in poor soil conditions – go to the Glenside Group crop plots.

Environmental Stewardship

• Planning environmental schemes? Head to Velcourt’s stand to see Green manure options (fertility builders) e.g. buckwheat; an RSPB link-up on wild bird feed crops and a wetland feature area.
• Good bugs or bad bugs? Dow Agrosciences is also teaming up with Farming and Wildlife Advisory Group (FWAG), on options for margin management and the ever popular “Pest Clinic” helping growers to understand how to identify both beneficial and harmful pests in their crops.

Growing for specific markets

• H L Hutchinson agronomists will be offering agronomic advice to link biodiesel crop production with end-market needs; with the help of the Trident sports car which later this year will be running from London to Monte Carlo on a single tank of fuel! (as will be profiled by BBC’s Top Gear in May)
• Velcourt will be cooking up their own potato chips using oil to show the different attributes of the different oils form the range of types of OSR including oil from Monsanto’s new Vistive variety, V141ol .
• Growing for yield or quality, biofuels or milling premiums – go and debate your options with RAGT.