Difficult establishment conditions in recent years, coupled with changes in yellow rust races and disease pressures has created renewed interest from growers in the early drilling of winter wheat. However, this has made the correct choice of varieties, seed treatments and fungicides even more important.

To fully investigate the challenges, issues and solutions, Limagrain UK Ltd (Nickerson) and BASF have joined forces to establish the largest commercial early drilling trials ever undertaken in this country. A total of 16 winter wheat varieties from a number of plant breeders have been drilled into ‘farm-scale’ plots to determine their suitability for early drilling and enable the influence of a range of key seed treatments and spring fungicide applications to be investigated. The trials were drilled on 13th September 2009 at BASF’s heavy silt, Agronomy and Biodiversity site at Hinchliffe Farms, Rawcliffe Bridge in Yorkshire and will be taken through to yield next harvest.

BASF’s Environmental Stewardship Manager, Graham Hartwell, who is coordinating the project, comments: "In response to renewed interest in early drilling we began working closely with senior wheat breeders from Nickerson to identify varieties that can be tested under early drilling conditions and the agronomic management options which growers could use to best manage their crops.

"The trials have a number of objectives. Apart from using them to demonstrate seed treatments, foliar fungicides and varietal interactions we will also be looking at the value of early-season fungicide inputs, such as an autumn fungicide spray, together with the more traditional seed treatments and conventional fungicide timings for controlling rusts and septoria.

"We have no set expectations in terms of the outcome, which is what makes these trials so exciting. The results will be invaluable in assessing the best ways and conditions in which to manage varieties for early drilling. The fact that the trials are being conducted on a farm scale and managed by the host farmer means that the results will be easily translated to field situations."

Bill Angus, Senior Wheat Breeder for Limagrain UK says that early drilling can help growers to better manage difficult establishment conditions and provides the potential for significant yield advantage. However, he warns that the technique must be used correctly and carefully managed. With several of the varieties selected being from the Nickerson stable, Mr Angus believes that the company and growers will derive significant benefits.

He states: “Nickerson is the only breeder with a retail arm, Nickerson Direct, which supplies seed direct from the breeder to farmers, so recommending the right seed treatment for our early-drilled varieties is an important part of our strategy. The great thing about these trials is their practical nature and the fact that the majority of the varieties are recommended for early drilling by the breeders. They went in the ground two weeks earlier than would be typical on the site, at a significant reduction in seed rate. Given that yellow rust inoculum will be everywhere this season it will be interesting to see how the varieties fair throughout the season and at harvest.”