The CropTec Show’s overriding theme of promoting technical excellence to help farmers drive down their unit costs of production will be at the fore of the event’s seminar programme this year.

The programme (see below) covers four key areas: crop establishment, crop nutrition, crop protection and crop breeding, examining some of the most important and promising science, research and technology that will help growers remain profitable in the years ahead.

Soil health, novel nutrients and biostimulants, crop protection post Brexit, biological control of diseases and pests, pest and weed resistance, and designing future wheats are just some of the key topics to be highlighted.

New for this year is a panel session including four well-known growers who will discuss different approaches to crop establishment, against the background of the past, very difficult season.

The CropTec Show’s development director Stephen Howe says: “This past year highlights the increasingly unpredictability of the seasons and the challenges we all face in achieving those all-important yields and quality, to help us compete effectively in today’s dynamic global market.

“If that’s not difficult enough, UK farmers are also competing with increasing environmental constraints, political uncertainties at home and abroad and the big unknown that is Brexit.

“CropTec 2018, with the main seminar programme at its heart, will provide the ideal platform to help the arable sector plan for a secure long-term future, whatever our climate or politicians throw at them.”

Seminar programme

The CropTec Show opening presentation by headline sponsor Corteva AgriScience

Setting the scene for profitability

Adrian Gough, UK country leader for Corteva Agriscience, the agriculture division of DowDuPont, will give his perspective on the role manufacturers of crop protection products will play in helping UK farmers achieve profitable production in a volatile economic and political environment. 

Prospects for the combinable crops sector

What might the future hold for UK farming following the publication of the Agriculture Bill, which outlines the government’s intentions for future domestic agricultural policy? 

Speaker: Jack Watts, NFU chief combinable crops adviser

Crop Establishment   Sponsored by Horsch and Certis UK

Session chair: Brian Barker, AHDB strategic farmer, Suffolk

Measuring, managing and improving soil health

What makes a healthy soil? How do you measure it? How should you protect the soils under your care particularly in a challenging year?

Speaker: Stephan Haefele, systems agronomist, Rothamsted Research

Testing times for crop establishment: What might I do differently?

Given the uncertainties of past difficult season for establishing both autumn and spring crops, and farming’s increasing environmental focus, what would our panel do differently to remain profitable?

Speakers’ panel to include: Rothamsted’s Stephan Haefele, Lincolnshire farmer Andrew Ward, Cambridgeshire farmer Russell McKenzie and Norfolk farmer Adrian Whitehead 

Session chair Brian Barker says: 

“How can we get our soil alive and working for us? I believe we farmers need to be much more flexible in our approach – simple things will go a long way to improving our soil and hopefully a few will be discussed in this exciting session.

“Will livestock be brought back into the rotation on grass leys? Is no-till the silver bullet? Can we wean ourselves of inorganic fertiliser and canned pesticides?  

“I also look forward to challenging our crop establishment panel to try to glean a few secrets out of some very prominent and passionate farmers.”

Crop Nutrition   Sponsored by Yara 

Session chair: Mark Tucker, agronomy and business development manager

Managing potash and sulphur

These two vital nutrients are vital for profitable, sustainable crop production and require careful monitoring and management. 

Speaker: Natalie Woods, Yara arable agronomist for UK and Ireland

Managing Digestate: What is its true value and how to use it?

The drawbacks and benefits of digestate as a nutrient, including the need for careful analysis and integration into a farm's nutrition programme.  

Speaker: John Williams, principal soil scientist, ADAS Boxworth 

Biostimulants and their role in crop nutrition

How do biostumulants work and how can they perform to benefit crop production?

Speaker: Antonis Angeletakis, business development manager, Biostimulants, Yara UK Limited

Session chair Mark Tucker says: 

“What is current best practice in crop nutrition, what should I be considering for 2019, should I be looking at digestate and will I soon be using biostimulants in my nutrition plan?

“We will be addressing these questions amongst many others as farmers continue to challenge the value of inputs and their contribution to lowering costs of production.  

“At the end of the session, farmers and their advisors will be better informed to ensure more accurate decision making as they start to fine tune their nutrition plans for 2019.”

Crop Protection   Sponsored by Nufarm

Session chair: Guy Smith, NFU deputy president

Crop protection post Brexit

What does the future hold for the availability and use of crop protection products in the UK after next March?

Speaker: Chris Hartfield, senior regulatory affairs adviser, NFU

Biological solutions for disease and pest control

Biological products can help strengthen a plant’s resistance to disease and pests. How much benefit do they provide; are they value for money and what about public perception? 

Speakers:

Day 1: Rob Edwards, head of Environmental Sciences School, University of Newcastle

Day 2: Roma Gwynn, director, Biorational

Preventing weed and disease resistance

Understanding the science behind growing weed and disease resistance, with the help of the Smart Farm Project created to help slow resistance and prevent it developing.

Speaker: Paul Neve, weed biologist and leader Smart Crop Protection Project 

Session chair Guy Smith says:

“As many oilseed rape growers who suffered the wrath of the flea beetle in autumn 2018 know only too well, future access to crop protection materials and finding alternative means of control remain key challenges when it comes to profitable arable production.

“Because of this the crop protection seminar at CropTec is bound to be of interest to those attending. It has some excellent speakers covering the key topics and I very much look forward to hearing what they have to say.”

Crop Breeding   Sponsored by InVigor

Session chair: Keith Norman, technical director, Velcourt

Shaping the Recommended List for the future

What works, what can be improved and how are growers and the industry helping to shape a Recommended List fit for the increasingly competitive market place?

Speakers: 

Day 1: Jenna Watts, Senior AHDB Crop Production Systems scientist and RL lead  

Day 2: Catherine Garman, AHDB Crop Health and Protection scientist (diseases) 

Designing future wheat

An update on the BBSRC-funded Designing Future Wheat Programme that aims to develop new wheat germplasm containing the next generation of key traits 

Speaker:  Alison Bentley, director of genetics and breeding, NIAB

Traits in oilseed rape 

BASF speaker to be confirmed

Session chair Keith Norman says:

“Crop breeding is a hugely important area, given the shrinking armoury of agrochemicals at our disposal due to regulation and resistance. The more we can embed plant genetics to protect against problems we are currently having to treat with chemistry, the better. 

“Given the lead time of around 10 years, this is not a quick fix. I look forward to hearing about the latest developments in this area, and hopefully we’ll find time for some discussion about the potential for gene editing and the need for politicians to view it differently from GM to help us get there.”