Agronomy

The Autumn sowing campaign is underway. After all the usual attention to detail in seed rate calculation, soil preparation, planting, and herbicide applications the focus then shifts to maximising establishment. Every seed sown has a theoretical yield potential which can be reduced over the growing season by a host of factors including poor seedbeds, adverse weather, pest and disease, and poor crop nutrition. Healthy establishment is the foundation on which we can build resilience into the crops in the critical construction phase. Root mass is key to success with just one extra centimetre of root on each plant will touch an extra 130 tonnes of soil over a hectare. This larger root mass increases the plant’s ability to access more soil-bound nutrients and moisture leading to a stronger, healthier plant going into the winter and increased resilience to any extremes over the rest of the growing season.

Essential nutrients for autumn-sown crops

Pictured above are the key nutrients for root mass building in the early stages of life and the wider role of other nutrients through the Autumn.

Phosphate is essential for crop establishment. A deficiency leads to reduced movement of all nutrients around the plant. Both Phosphate and Potassium levels need to be at Index 2 to insure against stress and to give crops the best chance against unpredictable weather conditions.

Potassium is required with sulphur for the plant to take advantage of available nitrogen in the soil, resulting in improved nutrient efficiency. Potassium is involved in every single process within the plant, including health, water management etc.

Calcium and magnesium are both very critical for root development and seed establishment. Sulphur applied in autumn improves retention of other nutrients as well as helping to capture and retain soil nitrogen reserves for plants to utilise residual and mineralised nitrogen in the soil, small amounts of both potassium and sulphur are necessary.

Sulphur applied in autumn improves retention of other nutrients as well as helping to capture and retain soil nitrogen reserves for or plants to utilise residual and mineralised nitrogen in the soil, small amounts of both potassium and sulphur are necessary.

A visual inspection of the growing seedlings can indicate any early problems. Pictured below from one of our trials are Cereal plants treated in the Autumn with 100 kgs Ha Polysulphate, containing Potassium, Calcium, Magnesium and Sulphur. On the left is a treated seedling, and an untreated seedling is on the right.. Increased fibrous root growth was observed and these plants went on to perform well in the following harvest. Even on the chalkiest of soils plants still respond to fresh Calcium.

Please don’t forget tissue testing in the Autumn. We have a wide range of foliar applied nutrition products that mix easily with Autumn spray applications that help correct any deficiency identified by analysis.

For any nutrition enquiries please contact your usual Bartholomews representative or contact the Fertiliser department

Fertiliser

Traders expect European gas prices to remain elevated for the short to medium term, producing high-cost nitrate and reduced output. This has triggered Urea imports from countries less affected by Russia’s control of gas. We are seeing supplies from non-traditional markets such as US Gulf, Nigeria & Indonesia where quality is untested to European expectations. Bartholomews remains committed to the UK market for continuity & quality of supply; sourcing Egyptian Urea and Spanish 27N + 12SO3 & ASN 26N + 37SO3 compounds from Fertiberia. On the 26th of September, the pound sunk to an all-time low as investors lost confidence in the UK’s economic policies following Friday’s mini budget. This has resulted in Nitrogen prices in the UK firming, due mainly to the exchange rates. Although global urea markets remain stable, the exchange rate puts a further @ £60 on a tonne of Granular Urea. With the recent increases in global wheat markets, our gross margin analysis confirm that the 2022/23 crop shows a strong margin at these current input/output levels. It is strongly advised to lock into the safe returns today, rather than sit & follow the unpredictability of what tomorrow may bring.

For more information please contact the Fertiliser Department on 01243755738 or fertiliser@bartholomews.co.uk

Crop Marketing

UK feed grain markets continue to suffer from a lack of demand, but the bullish price action suggests something very different. Geopolitics are firmly in the driving seat with grain importers focused on heightened tensions in the Black Sea. The current grain corridor is working well with some larger-sized vessels now departing, bringing the total shipped to over 4 mln MT. The agreement lasts until mid-Nov – but will it be extended? The latest suggestion is that Russia/Turkey will try to limit future sales to “friendly” countries – and not to the West. As a large importer, Spain will have to source grains from elsewhere if this action is confirmed. The UK boasts an impressive exportable surplus, but both foreign and domestic feed demand remains poor. Consumers have some cover, but are in no hurry to add to long positions when they face such uncertainty through demand destruction. Conversely, milling and malting grades remain in high demand, so even with values at £100/MT higher than at this point last year, quality grains are extremely marketable.

For more information please contact the Crop Marketing department on 01243 755650 or grain@bartholomews.co.uk

Feed

Bartholomews’ Feed Department can supply all of your feed needs;

Compounds - bulk & bags
Blends – bulk tipped & blown
Straights – bulk tipped & blown
Liquid feeds – IBC’s, bulk
Feed/mineral buckets & blocks
Brewers Grains
Full range of Game Feed
Our own Layers Pellets & Layers Mash in bags

We also can offer our own bespoke mineral range as well as other traditional straights such as Limestone Flour, Sodium Bicarb and Urea. We have Fats C16 and Calcium Soap products available. These products are priced extremely competitively against other branded equivalents and with current high feed costs, these products begin to look more appealing. We can also provide a full range of forage seeds and silage additives.

For more information please contact the Feed Department, 01243755752 or feed@bartholomews.co.uk

Seed

With the Autumn drilling campaign now in full swing in conditions that have been ideal for many we are still seeing substantial demand for all seeds. With production all up to date we are now holding modest stocks of seed in all species and groups and can get seed onto farm promptly for any of your urgent requirements. As drilling date progresses through to the later part of October, it will be worth increasing seed rates into the 400’s as we get into November. The seasons will all too soon be changing and we will be beginning work on our Spring seed campaign which will see us able to give prices from the 1st week of November.

For more information please contact the Seed department on 01243 755620 or seed@bartholomews.co.uk

Crop Protection

We have been very busy over the last few weeks testing the vast amount of trial samples generated from our extensive trials programme in the South. As soon as we have collated and analysed the data we will be able to share the results with you over the winter. Winter Wheat variety yield data for harvest 2022 is already available on the Bartholomews' website to view. Trials for the 2023 harvest year are going to be bigger than ever before. By the time you read this newsletter the first of the winter wheat variety and cover crop trials will already have been drilled and the first grassweed herbicide applied to the crop in our Blackgrass/Ryegrass trial. Further regional Winter Wheat Variety Trials and extensive Winter Oat Trials in conjunction with major end users are planned for drilling during October and November. Our well renown fertiliser work continues with some of the major suppliers in the market place.

For more information please contact the Crop Protection Department on 01243755610 or cropprotecion@bartholomews.co.uk

Dairy Show 2022

We will have a stand at this year’s Dairy Show at Bath & West Show ground on Weds 5th October, please join us at stand 198 in the Exmoor Hall.

September 2022 Company Newsletter