Winter Agronomy Digital Roadshows 2021

The Winter Agronomy Roadshows in January for this year will be delivered on-line as a combination of technical lectures, podcasts and interactive discussion sessions. Key speakers will cover the launch of a new IPM assessment plan for Scotland, a 2021 fungicide update, soil health, cereal varieties outlook and a business resilience and markets update. These will be paired with local discussion sessions, which will be based around the technical content of the lectures.

Held over 5 weeks, ‘Roadshow Wednesday’ delivered in conjunction with AHDB will be your one stop shop for Technical updates on Arable Agronomy and Strategic Business Information.

Delivery Methods each Wednesday include:

1. 10 am: Technical lectures available to watch or download:  These will cover in depth technical information on each of the roadshow themes
2. 11.15 am ‘Ask the Expert’ session
3. Conversations: Podcasts to support the on-line content ‘CropCasts’
4. Information downloads: A supporting ‘dashboard’ of documents. These will signpost attendees through the various topic subjects and direct them to the information they need in a concise straightforward way.

Registration can be made by clicking on the links below

A detailed programme is summarised below:

13^th January 2021 IPM planning and fungicide updates

1. 10 am Technical Lecture  ‘IPM planning and Fungicide and diseases update for 2021’ (Fiona Burnett, Neil Havis, Henry Creissen).
2. 12.30 pm Discussion Group: East Lothian and Borders
3. Podcast David Bell, Henry Creissen, Fiona Burnett. David is a Yen winner who practices IPM and is the new chair of the Scottish VI in discussion about pest, weed and disease management.
4. Downloads: Information notes on New Scottish IPM Assessment plan and copies of fungicide performance curves.

20th January 2021 Crop selection and variety performance

1. 10 am Technical Lecture: ‘Crop selection and variety performance’ – Steve Hoad and Catherine Harries – ‘Yellow rust ratings’.
2. 11.15 am ‘Ask the Expert’ session
3. Podcast: Steve Hoad SRUC, Peter Lindsay SAC Consulting in conversation with a farmer member of the Scottish Cereals Consultative Committee
4. Downloads: AHDB recommended lists and SAC Scottish Cereals and oilseed lists. Information note on new yellow rust variety rating system and update on yellow rust races

27th January 2021 Business Resilience and Markets

1. 10 am Technical Lecture: ‘Business Resilience and Markets’  – Julian Bell SRUC, David Eudall AHDB
2. 11.15 am ‘Ask the Expert’ session
3. Podcast: David Eudall AHDB and Julian Bell discussing how the market updates impact on Scotland.
4. Downloads: Infographic on markets

3rd February 2021 Soil Health

1. 10 am Technical Lecture: ‘Soil health, soil chemistry and soil physics’ Joanna Cloy SRUC, Chris Watson and Paul Hargreaves SRUC ‘A systems approach to Crop Health’
2. 11.15 am ‘Ask the Expert’ session
3. Podcast: Chris Watson, Joanna Cloy, SRUC and Findley Kinloch, SAC Consulting Solutions in discussion
4. Downloads: New Extended VESS tool being developed (available on VESS web page), Valuing Your Soils guidance, AHDB and OPAL worm ID, AHDB soil health project case studies and other soil health guidance.

10th February – SPot results day

1. 10am Technical Lecture: SPot farm results. Eric Anderson will present the findings from the first year of the new Scottish Seed Potato Farm project hosted by Jim Reid of Milton of Mathers. In 2020 they trialled and tested PCN soil sampling protocols, desiccation methods, reduced cultivation techniques, alternative fertilisers and novel cover crops to reduce virus risk in seed crops.
2. 11.15 am ‘Ask the Expert’ session
3. Keeping Positive – Interview with Jim Reid DETAIL TO BE CONFIRMED
4. Live from potato stores at Puggeston, a look around the grading and store facilities. Discussion with site manager Colin Ross about the importance of and health and safety to the McCain business and how they are working with farmers. Visit to McCain seed site and a look around highlighting the importance of health and safety and a look int the QC rooms where all the seed stock grown in Scotland for McCain are assessed before distribution around the UK
5. Downloads: Links to AHDB potato results week coming soon