Agronomics Line Trials

Yield Enhancement Networks (YENs) were launched in 2012 to support and energise on-farm learning-by-sharing and thus to enhance farming progress.

At this years Agri-Tech E REAP Conference, Sarah Kendall, ADAS Crop Physiologist joined a panel consisting of Matthew Smith (Scientific Technologies) and Macelo Galdos (Rothamsted Research) to discuss how the digital world is informing and guiding the developments and decisions in the real world – ranging from digital twins to predictive models, from platforms to help with scenario planning to the use of AI and machine learning to yield unprecedented insights into the future of agriculture and horticulture.

Farmers, advisors and researchers working together to understand and improve crop nutrition on-farm

Poster paper given at IFS 2022 by Daniel Kindred, Roger Sylvester-Bradley, Pete Berry and colleagues. Conventional routes to generating knowledge of ‘what works’ in agriculture have relied on (i) farmers developing their experiences and passing these on locally, and (ii) researchers conducting small plot experiments on a limited number of sites, analysing data and drawing conclusions in a more generic top-down fashion. The advent of (i) the internet enabling ideas and data to be shared widely and (ii) precision farming technologies enabling comparisons or trials by farms, provides the opportunity to interconnect the top-down approach with a more robust farm-centric bottom-up approach.

ADAS have produced a new guide with our five top tips for successful on-farm trials. We'd love you to give it a try and to hear about what products or approaches you're testing on farm - by sharing the results of trials, we can learn more together.

Scientific paper in Field Crops Research published by the ADAS Agronomics team reporting experience working with BASF Real Results farmers conducting around 50 on-farm Line Trials per year.

Defra Sustainable Arable LINK project from 2010 to 2015 that aimed to produce an automated system using precision farming technologies for N management of cereals, but ended up changing the whole way we think about nitrogen, yields, experimentation, research, variation & knowledge.

AHDB project from 2014-2018 working with farmers to monitor and optimise their nitrogen fertiliser rates on-farm.  

BASF Real Results Circle (https://basfrealresults.co.uk/) has been running since 2017, bringing together 50 farmers and supporting them to test decisions on-farm.

How do you conduct and manage robust research and development at scale on your farm? What are the best methods for data collection and analysis? What are the best approaches to collaborative projects with researchers? Join us on April 28th as we explore the scientific approaches to on-farm trials and how to work more effectively with researchers.

Group coming out of the YEN looking at ways to increase deep rooting, by encouraging deep burrowing earthworms.

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, this on-farm winter wheat trial tested the effects of applying Utrisha N at two contrasting N rates. The trial was facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and Agronomics yield map analysis from ADAS.

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, this on-farm winter oats trial tested the effects of applying Utrisha N. The trial was facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and Agronomics yield map analysis from ADAS.

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, this on-farm winter wheat trial tested two biostimulants (3 Alo T6P and Nutrino Pro) applied as a tank mix with fungicides at the T3 timing. The trial was facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and Agronomics yield map analysis from ADAS.

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, this simple on-farm winter wheat trial in Nottinghamshire tested the yield effect of reducing N rate from the 'farm standard' of 220 kg/ha to 170 kg/ha. The trial was facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and reporting from ADAS.

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, this on-farm winter wheat trial compared N rates from 140 to 260 kg/ha, including the N rate recommended by the Yara N tester. The trial was facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and Agronomics yield map analysis from ADAS.

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, these two on-farm winter wheat trials tested whether the N inhibitor Didin can sufficiently slow N release to allow the whole season's N fertiliser to be applied as UAN in a single split. The 'farm standard' control treatment consisted of the same N rate applied as UAN over three split timings without an inhibitor. Trials were facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and Agronomics yield map analysis from ADAS.

At Groundswell, join us at the Innovative Farmers stand from 12-1 on Thursday 29th June for a clinic on Farm trials: how to make the most of them. A chance to share experiences and have your questions answered by ADAS and IF experts

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, this on-farm winter wheat trial compared N rates from 150 to 250 kg/ha, including the N rate recommended by the Yara N tester. The trial was facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and Agronomics yield map analysis from ADAS.

As part of the AICC Crop Nutrition Club 2022, this on-farm winter wheat trial compared N rates from 140 to 260 kg/ha, including the N rate recommended by the Yara N tester amd one treatment with additional Poly N Plus. The trial was facilitated by a local AICC advisor, with support and Agronomics yield map analysis from ADAS.