With the help of HortPlus, FAR has added some weather related on-farm decision-making tools to its website to assist growers with crop, pest and disease management. Cody Ellingham of HortPlus tells Alison Stewart that the information is available to all growers and it’s bringing a data led approach to decision making.

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With tropical insect pest fall armyworm now confirmed in both islands, eradication is no longer possible and the initial response will move to long-term management. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR’s Ivan Lawrie, who is involved in the biosecurity response, tells Alison Stewart that control options for maize crops, including a bio-control, are encouraging.

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FAR’s Cultivar Evaluation booklet for autumn sown wheat and barley will be available this month, based on the 2023 harvest’s CPT trial results. FAR’s senior cereal researcher Jo Drummond tells Alison Stewart that some cultivars have seen changes to their disease ratings, particularly for leaf rust. She gives a preview of the yields and disease ratings for a cross section of feed and milling wheat cultivars.

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The Seven Wonders of the Maize World outlines the management factors that each year have a positive impact on maize yield. One of its authors, Professor Fred Below, of the University of Illinois, visited New Zealand in February as a guest of FAR. He tells Alison Stewart why a lift in yields has led to some of the Seven Wonders being revised.

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Yield mapping during harvest is a good starting point for growers getting into precision agriculture. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR’s technology manager Chris Smith tells Anna Heslop that this often tends to bring more questions than answers about on-farm variability and how to manage this. He offers some advice about how to get started.

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Farmer, MC and rural commentator Craig Wiggins (Wiggy) is on a mission to improve the physical health and mental well-being of rural people.

He tells FAR CEO Alison Stewart that people shouldn’t put off going to the doctor or reconnecting with a mate.

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It may be a referendum year, but it is still largely business as usual for FAR. In this episode of Cut the Crop, FAR CEO Alison Stewart looks at the year ahead and tells Anna Heslop that as well as dealing with two biosecurity incursions and setting up a new Southland arable hub, FAR is also considering its R&D response to Cyclone Gabrielle.

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Professor Fred Below of the University of Illinois discusses the latest research out of the US on maize, from the impact of weather on planting date, to increasing maize yield, through his “seven wonders of 19 tonne maize”. 

Maize crop plant populations will continue to increase as part of the ongoing drive to lift maize yields. University of Illinois’ Professor Fred Below says this will trigger other management changes including a shift to narrower row spacings.  

Cover crops can improve the environmental sustainability of intensive cropping systems. AgResearch’s Trevor James explains how cover crops can be used for weed management in a maize system.