Richard Allison

England

Arable editor at Farmers Weekly and ex-ADAS research consultant. Passionate about North Yorkshire, crops, cows and the British countryside.

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Articles

What first OSR variety to mitigate flea beetle risk means for growers

2 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Avenger variety © Limagrain A hybrid oilseed rape that has been bred with resilience against cabbage stem flea beetle could make the difference between crop success and failure when deployed as part of an integrated approach. OSR varieties have advanced in recent years with new traits aimed at tackling challenges such as turnip yellows virus and sclerotinia, along with improvements in yield.
Wheat growers alerted to yellow rust risk in backward crops

2 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Wheat growers are urged to be alert to yellow rust risks in backward and later-drilled winter wheat crops this spring, to avoid yield losses of up to 50%. According to David King, Syngenta’s head of technical for the UK, Ireland and the Nordics, while yellow rust levels were relatively low coming out of winter, it is a disease that likes juvenile leaves and can strike quickly. “It’s very much a case of being vigilant rather than panicking,” David says.
Yellow rust alert as unusual observations seen in AHDB trials

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Wheat growers are being advised to monitor their crops more closely for yellow rust and not rely on Recommended List disease ratings this spring. The warning from the AHDB was due to unusual early observations of yellow rust on several winter wheat varieties in some Recommended List trials.
Cereal growers urged to look out for willowherb this spring

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Growers have been urged to watch out for willowherb and take steps to tackle the weed in cereal crops this spring. Mathew Hutchings, senior commercial technical manager at FMC, says failure to address this issue early in the spring could result in costly yield losses at harvest. See also: How to reduce the risk of glyphosate-resistant weeds“Willowherb has become a more prevalent issue in recent years, most likely due to the shift towards minimal tillage or no-till methods,” he explains.
Gout fly warning for spring cereals in high-pressure year

3 weeks ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Gout fly on leaf © Blackthorne Arable High numbers of gout flies are hitting cereal crops this spring, forcing farmers to reduce their yield expectations and in some extreme cases write off whole crops. And while it is too late for winter cereals, farmers are being warned of the threat from the spring generation of flies. See also: Suffolk wheat grower goes for broad-spectrum disease control at T1Gout fly is a growing cereal pest problem which can affect wheat, barley, and triticale.
How tech trial is helping Lincs estate improve wheat inputs

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Lessons learned from a technology trial are being rolled out across the rest of the cropping area on one Lincolnshire Estate, as part of an ongoing drive to improve nitrogen use efficiency. The changes could be worth more than £24,000/year across the whole winter wheat area. Revesby Estate is one of the four Digital Technology Farms (DTFs) established by agronomy firm Agrii to assess how new technologies can be combined to best effect and integrate into existing farm practices.
Wheat variety Vibe gains full Group 1 milling approval

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

UK Flour Millers has announced the winter wheat variety Vibe is confirmed as a full Group 1 variety following three years of baking assessments. Vibe joined the AHDB Recommended List (RL) back in December 2024 as a provisional Group 1 variety, being a much needed addition with its good disease resistance and an untreated yield of 89%.
Wireworm in potatoes: Rising threat and how to control it

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Wireworm damage is now an increasing risk in potato crops across the country, including eastern counties and up into the Scottish Borders. This highlights the need to understand the reasons behind its spread and how to manage it. Historically associated with grassland rotations in the South and West, changing farming practices and climatic conditions have seen a continuous creep of the soil-borne pest over recent seasons, reports Andy Cunningham, Syngenta potato technical manager.
New insecticide to control aphids in peas, beans and beet

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

A new mode-of-action insecticide has been approved for use in sugar beet, peas and beans, offering good control of aphids when used as part of an integrated approach. The Chemical Regulations Division of the Health and Safety Executive has approved Bayer’s flupyradifurone for use in Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Marketed as Sivanto Prime, the foliar-applied insecticide is for the control of aphids in sugar beet, fodder beet, potatoes, carrot, combining and vining peas and field beans.
6 new varieties added to 2026 sugar beet variety list

1 month ago | fwi.co.uk | Richard Allison

Sugar beet growers have six new varieties to choose from for the 2025-26 season, including a higher-yielding option with tolerance to some of the yellowing viruses. The new 2026 Recommended List also sees the first herbicide-tolerant variety which also has tolerance to beet cyst nematode, offering farmers with a nematode problem another option for managing weed beet.