Fungicide Free Wheat 2023

This year at Heatley Bank Farm near Abbots Bromley in Staffordshire, Steven Brandrick has grown a crop of Costello winter wheat without using any fungicides, insecticides, or Plant growth regulators.

The crop was drilled on the 18th of October 2022 into a cover mixture put together with the idea in mind for it to grow over winter and the field to be drilled with spring barley or spring oats.

However, the cover crop produced a good amount of biomass as seen in the image here, and conditions were good to establish a winter crop.

The wheat was sprayed off with Glyphosate prior to drilling and directly drilled into using a direct disc drill as seen here below.

The crop started to emerge into its 3^rd leaf on the 8^{th of} November which went on to grow steadily throughout winter and was treated in February with a foliar phosphorus, manganese, humic & fulvic acid spray plus Triacontanol and orange oil.

Throughout the wheat’s growing season, the crop has been treated and fed as biologically and nutritionally fed as possible.

This has meant Steve has had to brew up biology and take the time to apply the foliar to the crop at the right time which requires not only attention to detail but also good time management.

Pictured here is the crop on the 9^{th of} June where very little disease can be seen, A brix reading of just below 20 indicated a very healthy crop. The last spray for the year was applied a couple of days later.

To learn more about how this crop was grown without Fungicides and how to transition your farm to less inputs contact us!