Trials should allow growers to minimise risks associated with making changes within their farming system while allowing informed decisions, according to Adam Christie, managing director at Scottish Agronomy.
He encouraged growers to try trials on-farm, explaining that the more localised the trials, the more relevant the information would be.
When deciding to make a variety or product change within the rotation, he recommended growers consider split field comparisons to help understand performance differences before implementing a total change.
When analysing trial results, he advised not just focusing on visuals as statistics are the key to trials.
He said: "If a trial has been published without stats, ask why. This is the key to knowing whether a trial result is due to field effect or genuine treatment effect."
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Suggestions for on-farm trials
- Alternative drilling practices - research into broadacre broadcasting or drilling into standing crops
- Tillage techniques, such as reduced or zero till systems
- Use of green compost to increase soil organic matter
- Cover crops for soil fertility and managing clubroot in brassica rotations
- Winter rye as a grain crop for an alternative to winter wheat
Source: Scottish Agronomy
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More information
Future Farming Expo was held on October 10 -11 at P and J Live in Aberdeen.
There were eight sector hubs which delivered sessions across the two days alongside an exhibition, all designed to provide advice and guidance for growers.
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