The array of research papers presented at this week’s tillage conference shows the increasing knowledge being generated in the sector. Minister Andrew Doyle opened with the news that the Protein Aid Scheme will be available to growers in 2018.

The ongoing work on oat research has shown an optimum seed rate of about 350 seeds/sq m. The same research also found that higher than optimum nitrogen rates decreased specific weight, a major quality requirement of oats.

Steven Kildea reported that septoria is now showing an eightfold decrease in sensitivity to SDHI fungicides. Research has also shown the possibility of using barley and oats as ingredients in the bakery industry to help food health characteristics. Other presentations reported a second resistance mechanism in grain aphids and that management of six-row winter barley varieties is similar to two-row management.