Meet the Trialists: Daniel King
About Dan
Dan farms approximately 740 ha of tenanted and contract farmed land in Lincolnshire. His rotation includes milling, feed and seed quality wheat, winter barley, oilseed rape, winter beans, linseed and spring oats. Wheat is grown on a two-year rotation and yields, on average 9.5t/ha.
We caught up with Daniel to find out more about his approach to controlling black-grass and his thoughts on Luximo® (pre-approval).
Dan’s approach to managing grassweeds
Dan has widened his rotation, incorporating a variety of spring crops to help control black-grass. He also grows competitive varieties, uses high seed rates, applies a robust herbicide programme and hand-rogues black-grass, but says the single most successful technique for reducing black-grass numbers is delayed drilling until mid-October.
Where possible, cultivators follow the combine to create a stale seedbed. This is sprayed off at least once, if not twice, before drilling. Winter wheat is drilled at 500 seeds/m2, with the aim of having a minimum of 300-350 plants/m2 in spring.
Previously Dan’s herbicide programme was Crystal + diflufenican and Avadex. On occasion, he’ll apply another application of flufenacet.
Dan’s top tips for black-grass control
- Delay drilling
- Grow competitive varieties
- Sow at robust seed rates
