1. Level II Agricultural Business Operations

2.  Understand and identify the key crop production targets  Be able to state performance targets for individual crop types  Gain understanding of factors affecting crop performance

3.  Lets us see what is happening  To compare different crop types or enterprises  Alerts us to problems  Identifies areas for improvement  Required to assess profitability

4. Grain yieldStraw yield Grain moisture content Potato % marketable yield % damage /greens/cracks Harvest DateDrilling date Germination percentage Plant populations Specific weight Oil content percentage Oat kernel content

5.  Spring Barley  Spring Oats  Spring Beans  Winter Barley  Winter Wheat  WOSR  Maincrop Ware Potatoes

6.  Spring Barley - 6.0 t/ha  Spring Oats - 5.5t/ha  Spring Beans - 4.5t/ha  Winter Barley- 7.0t/ha  Winter Wheat- 8.5t/ha  WOSR- 4.0t/ha  Maincrop Ware Potatoes - 40t/ha

7.  Spring Barley - 20,491ha  Wheat- 7,968 ha  Winter Barley- 5,266 ha  Potatoes- 4,325 ha  Oats - 1973 ha  OSR- 473 ha  Other crops - 1,286 ha

9. Spring Barley Winter Spring Summer Autumn JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptember Operation/ Growth stage Soil Testing Ploughing/Cultivation Sowing Harvest Nutrition Lime Manganese Seedbed N P K+Sulphur Apply N balance Diseases T0 mildew T1 Fungicide T2 Fungicide Winter Spring Summer Autumn

10. Key targets to achieve good yields?  Sowing Date  March – April  Earlier - Better?  Inputs  Seed rate  Fertiliser  Sprays  Harvest  Harvest late August onwards  Yield = 6t/ha  Moisture content =14.5%  Specific weight = 62-65kg/hl  Timeliness!!!

11.  Sowing Date  Mid September to mid October  Inputs  Seed rate  Fertiliser  Sprays  Harvest  From late July  Yield = 7t/ha  Moisture content =14.5%  Specific weight = 65-68kg/hl

12.  World Record - 15.64t/ha  Sowing Date  September to November  Inputs  Seed rate  Fertiliser  Sprays  Harvest  End August onwards  Yield = 8.5t/ha  Moisture content =14.5%  Specific weight =70-74kg/hl

13. Spring OSRWinter OSR Sown mid Aug to early Sept Harvest Early August Yield - 4.0t/ha World record 6.14t/ha Break Crop Sown March-April Harvest Mid September Yield - 2.5t/ha Moisture - 9% Oil Content – 42-45%

14.  Break crop for wheat  Winter or spring sown  Yields ◦ Winter 7.5t/ha ◦ Spring 6.0t/ha  Expanding milling market ◦ Moisture – 13.5 % ◦ Specific weight - > 50kg/hl ◦ Free from odour ◦ High Kernel content

15.  Market dictates Variety which determines yield ◦ Earlies ◦ Processing/packing ◦ Locally marketed  Planting - ◦ Seed rate affects tuber size ◦ Planting date  Harvesting ◦ Depends on market ◦ Handling at harvest has big effect on potato quality

16. Setting seed rate & crop establishment

17. Grain Yield = Grain number X Grain weight

18. 6 site/seasons 2000-02, 4 varieties, 5 seedrates,UK, (HGCA, 2003)

19.  Grains per ear  Tillers per plant  Plants (m 2 )

21. To calculate Seed Rate (kg/ha) we need to know Target plant population Expected establishment % Thousand grain weight

22. Target plant population will vary with: Establishment % depends on:  Variety  Sowing date  Seed Germination %  Sowing conditions  Soil type  Location

23. Use Certified seedGermination Test Home Saved seed Adjust seed rates by date for autumn sown crops Use nutrition and growth regulator to manipulate shoot numbers

24.  Target Crop Yields  Output/performance targets cereals  Importance of Timeliness  Target Sowing dates  Target Harvest dates  Potato quality parameters  Components of Grain Yield