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In the UK Seed Certification Scheme, seed is graded as Basic (B), Certified Seed of 1st Generation (C1), and Certified Seed of 2nd Generation (C2). Basic and C1 seed is generally grown for the production of further seed crops and C2 seed is used for commercial crop production. Basic seed is the most expensive and C2 the least expensive. Certified seed is required to meet a minimum germination of 80% and to achieve a standard of purity. Seed-borne leaf and pod spot (Ascochyta fabae) and stem nematode (Ditylenchus spp.) can be very damaging to field beans. It is strongly recommended that seed is tested for Ascochyta. It is advised that Basic seed should not contain more than 0.2% infection, C1 seed should not contain more than 0.4%, and C2 seed should not contain more than 1% infection. It is also strongly recommended that seed is tested for the presence of stem nematode and only clean seed should be used. Seed tests are available from PGRO. The fungicidal seed treatment Prepper (fludioxonil) is now approved for use in field beans and may give moderate control of Fusarium spp. Sowing There is growing interest in direct drilling or minimum tillage drilling of both winter and spring beans. There is an advantage in the min-till system for spring beans where over- wintered stubble is part of the farm management scheme. Winter beans can be broadcast or drilled onto the soil surface and then covered by shallow ploughing. However, both seed distribution and seedling emergence can be very uneven. Most winter beans are now drilled. Winter beans should not be sown too early - not before the second week of October. Crops which are too forward are more prone to disease and to the effects of severe winter weather. Sowing from mid-October to early November is usually the optimum time, but acceptable crops have been produced from early December drilling. Winter beans can be sown in the early spring. They should be treated as a spring bean, increasing the plant population to 36-40 plants/m2. Spring beans are best drilled as early as possible from late February onwards provided soil conditions are satisfactory. Later sowing delays harvest and may subject beans to summer drought stress at flowering. Ploughing-in is not common nowadays as it is less successful for spring beans, and better yields are achieved where they are drilled conventionally. Sowing depth is important and the seed should be covered by a minimum of 3cm of settled soil where pre-emergence herbicides are used. Seed rate and plant population For spring beans, recent data from the Optibean project shows that maximum yields are obtained from 60-65 plants/m2. But when taking into account seed cost and produce value, the economic target population is 50-55 plants/m2. This is for soils/areas that produce typical bean growth. For fertile soils or areas that produce very vigorous growth, target populations should remain at 35-45 plants/m2. Field loss for winter beans is expected to be 15% and for spring beans 5%. PGRO has produced a seed rate calculator as part of the Optibean tool (Excel based spreadsheet) and is available from the PGRO website.   Typical target plant populations (late October sown) Type Varieties Population (plants/m²) Winter Beans General, Tundra, Pantani 18-20   Vespa, Bumble, Bonneville, Norton 24   Honey 28 Spring beans (typical growth) All 50-55 Spring beans (vigorous growth) All 35-45 The seed rate can be calculated from the following formula: [image2/banner]

Wholesalers of straight grasses, forage crops, wild flowers, green manures

Super tasty drop of #ale from @BarshamBrewery Highly recommend these two.. 🍺😋

2️⃣3️⃣ 🎂

“911, what’s your emergency?” “Yeah, uh... CNN just killed Kirstie Alley.”

They fucked it. They ignored the advice of SAGE from 5 weeks ago. They wasted £12bn on a failed Test & Trace. Thousands of people will die as a result. Tens of thousands of jobs will be lost. They must never be forgiven.

From 1927 apparently ...

Let’s put dogs back in the White House.

The Plunkett Foundation releases the 2020 ‘Better form of Business Reports’ on Community Pubs and Community Shops Rural community owned businesses were in robust health as Covid-19 hit, and displayed a unique innovation and flexibility to serve those who needed them when Britain was under national lockdown.

NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program, the search for planets and life beyond our solar system.

As the total global population continues to rise and economic growth drives a transition towards more resource-intensive diets, a growing number of consumers are concerned with how to reduce the environmental impact of their dietary choices. Consumers often see organic food as an effective way to reduce their impact: surveys reveal that regardless of geographic location, the primary motivations for organic food purchases are health1 and environmental concerns.2 Furthermore, consumers are often willing to pay more for organic products – some studies indicate a willingness-to-pay of up to 100 percent above standard prices.3 But is this a wise choice? Is going organic really the best way to reduce the environmental impact of our diets?

Home of British Dry-Aged Beef, Explore our website and discover the amazing world of dry-aging meat, charcuterie, sausages, dry-cure bacon

Carol Dweck researches “growth mindset” — the idea that we can grow our brain's capacity to learn and to solve problems. In this talk, she describes two ways to think about a problem that’s slightly too hard for you to solve. Are you not smart enough to solve it … or have you just not solved it yet? A great introduction to this influential field.

This is a follow up to my post: “Are You The Best Version Of Yourself?“. Specifically, that article used a geeky metaphor, comparing our own being with a computer. In order to be sure you run the best version of yourself, a certain number of maintenance tasks have to be performed, such as “updating your ... Read more

Wavve turns your audio into eye-catching, snackable video clips for social media influence. Claim your custom wavve.link podcast page today.

Sophie Sulehria looks at alternative options for having a child

The John Muir Trust is a conservation charity dedicated to protecting and enhancing wild places across the UK. Read about our work and how you can support us.

A series of lectures delivered by Peter Millican to first-year philosophy students at the University of Oxford. The lectures comprise of the 8-week General Philosophy course, delivered to first year undergraduates. These lectures aim to provide a thorough introduction to many philosophical topics and to get students and others interested in thinking about key areas of philosophy.

A recipe for homemade Limoncello that can be completed in as little as 10 days.

Charlotte Smith asks, when do you choose to stop trying with IVF?