Come and see us on our Fera stand
McGregor Farms, Coldstream, Scotland
In the last five years, soil science and management has moved to the top of the farming agenda. Farmers and the wider public are now starting to understand the importance of good soil practice and management and look at the substrate at more than just the brown stuff beneath their feet. The government have now made rumblings that they will be paying or punishing farmers with good or poor performance respectively around soil health. We are now moving the industry from awareness and understanding to action on managing their own soils. That is where Soils in Practice comes in – a technical conference designed to give farmers some practical advice and guidance on how to make the most out of their valuable soils.
Our experts will be on hand to discuss your soil health questions and requirements, as well as ask about our Big Soil Community
The one-day event is about farmers sharing knowledge on latest advances in soil fertility and its application in day to day farming. There will be presentations on the future direction for organised activities on soils. There will be an opportunity for collaboration with delegates in achieving viable soil fertility management as well as industry networking.
We are helping farmers and industry to understand how different soil properties influence the development and spread of pests and diseases. We help by developing more effective soil-management strategies to mitigate these risks.
We help to:
• Improve soil-management practices to combat crop pests and diseases
• Understand pesticide behaviour in different soil conditions
• Develop more effective control measures for different soil types
• Undertake tests for soil health, pathogens and diseases
• Indicator Species - Species are identified as natural indicators when their presence or abundance, within sites of a particular habitat or a conservation area are high
• Microbial Loads - Testing of microbial loads provides the ability to identify levels of micro-organisms within a sample
We are world renowned for providing excellence in crop testing and diagnostic services offering the most comprehensive range of services throughout all sectors of the supply chain. Our leading expertise and outstanding facilities can help you understand and identify your agricultural challenges; helping you to deliver more economically and environmentally resilient farming solutions for the sustainable intensification of arable systems. Our crop testing includes:
• Potatoes and field vegetables
• Arable Crops
• Soft Fruit
• Seeds
Nematodes are microscopic pests responsible for billions of pounds of yield loss each year. Potatoes Cyst Nematodes (PCN) are considered the most damaging pest of potato crops in the UK with losses up to 35%. However, Plant-Parasitic Nematodes (PPNs) can be just as damaging as they can parasitize nearly every plant species, resulting in devastating adverse effects on the quality and yield of host crops.
Fera offers a unique free-living nematode analysis service that provides identification to species level as well as nematode identification and consultancy advice for any sector of agriculture or horticulture.
Our team of world leading entomologists offer multidisciplinary expertise in terms of design and management of insect monitoring schemes. This ensures your crop management strategy is fit for purpose and is able to address any potential viruses within your crop, mitigating the potential economic risk to your harvest. We also use applied entomological research into virus transmission in glasshouse and field plots, together with research into the physiology and behaviour of disease vectors using laboratory behaviour tests and electro-penetration graphs (to measure feeding behaviour). With our service you can monitor and forecast the spread of pests, weeds and diseases in real time; combining chemical, and agronomic strategies for smarter crop protection.
