Several exhibitors at this year’s Cereals will be focusing on crop nutrition and plant health, with advice for visitors on disease and nutrient imbalances, as well as innovative feeds and management tools.
Natural England
Across its crop plots, Natural England will discuss herbal leys, autumn and spring cover crops, bird food mixes and living mulches.
“Our goal is to help farmers get the crops right first,” says Mark Taylor, senior Catchment Sensitive Farming officer for Yorkshire and Humber.
The living mulch demonstration will feature intercropping between a low-vigour clover mix and cash crop – whether that be wheat, oilseed rape, or barley. Incorporating clovers increases nitrogen fixation, while suppressing weeds like blackgrass and broadleaved species, all without competing with the main crop. Post-harvest, they can be retained as winter cover or topped, forming a dynamic and low-input rotational system with added nitrogen and soil health benefits.
“It’s been dry, but the crops are holding up well. Good establishment is key. Put in the time and planning at the start, and the rest is good management. From there, things get a lot easier.”
It will also offer free, independent advice through the Catchment Sensitive Farming initiative, enabling growers to assess soil types, adjust seed mixes and build workable systems for both profitability and the environment.
NIAB
Disease management will be the focus of the NIAB stand, with fungicide programmes for winter wheat and barley. There will also be wheat blends and companion cropping options on display.
“Our untreated winter wheat variety demo plots give growers a head-start on their selection for next season, with differences in disease susceptibility between the varieties clearly evident this year,” says regional agronomist and technical lead, Andrew Watson.
“The demo is complemented by the variety blends feature, enabling visitors to assess whether bringing together the resistance profiles of several wheat varieties could potentially reduce disease, improve resilience and increase yield.”
Kelp Blue
A company focused on regenerative ocean farming and seaweed biostimulants, will debut its StimBlue+ at the events, as well as news of expanding field trials in the UK.
“Enriched with micronutrients, StimBlue+ Cereals supports early crop establishment and reduces nitrogen fertiliser needs, responding to environmental regulation and cost pressures,” says Casper Velthuijs, Kelp Blue’s UK agronomist.
“Fertiliser is the brick and mortar; StimBlue+ is the architect. It helps the plant use inputs more efficiently.”
In more than 70 GEP-certified trials across Europe, StimBlue+ outperformed competitive biostimulants in 90% of cases, especially root development and stress resistance.
“Unlike conventional products made from Ascophyllum nodosum seaweed, StimBlue+ is derived from the canopy of fast-growing giant kelp, harvested selectively for maximum bioactivity,” says Casper.
“This method ensures consistent quality and a rich composition of laminarin, fucoidan, and alginates to trigger plant gene expression; mannitol for improved drought resilience and alginates to support root-soil microbial interactions.”
AminoA
Biostimulants will also focus on trial results and performance data for its biostimulants range, informing visitors on how products can stimulate soil microbiology, improve nutrient efficiency, and increase plant resilience.
“The dry weather pattern seen so far this year is causing deficiencies in nitrogen and potassium, putting crops under pressure,” says Richard Phillips, managing director. “Foliar feeding can play an important role in addressing this by delivering nutrients directly to the leaf, bypassing the soil and helping crops maintain growth and performance.
“Biostimulants can help tackle abiotic stresses by supporting the plants’ natural defences,” he adds. “They help stimulate root development, improve water and nutrient uptake, and support soil microbiology. This makes crops more resilient, even under tough conditions.”
Tickets are still available for Cereals. Use the discount code FC50 at checkout for 50% off.