Two varieties of wheat, Avatar and JB Diego, were sown on 2 October in this field following winter rape, Andy explained at the Glanbia field walk on the McCann farm near Athy, Co Kildare, recently. This crop was clean, with little obvious septoria.

Andy told his audience that tillage farmers in Ireland cannot afford to grow bad crops: “It costs exactly the same amount of money to grow a good crop as it does a bad crop, and that’s why we can’t afford it.

“Indeed, when you get a field capable of growing 5.5t/ac, you will be spending less money growing crops in it - that’s the carrot. Nature is wonderful in so many ways,” he said.

Watch the video below for Andy’s advice for growing winter wheat:

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Excellent crops at McCann field walk in Athy