Putting our plant science into practice this summer

15 May 2023
NIAB staff member talking to farmers in a wheat field at a NIAB Open Day

Head of Communications, Ros Lloyd details what you can expect from NIAB during the 2023 summer events season…

If you haven’t attended a NIAB open day or it has just been a while – this year is an ideal opportunity to come along and take a look at the wide range of independent advice and research we carry out, meet our newest members of staff and catch-up with some old faces.

NIAB is renowned for showcasing agricultural innovation and research for growers and agronomists to check out at summer trade events and open days; demonstrating how they can and will be put into practice on farm and the economic and agronomic benefits in their use.

For example, at this year’s Cereals Event, in Nottinghamshire on 13th and 14th June, NIAB is showcasing options for more resilient future agricultural systems, with 20 different crops featured on our stand, alongside the popular winter wheat variety and fungicide plots.

Visitors can take a look at diverse range of the UK’s underutilised and novel crops that may become more popular over the next few years on farm, and discuss crop management options with NIAB specialists and advisors. With five herbal grazing ley mixtures alongside buckwheat, quinoa, grain maize, durum wheat, hybrid rye and triticale growers have the option to view the crops above and below ground in the 20-metre long NIAB Soil Hole.

A NIAB Open Day - staff showing visitors around the plots

And from peas and beans to lentils and lupins, chickpeas and soya, visitors can also uncover the benefits of protein crops.

NIAB’s research work on legume crop improvement will be central to the feature as growers can explore the opportunities for crop diversification and lowering inputs on farm and new market prospects as a plant-derived protein source in food and animal feed.

This work is also available to discuss on NIAB’s stand at the Groundswell Event on 28th and 29th June in Hertfordshire, where we feature our research, advice and information within the principles of regenerative agriculture.

NIAB is also the sponsor of the event’s Soil Seminar Marquee, with NIAB speakers covering agronomy practices alongside the longterm impact of using direct drilling.

NIAB Open Days

But don’t worry, our traditional and popular variety demonstration plots tours are still the main feature at many, if not all our events, alongside agronomy advice and opinion from our team of crop specialists with a range of plots covering disease management, nitrogen strategies, soil and rotation management and weed control.

Three specialist events kick off proceedings with a new location for the soil and crop nutrition research open day at our Saxmundham trial site in Suffolk on 1st June.

Also on 1st June we host our Ryegrass Open Day in Kent, followed by a demonstration of our work into the sustainable management of broadleaved weeds on 6th June at our Diverse Weeds event at the Cambridge-Hinxton trials site.

The regional NIAB Open Days, this year at Cirencester (6th June) and Cambridge-Duxford (8th June) have a more specific focus on practical variety and agronomy demonstrations.

We are also running similar events as part of the Morley Innovation Day, hosted by The Morley Agricultural Foundation on 22nd June and at the Croft Open Day, hosted by Croft Farms alongside our partner ArGrain on 29th June, mixing with research partners, funders and industry, ensuring the latest independent information and advice from a wide range of specialists.

As you can see, NIAB will be at lots of events up and down the country this summer. It would be great to see you at one, or more of these events, so please book your free spot now:

Book your place

A version of this article originally appeared in the Spring 2023 edition of NIAB’s Landmark magazine. Landmark features in-depth technical articles on all aspects of NIAB crop research, comment and advice. You can sign up for free and get Landmark delivered to your door or inbox.