Students rise to the challenge at Cereals

Posted 5 July 2010

Four students from Harper Adams University College showcased a year of hard work by entering The Cereals Challenge at one of the top UK arable events.

The aim of the challenge, which is exhibited at Cereals, is to grow and manage a plot of wheat for a year, paying particular attention to fungicides, plant growth regulators, nitrogen and herbicides.

This is then judged on heads of wheat, the approach the team took to managing the plot, and the decisions they made. Judges base their decisions on information gained both from visiting the site and also pictures sent to them by e-mail as the crop develops.

The challenge is aimed at agricultural colleges and this year six institutions battled their wit and skill against each other to produce the best wheat. It is hoped that it will become an annual event, supported by Velcourt and HL Hutchinsons- crop production specialists.

Although the students didn’t win the event, they were commended for their timeliness of providing information and general approach.

Keith Chaney, Head of the Crops Department said: “Harper Adams would like to thank Velcourt and Hutchinsons for the opportunity to enter a student group for the Cereals Challenge. This was a valuable experience for the students to apply their agronomic knowledge of growing a crop of winter wheat.”