Could precision breeding hold the key to increased yields?

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Openfield experts discuss whether precision breeding could help the UK to increase its yields; and the benefits of maize as a break crop.

The January USDA report showed the largest global wheat and corn crop ever, notes Cecilia Pryce, Openfield’s head of research, compliance and shipping. At 106.51 million tonnes over last year’s combined crop number, it plugged the world wheat crop at 842 million tonnes and corn at 1,296 million tonnes.

Not only did the USDA publish this global record breaker, but the US corn crop alone produced its largest yield at 11.71 tonnes per hectare and totalled 434 million tonnes – meaning farmers needed to find silo space for 54 million tonnes of extra harvested corn compared to last year.

The numbers are just staggering when you compare this to the UK’s cereal production, but what is even more staggering is that the global consumption of cereals appears to keep on rising, and carry out stocks are hardly looking onerous. If anything, global corn stocks are predicted to drop below last year’s by some 3.8 million tonnes, while wheat rises by 18.26 million tonnes.

All the above is very relevant when pricing a globally traded commodity, but the UK has its own internal supply and demand issues to solve, alongside every other country in the world, which  means prices sometimes don’t do what may seem logical. When you consider England is around 130,395km2 and Iowa, the main corn-growing state in the US, is 145,743km2 it makes you wonder how they ever produce the 70.4 million tonnes of corn with a yield of 13.18t/ha.

Could precision breeding combined with climate change and perfect inputs ever allow the UK to increase its wheat and barley yields across every ha planted, in turn diluting input costs and  allowing farmers to make a return from the globally low commodity prices? Time will tell, but it would be interesting to know if US farmers are making money with current corn prices and watching how low they may need to go to find buyers – remembering that in 2020, US corn prices were some £30 per tonne lower than today’s prices.

Maize as a break crop

Farmers in the UK looking to add robustness to their cropping systems are increasingly looking at growing maize as a break crop, explains Delyth Gilman, Openfield’s environmental technical
advisor. It offers an attractive opportunity for farmers looking to improve rotations and deliver reliable returns. Plant breeding and agronomy developments have made current maize varieties
increasingly well-suited to UK conditions, with consistent performance across a wide range of soil types and regions.

Helping to reduce disease carry-over from cereals and offering a useful tool in managing blackgrass and other grassweed pressure, maize delivers strong break crop benefits. A later drilling window paired with its distinct agronomy allows it to slot easily into arable and mixed farming systems, which can help spread workload and improve rotational flexibility.

Maize also delivers excellent yield potential, particularly for silage and anaerobic digestion markets, where demand remains strong. Earlymaturing varieties allow timely harvests, helping spread workload and reduce late-season risk. Sown from late April once soils warm, maize fits well into existing drilling schedules and complements spring cropping options.

From a soil management perspective, maize offers valuable opportunities when paired with the Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI). IPM3 offers a payment for establishing a companion crop alongside the main crop. The best way to achieve this is to undersow with grasses or legumes, helping to protect soil structure, reduce erosion risk and improve trafficability at harvest. Following  harvest, payments are available for sowing a winter cover crop (SOH4) should the land not go straight back into the rotation. A cover crop will improve soil structure, build organic matter, supress weeds and retain nutrients for the next cash crop.

Particularly where livestock or AD plants are available, maize is a very attractive break crop option for UK farmers. It offers flexibility, and when matched with the right variety for your individual
farming system, can offer strong returns.