News on Crop Protection from United Kingdom

The 2025 Hutchinsons Potato Trials Results Day at Worth Farms, Lincolnshire, showcased key field trials and research to help tackle major potato industry challenges, including PCN, herbicide safety, wireworm, catch crops, blight, and Alternaria.

Fera Science’s Enigma I project is advancing to its second phase, focusing on sustainable wireworm control. Agri-food organizations are invited to join as co-funding partners for tailored research and practical solutions.

The dwindling availability of insecticide seed treatment and nematicides has paved the way for pest control using entomopathogenic nematodes.

The concept of foliar applied preparations is based on science, but when they were initially introduced in the late 1990’s many of the initial products had drawbacks, such as leaf scorch, low active volumes per application, poor uptake and even phytotoxicity.

A biostimulant brand that is increasingly popular with potato growers will make its debut at this year’s British Potato show in Harrogate. Algifol, which is a seaweed-based biostimulant, will be on stand 123A in Hall 1 at the November event.

CNH Industrial and ONE SMART SPRAY, a joint venture between Bosch and BASF, have signed a collaboration agreement to integrate the latter’s advanced spraying system within CNH Industrial’s agricultural brand product portfolios.

With weed control a key challenge for farmers, and reduced sensitivity to some herbicides a continuing problem. New product trials by FMC have demonstrated that effective controls are on the horizon.

Farmers across Scotland are being urged to have their soils tested and analysed in the face of continuing high input prices and ahead of changes to Scottish agricultural support schemes.

Biostimulants can act as an insurance policy for growers this spring, especially as another wave of frosts threatens to knock crops back. So far, winter has been wet and except some sharp frosts, relatively mild – resulting in many autumn sown crops being further forward than usual.

Edison Investment Research, a London-based investment research and advisory company releases a report on RNA interference-based biopesticides: Feeding the World: Biological Products for Sustainable Crop Protection

Looking ahead to spring spraying, growers are being reminded not to be complacent when it comes to tank mixing and sprayer hygiene, ahead of making applications.

An innovative method of controlling a range of damaging crop diseases using native, beneficial soil bacteria has emerged from a research-industry collaboration.

Recent advances in breeding technologies can be harnessed to fast track the breeding of new varieties. Sensors and drone technologies are driving integrated pest management solutions.

After the Plant Health Centre led a working Group to identify a clear strategy for dealing with the Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN) crisis, a report was delivered to the Scottish Government.

A Lincolnshire farmer believes many in the industry are ignoring valuable research into how best to protect crops from extreme weather conditions and are losing millions of pounds as a result.

Sowing wildflowers into potato crops could reduce aphid-carried viruses and offer an alternative to declining access to insecticides for growers.

Fast food giant McDonald's is working with McCain Foods and Prince's Countryside Trust to help farmers in the United Kingdom improve soil health and boost resilience to climate change and Brexit

Gowan Crop Protection Limited, an affiliate of Gowan Co. LLC., has entered into agreements with Bayer AG to acquire rights to the active ingredients fenamidone and pencycuron.