Cereals – growing in the UK

Cereals

Cereals – or ‘corn’ are in the same plant family as grasses and as such are describe as a monocots.

Crop Types and Varieties

Wheat

Winter Wheat: Sown in autumn (September–October), it benefits from vernalization (a cold period to trigger flowering) and often achieves higher yields.

Spring Wheat: Sown in early spring (March–April), used in regions with milder winters.

Barley

Divided into malting barley (used in brewing) which requires low protein content, and feed barley with higher protein levels.

Oats

Suited to cooler, wetter regions; often grown for both livestock feed and human consumption (porridge, muesli).

Triticale

A cross between wheat and rye used for animal feed.
Typically grown on land less suited to wheat

Rye

Typically grown in less fertile or marginal lands, valued for its hardiness and suitability for crop rotation in improving soil structure.
Usually grown for use in bio-digestors

Cereals – A Staple Crop

In some developing countries, grain in the form of rice, wheat, millet, or maize constitutes a majority of daily sustenance. In developed countries, cereal consumption is moderate and varied but still substantial.

As food cereals natural form is a whole grain, which is a rich source of:

• vitamins,
• minerals,
• carbohydrates,
• fats,
• oils,
• protein.

When refined by the removal of the bran and germ, the remaining endosperm is mostly carbohydrate.

Videos for UK Cereals

Soil Management

• Soil Testing and pH Correction:
  • Regular soil tests are essential to measure nutrient levels and pH. Many UK soils are naturally acidic and require liming to reach an optimal pH (usually 6.0–6.5) for cereal growth.
• Fertilizer Regimes:
  • Nitrogen: For example, winter wheat might need around 200 kg N/ha, often applied in split doses—an initial basal dose at sowing and a top-dressing at the tillering stage—to optimize uptake and reduce leaching.
  • Phosphorus & Potassium: Based on soil tests, typical applications might be around 30–40 kg/ha of P₂O₅ and 50–100 kg/ha of K₂O, ensuring balanced nutrient availability.
• Organic Matter and Conservation Tillage:
  • Incorporating cover crops and applying organic manures boost soil structure and fertility. Reduced tillage methods help preserve organic matter, improve moisture retention, and decrease erosion.

Sowing and Establishment

• Timing and Sowing Techniques:
  • Winter Cereals: Sown in autumn to allow sufficient root establishment before winter.
  • Spring Cereals: Sown in early spring when the risk of frost declines.
• Seedbed Preparation and Precision Planting:
  • Preparing a fine, well-tilled seedbed ensures uniform seed placement. Precision seed drills help achieve the correct seeding depth and spacing, optimizing plant density and minimizing competition.
• Seed Treatment:
  • Use of fungicide and insecticide seed dressings protects emerging seedlings from soil-borne diseases and early pest infestations.

Nutrient, Disease, and Pest Management

• Nutrient Management:
  • Split Applications: Especially for nitrogen, applying it in stages (basal and top-dressings) aligns with key growth phases (e.g., tillering in wheat) to maximize yield potential and minimize environmental impact.
• Disease Control:
  • Wheat: Monitor for Fusarium head blight, Septoria leaf blotch, and rusts. Timely fungicide applications and resistant varieties are key strategies.
  • Barley: Keep an eye on net blotch and scald, with integrated fungicide programs tailored to weather conditions and growth stages.
• Pest Management:
  • Regular crop scouting is essential to manage aphids and cereal weevils. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) strategies are employed—using biological control agents, pest thresholds, and targeted insecticide treatments—to reduce reliance on chemicals.

Crop Husbandry and Field Operations

• Weed Control:
  • A mix of pre-emergence herbicides, post-emergence treatments, and mechanical cultivation helps maintain a competitive advantage for cereals. Crop rotation also plays a crucial role in minimizing weed pressure.
• Crop Monitoring and Growth Stages:
  • Using the BBCH scale for cereals helps farmers time their interventions, such as fertilizer applications or fungicide sprays, based on precise growth stages. Modern tools like satellite imagery and yield mapping further assist in monitoring crop health.

Harvesting and Post-Harvest Handling

• Harvest Timing:
  • Wheat: Typically harvested between July and August when grain moisture levels are optimal to reduce post-harvest spoilage.
  • Barley & Oats: Harvested when grains have reached the desired dryness and quality parameters, with extra care taken for malting barley to ensure low protein and high quality.
• Combine Harvester Settings:
  • Adjustments in cutter bar speed, threshing intensity, and fan settings are made based on cereal type to minimize grain damage and loss.
• Post-Harvest Management:
  • Immediate drying (if moisture levels are above safe storage limits) is vital. Storage practices include aeration systems and moisture monitoring to prevent spoilage and pest infestations, preserving grain quality until market.

Quick agronomy facts:

	W Wheat	W Barley
Seed Rate kg/Ha	100 – 250	150 – 180
Nitrogen (N) kg/Ha	100 – 220	40 – 120
Phosphate (P) kg/Ha	90	70
Potash (K) kg/Ha	120	100
Av . Yield t/Ha	8.0	6.3

Other Key Points

Typical Protein Contents

Barley	10%
Wheat	11%
Triticale	12%

Storage

Recommended Moisture Content for long term storage

14-14.5% m.c.

Typical Weeds, Pests, Diseases

Weeds	Black Grass, Wild Oats, Couch (Wicks), Cleavers
Pests	Slugs, Wireworms, Wheat Bulb Fly, Aphids, Rabbits
Diseases:	Yellow rust, Septoria Tritici (mainly wheat) Eyespot, Take-All