The 2020 National Tillage Conference, hosted by Teagasc, has gotten underway at the Lyrath Estate Hotel, Kilkenny, this morning, Wednesday, January 29.
‘Minimising risk; promoting sustainability’ is the theme of this year’s conference which will see factors in the sector such as costs of production and challenges like aphid and grass weed control discussed in detail.
Session one of the event is titled: ‘Managing resistance’. This will be chaired by Ewen Mullins.
- How IPM is critical for managing pyrethroid resistance in aphids – Michael Gaffney, Teagasc;
- Occurrence of grass weeds and their impact – Ronan Byrne, Teagasc;
- Managing cereal diseases with the loss of chlorothalonil – Steven Kildea, Teagasc.
Session two is titled: ‘Environmental sustainability’ and will be chaired by AgriLand’s technical tillage journalist, Siobhán Walsh.
- Environmental sustainability of the tillage sector – soils, greenhouse gasses (GHGs), carbon – Karl Richards, Teagasc;
- Oilseed rape systems: impact on crops, GHG emissions and soils – Dermot Forristal, Teagasc;
- The story of cover crops in Denmark – Nanna Hellum Kristensen, SEGES, Denmark;
- Cover crops: An Irish perspective – Richie Hackett, Teagasc;
- Panel discussion.
At 12:35pm, Teagasc’s Michael Hennessy will deliver an introduction to ‘Crop Report 2020 – Agronomic Strategies; tailored for your business’.
L-R: Karl Richards, Teagasc; Dermot Forristal, Tegasc; Nanna Hellum Kristensen, SEGES Denmark; Michael Hennessy, Teagasc, Siobhan Walsh, AgriLand and Richie Hackett, Teagasc. Image source: Dylan Vaughan.
Delegates will break for lunch at 12:45pm.
Following lunch, at 1.45pm, a demonstration workshop on ‘Crop Report 2020’ will take place.
Session three will commence at 2:20pm and will focus on ‘research snapshots’.
- Outputs from VICCI – The Virtual Irish Centre for Crop Improvement – Dan Milbourne, Teagasc;
- Applying novel breeding approaches to tackle cereal diseases – Adnan Riaz, Teagasc;
- The challenge of grass weeds: Co-developing solutions for Ireland – Vijay Bhaskar, Teagasc.
Session four – the final session – will focus on ‘opportunities and challenges ahead’ and will be chaired by Stephen Robb.
- Looking ahead, costs and returns – Shay Phelan, Teagasc;
- Enhancing the agronomy and management of beans – Sheila Alves, Teagasc;
- Panel discussion with Rob Coleman, tillage farmer, Castlemagner, Co. Cork – Dermot Forristal, Teagasc;
- John Crowley, tillage farmer, Ferns, Co. Wexford – Michael McCarthy, Teagasc.
The closing address will be delivered at 4:00pm and the conference will then draw to a close.