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Below is the 38th issue of Farming Connect’s technical publication for farmers and foresters in Wales.

Published bi-monthly, it includes easy to digest facts and figures about a range of technical matters, along with the latest information and research from...

3 March 2022

Dr Emma Davies: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

• Herbal leys can significantly improve the nutritional value of grassland when compared to conventional perennial ryegrass and clover swards.
• Grassland species containing high levels of secondary metabolites, particularly tannins...

23 February 2022

Dr David Cutress: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

• Crops grown under structural protection can achieve more consistent and often higher yields and quality, as they have fewer environmental impacts to contend with
• Both glass greenhouses and polytunnels...

18 February 2022

Dr David Cutress: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

• Bracken is a significant pest problem across the UK and has been for many years
• Bracken outcompetes other vegetation reducing total biodiversity and impacting landscape usage potential for strategies...

9 February 2022

Dr David Cutress: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

• Controlled environment agriculture (CEA) may have an increasing interest as our available land for traditional growth strategies diminishes
• Extreme weather that impacts outdoor crops also adds benefits to CEA...

7 February 2022

Dr Emma Davies: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

• Growing pharmaceutical crops could be an innovative way to diversify a farm business.
• As pharmaceutical crops are grown for a specialist end market, identifying the buyer of the pharmaceutical...

2 February 2022

Dr Emma Davies: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

• Biological indicators can be used alongside physical and chemical tests to monitor soil quality.
• A thriving soil ecosystem, consisting of diverse communities of microorganisms and soil fauna is associated...

31 January 2022

Business looks bright for almost 4,500 Welsh farm and forestry businesses that have received support through the Farming Connect Advisory Service, with almost 7,000 claims for support already completed by the service. These are the industry...

24 January 2022

Dr William Stiles: IBERS, Aberystwyth University.

Take home messages:

• Current rates of climate and environmental change present numerous challenges for food production systems.
• Ecosystems that are in a degraded state will be more susceptible to...