Growing wheat has changed somewhat in recent years
Previously a combination of chemical treatments allowed sowing in September and Autumn growth built biomass leading to higher and more reliable yields
A combination of resistance and chemical withdrawal have required a change of tack
Wheat is susceptable to virus carried by aphids
A chemical seed dressing that protected the plant was banned and the insects developed resistance to the available pesticide sprays
Grass weeds that grow in the crop, and swamp it at harvest, also developed resistance
Delaying sowing until mid October and November had become the way to overcome this
We now use untreated seed and no insecticides in order to build up natural insect predators
A key element of this system is Glyphosate originally sold as Roundup. This enables weed control without cultivations.
This system builds up soil fauna and its structure. It seems likely that Glyphosate will be banned
Unfortunately this will lead to poorer soils and higher carbon emissions
Wheat emerging
GPS autosteering
gives dead straight rows