Cereal-legume intercropping field lab results day - a LEGUMINOSE event

Join us at Leckford Village Hall and Waitrose's Leckford Farm for a free farm walk and event sharing the outcomes of trials growing legume/cereal intercrops. The meeting will show results from 3 years on intercropping trials on farms from the LEGUMINOSE field labs, and 3 years of results from the University of Reading on their field trials, followed by a tour of Leckford Farm.

Waitrose's Leckford Estate in Hampshire is the only UK retailer-owned farm. Spanning 2,800 acres, it implements regenerative farming practices to improve soil health, reduce chemical inputs and boost biodiversity. It produces arable crops, apples, pears and grapes, and has over 550 head of beef cattle.

What trials are being presented?

LEGUMINOSE living lab field lab trials were carried out on 20 farms around the country over a 3-year period. Famers trialled intercrops adjacent to monocrops. Combinations tested included 'Boats' (beans and oats), wheat and beans, peas and barley, and peas and oats. At the meeting, Jerry Alford will share the yield results from these trials, as well as the outcomes of pest and disease assessments during the growing season on 2 sites.

In addition, the University of Reading conducted field trials at their Sonning farm including winter wheat and faba bean, spring wheat and lupin, and spring wheat and soya crop combinations. Each combination is represented as an intercrop and as monocultures of the respective partners. The experiment includes several different nitrogen rates and was designed to help farmers decide how much less nitrogen they need to apply to a wheat crop when the wheat crop is intercropped with a legume. Measurements of nitrate leaching and nitrous oxide emissions were collected throughout the growing season, along with soil health and crop yield/quality parameters.

We are joined by:

• Dr Andrew Ferguson - the General Manager for the Leckford Farm Estate, focusing on biodiversity, soil health, and climate-positive practices. Andrew holds a PhD in seed physiology and agronomy, with 30 years experience in roles across the agricultural and farm sector.
• Jerry Alford - Arable and soils farming advisor at the Soil Association and key member of the LEGUMINOSE project team. Jerry has experience in arable and mixed farming having run the family farm in Devon for 25 years.
• Dr. Imelda Uwase - Postdoctoral Research Associate at the Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading. Imelda is a plant-soil scientist currently working on the LEGUMINOSE project.

Agenda:

10:30am | Meet and refreshments

11:00am | Leckford introduction by Andrew Ferguson

11:30am | Leguminose field lab results with Jerry Alford

12:00pm | University of Reading Nitrogen trials results with Imelda Uwase

12:30pm | Lunch

1:15pm | Farm tour

3:00pm | Close and depart

Event address: Leckford Village Hall, 28 Leckford Ln, Stockbridge SO20 6JG

Waiting list: If the event is booked up please add your name to the waiting list as spaces may become available. If you have a ticket, and find you cannot make the event, please let us know as soon as possible so we can reallocate tickets.

Please note: This event is on a working farm - please wear appropriate clothing and note that the ground may be uneven. Please let us know about any accessibility requirements via the booking form.

For health and safety reasons, no children or infants are permitted at the event.

Filming and photography: Filming and/or photography will take place at this event. There is a consent clause in the booking form.

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LEGUMINOSE is a Horizon Europe funded project, with UK funding provided by UKRI, investigating plant interactions in a cereal and pulse intercrop, and working with farmers and stakeholders to remove barriers to adoption of intercropping. For more information on LEGUMINOSE see the project website: https://www.leguminose.eu/.

Innovative Farmers is a not for profit network giving farmers research support and funding on their own terms. Through trialling, testing and hands-on research, we help farmers find lasting solutions to practical problems. The network is led by the Soil Association and supported by funders including the King Charles Charitable Fund. This field lab is kindly sponsored by the Oglesby Charitable Trust.