Finding a balance between early harvest and maturity

摘要

Selecting varieties to meet cross-compliance earliness and yet still get high starch yields is essential if silage quality and profitable crop production are to be safeguarded. Dr Fergus Mould from CEDAR, University of Reading, illustrates the lossesincurred from harvesting before the crop has reached maturity. The Single Farm Payment has seen the introduction of a number of associated cross-compliance regulations for maize growers that need to be observed for full payment to be made. These regulations make reference to soil husbandry specifically for maize crops with phrases such as "choose early varieties to ensure early harvest" and for England to gain Entry Level Scheme points we see the phrase "harvest by 1 October". This presents us with a problem in which we may be forced to go for an early harvest of late varieties and so compromise both yield and composition.