Ireland
June 27, 2007
‘Technology to fuel profits’ is
the theme for the Teagasc
tillage crops open day taking place at Oak Park, Carlow, today,
Wednesday 27 June. The open day, being held against a background
of positive market outlook for cereals and possible new outlets
for the energy sector, features the results of the comprehensive
tillage research programme being carried out by Teagasc at Oak
Park. Teagasc research and advisory staff demonstrate the
technology required by tillage farmers in order to prosper in
the future.
Professor Jimmy Burke, head of Teagasc Crops Research Centre
said the event will help tillage farmers and those in the sector
to carefully assess what implications recent research
developments will have for tillage farmers in the future and how
research carried out at Oak Park can make a difference to
improving competitiveness. The crops open day displays the new
opportunities beginning to emerge for the energy sector and the
results of on-going work at the centre.
Alternative land use is now a major topic of discussion
worldwide and the excise relief scheme announced by the Irish
Government is creating huge interest in this area. The open day
outlines the opportunities to grow crops for fuel such as
willow, miscanthus, grain and oilseed rape and the commercial
prospects for using land for non-food uses. Teagasc researcher
Bernard Rice highlights the potential for Irish farmers to
supply this emerging market and outlines what farmers should
consider before embarking on major investment in this area.
The crops research programme is focusing on reducing costs and
maximising profit on tillage farms. Teagasc researchers, Dermot
Forristal, Richie Hackett and Brendan Dunne discuss this topic.
Teagasc tillage specialist, Michael Hennessy, addresses the
major queries that have arisen since the introduction of cross
compliance regulations and the impact on tillage farming,
focusing on the action required by cereal producers.
The latest production blueprints for all tillage and energy
crops are presented along with research information on the
emerging resistance of some cereal diseases to the newer
fungicides, minimum tillage, plant biotechnology and new
developments in plant breeding. In addition, the outcome of
innovative research work on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are
on show and farmers will hear about the effect of cropping
systems and cultivation methods on CO2 emissions from arable
crops. |
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