Ty Coch Project update - December 2025

Maize project field

  • Maize was cut on 23 October
  • As seen in table 1 below, the highest yield was the Spring Oats and Red Clover and the lowest yield was the untreated plot. 

Table 1. Fresh yield (tonne per hectare) of the various plots.

Variety

Fresh Yield (t/ha)

Plot 1- Libonus Westerwolds & Abys IRG

38.7

Plot 2- Untreated

30.1

Plot 3- Spring Oats & Red Clover

52.3

Plot 4- Strong Creeping Red Clover & Abys IRG (DIP)

38.4

Plot 5- Gorilla Forage Rape, IRG Diploid & IRG Tetraploid

42.1

Plot 6- Spring Oats & Forage Rape

37.3

What next?

  • Further soil analysis will be done in January to determine the N-min test and VESS assessments for each plot and visual observations. 

Cover Crop project field

  • The previous crop was barley.
  • The field was tested for soil nitrogen and organic matter. These showed good nitrogen levels in the soil before planting the crop and the organic matter was above 4%. 
  • On 23 August the plots were power harrowed, the seed spun on using a fertiliser spreader and then the seed was power harrowed back in.
  • The plots were emerging within a week and have continued to grow well. 

What next?

Nutrient analysis, biomass and N min samples will be redone in January. Although levels of nitrogen and organic matter were good before planting, over winter the Nitrogen can be lost due to rainfall, but with some of the plots containing Nitrogen fixing species it will be interesting to see if these have made a difference. 

Figure 1- Cover crops November 2024