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PODCAST

Cereal Killers

Cereal Killers covers the pests, diseases, and weeds that try to kill arable crops. Each week we do a deep dive on one challenge facing arable farmers. Hopefully revealing some new insights to help you fight these pernicious beasts, bugs and pathogens! If you are a farmer or agronomist, we would love to interview you on the podcast. Please email Russell@eutrema.co.uk Cereal Killers is hosted by: Dr Russell Sharp, Managing Director of Eutrema Ltd Josie Cuccia, Lecturer at Moulton College

science life sciences

All Episodes

09:20

WIREWORMS!

Cereal Killers ·

2024/08/06

We discuss the intriguing and troublesome life cycle of wireworms, from their beginnings as eggs to their transformation into click beetles. Discover why wireworms pose such a significant threat to crops like beetroot, cereals, and oilseed rape, and learn about their unique defense mechanism—a clicking noise designed to startle predators. The conversation also touches on effective control methods, including crop rotation, soil management, and the role of natural predators. Additionally, the hosts

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15:45

BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS AGAINST BLACK GRASS!

Cereal Killers ·

2024/07/15

Black Grass Biology Group 2024 progress report On-farm trials This year we partnered with 16 farms to run commercial-scale trials to assess the potential for applying fungal spores to help with the control of black grass. Most of the trials were 50-150 hectares in size. Below is a summary of our findings so far this year: 32% of the farms running trials reported observing either an effect on black grass numbers by June, or symptoms of disease amongst the black grass population. The remaining 68%

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23:28

PHOSPHORUS DEFICIENCY!

Cereal Killers ·

2024/06/28

The main way of correcting phosphorus deficiency in soils is to add a phosphorus-containing fertiliser. However, your current situation will determine the actual form you should opt for. This post is solely focused on these phosphorus-containing fertilisers. We will be publishing additional blog posts about the symptoms and challenges of phosphorus deficiency, and also on how to release phosphorus already bound in the soil. There are a number of different sources of phosphorus found in fertilisers

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29:14

BLOCKAGES!

Cereal Killers ·

2024/06/21

In this week's episode we delve into the issues around filter and nozzle blockages. We pay particular attention to the problems that can arise when mixing various biological products and how to overcome them. Fish-based organic fertiliser Most commonly extracted using phosphoric acid. Phosphorus often reacts with soluble calcium to form insoluble calcium phosphate. Once this forms, it isn’t going anyway, no matter how much you rinse the system. So avoid calcium containing products when using

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16:38

BLACK GRASS RETURNS!

Cereal Killers ·

2024/02/01

In the last episode on Black Grass we talked only briefly about our research to create a biological solution. In this podcast I give the full details about this project and how it will be deployed on arable farms. To sign up for regular updates on our Black Grass Spore projects visit: https://eutrema.co.uk/the-black-grass-biology-group Thanks for listening, and happy growing! Dr Russell Sharp

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09:05

TAKE ALL!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/12/08

Take All is a fungal disease of all grass species. Unlike the fungal diseases we have covered in the past, this one is transmitted through infected soils. Take all is often under-estimated by arable farmers because it doesn't produce obvious symptoms or fruiting bodies. Check out this episode to find out more about take all biology and control. https://eutrema.co.uk

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07:38

Frit Fly!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/12/01

Frit Flies are both annoying and economically damaging. They belong to a big group of true flies and cause damage to emerging tillers. But why are they called 'frit' flies? We have no idea, so we would love your suggestions!

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10:43

LODGING!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/11/21

You've grown your crop, it's almost ready to harvest, then it all falls over! Damm it! Find out about the causes and potential solutions to lodging on this week's episode. As always, feel free to contact us form more info on this and any other crop cultivation topic at: https://eutrema.co.uk

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12:25

ERGOT!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/11/13

ERGOT is a fungal disease that spoils cereal crops. Whilst Ergot doesn't massively impact on yields, it destroys the quality of the harvested grain as it contains. We hope you enjoy this episode and please contact us for more information on potential ergot control measures at; https://eutrema.co.uk

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14:59

LEATHERJACKETS!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/11/06

Leatherjackets; the giant maggots of the crane fly! A pest in arable crops, pasture grass, and horticulture. In this podcast we discuss the impact of this pest on crop roots and stems. The biology of leatherjackets is interesting as they remain active in the winter, and reach a peak of damage in early spring. For more details on leatherjackets and potential control methods, contact the Eutrema technical team by visiting; https://eutrema.co.uk

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15:52

FESCUES!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/10/10

Fescues are a group of grass species that can be of benefit to livestock farmers, but for arable farmers they represent some serious weeds! These weeds can totally destroy a field even in a season or two. Plus they can possess remarkable resistance to glyphosate. To discuss fescue with our technical team, please visit: https://eutrema.co.uk/contact/

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10:39

ALTERNARIA! (sooty mould)

Cereal Killers ·

2023/10/02

Alternaria / sooty mould is a disease that affects cereal crops late on in the summer, close to harvest. It can even cause damage in grain stores. In this podcast we discuss the biology, control methods, and some crazy facts about this weird pathogen. To discuss alternaria control please speak to the Eutrema technical team at: https://eutrema.co.uk/about/

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10:31

SCLEROTINIA!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/09/19

AKA White Mould. This disease affects oilseed rape, beans, and any other crop outside of cereals that you may be using as rotational crops. It will also affect cover crops. Sclerotinia produces unusual bodies of spores called 'sclerotia' that drop the ground and release spores in the spring. If you would like to discuss further options for control of Sclerotinia, please speak to us using the contact details on our website https://eutrema.co.uk

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26:41

SALINITY!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/09/11

Salt is a common food for humans, but it is deadly toxic to plants. You should be aware of the symptoms of salinity damage on any farm as it can be an issue anywhere, not just on the coast or in arid countries! In this episode we discuss the symptoms of salt damage, the effects it has on the plant, plants that tolerate salt (halophytes), ways to overcome or avoid salt damage, and some minor benefits of having salt in the soil. At Eutrema we actively avoid sodium as an ingredient in our agri-inputs

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19:25

PIGEONS!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/09/03

On the face of it, not the most interesting of subjects. However, you will find this episode both informative and hilarious. Did you know about pigeon milk or domesticated dodos? No, neither did I until this episode! If you would like to discuss alternative options for pigeon control, please contact us at Eutrema. https://eutrema.co.uk

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20:26

POWDERY MILDEW!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/08/27

Powdery mildew affects every type of crop on the farm (except Christmas TREES!). However, the type of mildew that affects each species is different. That means you cannot get cross-infection between crops or weeds. Mildew thrives in warm humid conditions, but actually doesn't like being sprayed with water! We talk about how to prevent powdery mildew and control methods for when you have a crop that is starting to become infected. If you are currently suffering from powdery mildew, check out

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14:16

PEACH POTATO APHID!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/08/20

Peach potato aphid is a pest that doesn't cause a massive amount of damage directly by feeding on the crop. However, this aphid is a vector for hundreds of plant diseases. Plus it can feed off plants in over 40 plant families. As such, farmers need to be able to control the peach potato aphid to ensure the crops do not get infected with a damaging virus. In this podcast we discuss the unusual biology of the peach potato aphid and methods for controlling it. Both organic and conventional methods. If

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11:47

BROME!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/08/13

Brome is a weed that is very different to the other weed we have already discussed, black grass. This is because brome weeds have very large seeds, and they are closely related to all cereal crops. This means that while they might not travel as far as black grass, they can hold more cereal diseases than black grass. We discuss control methods such as herbicides, rotation, planting date, and densities. Soft brome, and sterile brome are the main species that are weeds in arable crops. To discuss

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15:22

THRIPS!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/08/06

There are over 6000 species of thrips. Luckily, only a few of these attack arable crops. Thrips feed off the top surface of the leaf, leaving characteristically silver markings behind. Thrips lay their eggs INSIDE leaves, which makes killing every point of the life cycle difficult. Plus the pupae fall to the soil halfway through their lifecycle, again meaning foliar targeted insecticides can be ineffective at stopping future populations building up. We discuss thrips swarming only during

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24:16

RUST!

Cereal Killers ·

2023/07/30

Puccinia, or to me and you, RUST! A serious problem for arable farmers, especially if it hits early in the growing season. We discuss the very unusual biology of the many species of rust that infect cereal crops. Plus we discuss some very novel methods of control. Not least Eutrema's CHITOSAN bio-fungicide. For more information on one of these, please visit: https://eutrema.co.uk/shop/pesticides-organic/chitosan/

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43 results

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