Popular Countryside Stewardship option AB15 two-year sown legume fallow saw a 9 per cent increase in payment rate this year, guaranteeing growers 569/hectare/year for the five year agreement.
The option, which utilises less productive land while benefiting soil health, pollinators and wider biodiversity, has also had a number of changes made to it after some growers struggled with establishing the sward.
Richard Barnes, of Kings Crops, says: 鈥淭he reality is, on fertile arable land the ryegrass in the original specification would grow very vigorously overtaking the legumes and leaving a high volume of grass to deal with.鈥�
The new guidance means agreements starting from January 2021 onwards can utilise a mixture made up purely of the legume element, which includes red and white clover, vetch and lucerne and excluding any grass species.
Challenging
Autumn 2021 was a challenging year for AB15 due to the delays in harvest for some and the dry conditions for others which led to problems with establishment, slugs and pea and bean weevil. But growers who were unable to establish a good 鈥榗rop鈥� last autumn have the option to overseed the plot with a suitable mix from May to early June.
Mr Barnes says: 鈥淚f growers think they have a marginal stand, they can effectively destroy it and not claim. Speak to your agronomist and consider your plant population. Or you can overseed with a quick growing annual and perennial legumes species to boost the existing sward.鈥�
Once this plan is in place, land managers will need to register this with the Rural Payments Agency by completing a.
Some growers are now putting hundreds of hectares into AB15, Mr Barnes adds, and at such scale, treating it as a commercial crop is key.
Management
In the first year, careful management of the plot is needed to encourage rooting and suppress weeds.
Mr Barnes says: 鈥淚t needs to be cut hard in the first 12 months 鈥� if it is dry, you might cut it two-three times, but if it is a wet spring it may requiring mowing five to six times to keep it short. In the second year you can cut it to manage black-grass, but if you are looking for forage or to graze it, a better option will be the Herb Rich Sward option (GS4).
鈥淗owever, at the end of the second year, in mid-August you can take a cut after the end of the option period, making use of rough forage for stock.鈥�
Growers who are currently under the older agreements but like the idea of pure legume options can also apply for a minor and temporary adjustment.
When grasses should be included
Under the new prescription, growers do still have the option to add grasses such as Timothy or cocksfoot to aid black-grass control.
Mr Barnes says: 鈥淭he benefit of adding grass is that you are creating a thicker sward which can help with smothering black-grass.鈥�
He advises adding Timothy at a low seed rate of 2kg/hectare.
鈥淚t is reasonably competitive against black-grass and quite a vigorous grass 鈥� it will help to bulk the sward up.鈥�
Top tips for AB15 establishment:
- Plan: Select fields with early harvested crops, for example winter barley
- Timing: AB15 options should be established as soon as possible after harvest in August so the seed is being put into moisture
- Sowing depth: Seeds need to be in the subsurface which is around 0.5-1cm
- Reseed: There is the option to reseed in May-June if autumn establishment was poor
Key points:
- Payment options have increased from 522/ha to 569/ha
- AB15 no longer requires a grass species in the mix
