Agri-Food Biosciences Institute (AFBI)
A glacial depositional landscape with drumlins with an east/south east aspect. The soil is clay loam overlying Silurian shale and greywacke covered with grass and MS sword. A range of biomass crops were planted during spring 2023. The plans below show which crops are being trialled at this hub site and the updates further down the page keep you up to date with their progress and performance.
| Address | AFBI Hillsborough, Large Park, Hillsborough, NI, BT26 6DR. |
| Latitude, longitude | 54.45193, -6.07249 |
| Grid ref | J 24344 57594 (of field) |
| What 3 words ref for entrance | ///chairing.revise.headliner |
Site Plans
Characteristics
| Mean Annual Precipitation (mm) | From 1991 – 2020. Mean = 918 |
| Mean Annual Temperature (°C) | 9.28 °C |
| Altitude | ~120 m |
| Exposure | Average wind direction 200.784 angular degrees, average windspeed 13.44 km/h range = (81.488 – 0). |
| Topography | Glacial depositional landscape with drumlins. |
| Aspect | East / Southeast. |
| Soil type | The soil is a clay loam (42% sand, 24% silt and 34% clay), Cambisol (WRB), overlying Silurian shale and greywacke (Christie, 1987). |
| Current vegetation coverage | Mainly all grass and MS sword. |
| Other relevant site info |
Project plans/actions
| Which biomass crops |
Planted (as of August 2023)
To be planted:
Variety trials planted:
Variety trials to be planted:
|
| Planting goals/aim | Planting commenced spring 2023 |
| Agronomic dates (planting, harvesting schedule) |
Planting spring Harvesting
Some of the energy crops will have small amounts harvested for small scale lab-based AD trials. |
| Management methodology (spray off, nutrient additions, ploughing, site prep, others) |
Leaving land as heavily grazed grassland over winter (due to regulations in NI we cannot leave land furrowed). Stale seed beds will then be created ~6 weeks before planting. This will include spraying (glyphosate 360g/l product at 4-5 l/ha), then ploughing followed by rotavating. Seed bed will be left and then sprayed (360g/l at 2 l/ha) once weeds are in 3-4 leaf stage and rotavated once more as close to planting as possible. Once planting has been undertaken the plots will be monitored closely for weeds. And pre-em measures can be undertaken. Following the guidance of the experts, SRF plots can be mulched at the base (bio mulch mat), tree protectors and spot sprayed if necessary. SRC willow and poplar – post emergence sprays if necessary. Pre-em spraying of glyphosate can be utilised for the seeded and rhizomatous crops if necessary. Also, post emergence spraying with authorised products for each individual crop and mechanical weed removal/ inter-row cultivation. https://secure.pesticides.gov.uk/offlabels/search.asp |
| Machinery to be used |
General Info
| Field management history | The field has been previously permanent pastural grassland. |
| Other site detail of note |