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NIAB

Relatively even, slightly southerly site with loam freely draining to limestone and current vegetation of wheat stubble. Planting of various species for trial and demonstration including Miscanthus; willow; Eucalyptus; poplar; and perennial Grasses took place in Spring 2023. Updates on the performance of the biomass crops at this hub site can be found below.

Address

NIAB, The Hangar, Headley Hall, Spen Common Lane, Tadcaster, LS24 9NT.

Latitude, longitude

53.874439 , -1.3218659

Grid ref

SE446422

What 3 words ref for entrance

///mile.inquest.unclaimed

Site Plans

Headley Hall Site PlanHeadley Hall Soil Sample Locations

Characteristics

Mean Annual Precipitation (mm)

646.9 mm

Mean Annual Temperature (°C)

5.1 (min) – 13.7 (max)

Altitude 

49 m

Exposure

Full, open.

Topography 

Relatively even.

Aspect

Slight southerly. 

Soil type

Loam freely draining to limestone. 

Current vegetation coverage

Wheat stubble.

Other relevant site info

  

Project plans/actions

Which biomass crops

Planted (as of August 2023)

  • SRC willow (6-way mixture) (~0.5 ha)
  • Miscanthus giganteus (~0.5 ha)
  • Miscanthus ‘Athena’ (~0.5 ha)
  • SRC poplar (0.137 ha)​
  • SRF poplar (0.125 ha)​
  • SRF Eucalyptus (0.114 ha)
  • SRF alder (0.028 ha)
  • Black locust Turbo (0.034 ha)
  • Black locust Turbo Obelisk (0.031 ha)

To be planted:

  • Reed canary grass​ 10 m x 25m 0.025ha
  • Switchgrass (upland ecotype)​  10 m x 25m 0.025ha
  • Switchgrass (lowland ecotype) 10 m x 25m 0.025ha

Variety trials​ planted (as of August 2023):

  • SRC willow (2023)
  • Miscanthus (2023)​

Variety trials​ to be planted:

  • Grasses (2024)
Planting goals/aim Evaluate the performance of the biomass crops, including feedstock performance, agronomy, plant establishment and growth, disease and pest incidence, and economic costs.
Agronomic dates (planting, harvesting schedule) Planting in spring 2023, harvesting of Miscanthus in winter 2023 and winter 2024.
Management methodology (spray off, nutrient additions, ploughing, site prep, others)

Wheat cover crop established (direct drilled) autumn 2022.  Will be sprayed off and nutrients applied as per any soil test results.  Prep pre biomass planting – plough, cultivate, plant

Post biomass planting – grass margins between plots.
Machinery to be used Relevant kit for above operations!

Project plans/actions

Which biomass crops Miscanthus; willow; Eucalyptus; poplar; grasses.
Planting goals/aim Various species for trial and demonstration.
Agronomic dates (planting, harvesting schedule) Starting spring 2023.
Management methodology (spray off, nutrient additions, ploughing, site prep, others)

Primary cultivation = plough.

Secondary cultivation = power harrow.

Autumn/winter 22/23 = winter wheat cover crop on selected plots.
Machinery to be used TBD

General Info

Field management history

Conventional arable with late harvested root crops in rotation.

Other site detail of note

  

Updates

Demonstrator Hub Update – NIAB, Headley Hall – March 2024
24/04/2024
A busy month at the Headley Hall site but the site is still pretty wet at the moment, there have been a few breaks in the weather but only long enough for things to dry out slightly efore the rain returns and makes everything wet again. 
Demonstrator Hub Update – NIAB, Headley Hall – February 2024
15/03/2024
The Headley Hall site has experienced some high winds over the winter, along with very wet conditions similar to those experienced at other demonstrator hubs. Generally things have been looking good during these dormant months and signs of Spring are now starting to become evident within some of the crops.
Biomass Connect Hub Site Updates – November 2023
07/12/2023
With Winter on its way, growth has all but stopped at the hub sites. So, rather than have an individual update for each Hub Site we have a quick round-up below along with some photos. Starting in the North and working our way south.
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – October 2023
14/11/2023
October 2023 – Hub Site Update The IBERS team visited Headley Hall on October 24th to carry out establishment counts/phenotyping of the 2023 Miscanthus variety trial and also carried out […]
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – September 2023
20/10/2023
September 2023 – Hub Site Update The Biomass Connect project lead visited the Headley Hall site on September 13th. Here are some photos from her visit showing good plant growth […]
Willow Growth at Headley Hall
18/10/2023
Kevin Lindegaard provides a quick assessment of willow growth at our Headley Hall Hub Site after just 6 months.
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – August 2023
28/09/2023
August 2023 – Hub Site Update The following is a combination of reports from the hub site manager at Headley Hall and reports from a site visit by the Hub […]
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – July 2023
25/08/2023
July 2023 – Hub Site Update 12th July: Site visit by the Rothamsted Research teams as they were in the area working at another site. Recommended that proper hare electric […]
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – June 2023
15/08/2023
June 2023 – Hub Site Update 2nd June – Fencing completed. On the bottom block of Miscanthus gigantus (MISg on the plan) the pre-em herbicide hasn’t worked very well. We […]
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – May 2023
13/07/2023
April and May 2023 – Hub Site Update Land preparation was completed ahead of planting, this included glysophate spray on the plots where poplar and bare-root varieties were to be […]
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – March 2023
04/05/2023
March 2023 – Overview of progress to date Remedial ground-work The arable site was in good condition. Baseline sampling took place after the winter wheat harvest and no specific remedial […]
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall – January 2023
01/03/2023
January 2023 Risk Assessments for grazing, browsing and crop damage threats were undertaken. Recent conditions have weathered the bare plough, which should cultivate well in the spring. Marked out and […]
Hub Site Update – NIAB Headley Hall
09/01/2023
December 2022 The site has been prepared into rough planting blocks as per the plans (woody crops and grasses). A winter wheat cover crop has been drilled on all wood […]

Primary ground prep and cover crop establishment underway October 2022 to prepare site for initial planting in spring 2023.  

Gallery

53.8661764 -1.322244 NIAB, The Hangar, Headley Hall, Spen Common Lane, Tadcaster, LS24 9NT

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