Hub Site Update – SRUC Ayrshire – October 2023

October 2023 – Hub Site Update

The SRUC Auchincruive Estate hub site in Ayrshire experienced a very wet, windy, and cold October

Operational processes undertaken

• All plots have been strimmed and tidied.
• Glyphosate was applied to the Miscanthus Athena 2024 plot and to paths/corridors.

Weed and pest status and control

• Mainly fat hen in the willow & miscanthus plots.
• Inter-row strimming has been done (not in the Miscanthus).

Observations from the different plant plots

SRF Alder

• Rust – Most of the alder trees are quite heavy with rust 4-6 on scale.
• Actual rust scoring data will be submitted soon.
• Quite a lot of senescence/abscission.

SRF Black Locust ‘Turbo’

• The SRF Black Locust ‘Turbo‘ is now getting quite tall.
• It is better/taller/healthier than at the Boghall, Edinburgh site.

SRF Black Locust ‘Turbo Obelisk’

• The Black Locust ‘Turbo Obelisk’ is getting taller.
• However, there are also some very small trees.
• Looking quite healthy.

SRF Poplar

• No sign of rust.

SRF Eucalyptus

• No sign of disease or insect damage.
• Some had been knocked over so we had to take the green guards off to set them upright again.

SRC Poplar

• Some rows of SRC Poplar are still quite small.
• Quite heavy with weeds – inter-row strimming was carried out on 24th October.

SRC Willow

• The SRC willow is growing very tall!
• Inter-row weeding was completed on 23rd October.
• Some rust has been noticed– but only 1-2 on the scale.

Miscanthus Giganteus

• The Miscanthus Giganteus is growing well.
• The Fat Hen in this plot is dying/already dead.

Miscanthus Athena

• Glyphosate was applied on 16th October.

Photo Gallery from the SRUC Ayrshire Hub Site, October 2023

Read more about the Biomass Connect SRUC Ayrshire Hub Site