Objective - Arbikie Farm intend to evaluate the in season productivity and rotational benefits of growing wheat and beans as single stands and as a mixed crop.
Test Crops Harvest 2026
In autumn 2025 winter wheat was established at Arbikie in line with standard farm practice for the area. Autumn residual herbicide was applied to target autumn emerging grass and broad leaf weeds. In spring 2026 we plan to sow spring peas in the same field. Blocks of circa one hectare will be established for monitoring purposes. The cropping options being considered are;
- Winter wheat
- Spring peas
- Spring peas and winter wheat mixed stand.
Blocks 1 & 2 will be established and managed in accordance with normal farm practice for the region and in accordance with all relevant legislation and assurance schemes. Block 3 will be created by direct drilling peas into the existing winter wheat crop using the disc drill available on the farm. It is anticipated that the spring peas will be established between late February and early April but ground conditions will be critical in determining the drilling date to minimise the risk of poor bean establishment and damage to the existing winter wheat.
It is proposed that up until the point of pea drilling the wheat in block 3 will be managed in the same way as block 1. Depending on the final drilling date this may include applications of fertiliser, contact herbicides and fungicides. Following drilling of the peas, no further plant protection products will be applied to block 3 until desiccation.
Sowing Details:
- Winter Wheat:
- KWS Zealum
- Sown:
- Area: 16 ha
- Spring Pea:
- TBD
- Sown:
- Area:
Harvest 2026 Assessments
- Observations will be made on the presence of weeds and diseases during the growing season in each of the growing crops. If possible, some plant counts from blocks 2 & 3 may be completed to help put some context on the pea yield.
- The harvested seeds yield of each blocks will be measured and recorded to evaluate the relative cost of production (£/t of output) and potentially GHG emissions per tonne.
- The product will be evaluated in the on farm distillery with a view to establishing the potential spirit yield per tonne and per hectare of the cropping options.
Harvest 2027
In spring of 2026 spring barley will be established in the same field following ploughing of the residue from harvest 2026 targeting use as malting barley. The crop will be managed in accordance with standard farm practice. At harvest, assessments will be made on the effect of previous cropping on seed yield and grain quality with respect to malt distilling.
