Combicrop

Strongly considering a trial of a pea wheat mix here in the spring, it will be fed on farm. Goal is to reduce protein cost, reduce inputs, improve soil through a more diverse rotation.
Questions.
1. Ratio of peas to wheat? 30 - 70?
2. Agronomy, weed control pre emerge, fungicides? fert? P & k as per normal wheat crop, Are peas like clover the more N you put on the less they produce?
3. Yield? My normal wheat yield is 4TN+ but that's pushed hard. Where can I expect to end up, it'll be after beet.
4. Harvest, peas will ripen before the wheat I'm told. Combining for crimp? Will crimping work if the peas are ripe? Will they have enough sugar to preserve?

Also Birds are they a major issue with the peas?
I know @Bog Man and @Ugo Schtiglitz have experience any and all opinions welcome.

Thanks
 
jcb411abuser said:
Is it really realistic to grow combi crop without any fungicide or herbicide? Are there any increased risks of pests?
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The mix should reduce disease pressure, I would be planning a much cheaper fungicide programme, herbicide I think would be essential. You can leave them out but there is going to be a yield penalty, organic farmers do it all the time.
 
ive sown hundreds of acres of combicrop but all of them gone for arable silage and all undersown

imo if you want protien grow clover
 
I’m not aware of any herbicide to control weeds in a legume/cereal mix.
 
WestCorkBoy said:
Strongly considering a trial of a pea wheat mix here in the spring, it will be fed on farm. Goal is to reduce protein cost, reduce inputs, improve soil through a more diverse rotation.
Questions.
1. Ratio of peas to wheat? 30 - 70?
2. Agronomy, weed control pre emerge, fungicides? fert? P & k as per normal wheat crop, Are peas like clover the more N you put on the less they produce?
3. Yield? My normal wheat yield is 4TN+ but that's pushed hard. Where can I expect to end up, it'll be after beet.
4. Harvest, peas will ripen before the wheat I'm told. Combining for crimp? Will crimping work if the peas are ripe? Will they have enough sugar to preserve?

Also Birds are they a major issue with the peas?
I know @Bog Man and @Ugo Schtiglitz have experience any and all opinions welcome.

Thanks
Click to expand...
It is very easy to crimp peas/barley, I didnt even bother to use an additive the last time. Your going to grow a very low cost crop, but obviously your not going to get near 4t per acre.

You could go all diverse and sow a mix of barley/oats/wheat/peas/beans but your in serious thrill seeker territory. Barley/oats/peas would be the finest.
 
Ozzy Scott said:
MCPB is an on label for controlling weeds, and I can think of a few much better off label recommendations.
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I thought MCPB was gone off the market with some time?

What would be the other options? It has been a tricky one in general.
 
I think it was 2008 or 2009 I started growing Combicrop because Nitrogen prices were gone very high and I was offered €110 for dry Wheat but I had to hang onto some of it for a second year to get €130 . Because it was a new idea I just got the seed from Western Seeds which is an expensive way of doing it .
A neighbour of mine grew sixty acres of barley Pea mix using 70 units of Nitrogen and got a yield of 175 tonnes . He used stomp Aqua for weed control and one under sown field without weed control . He has been doing it for a few years without fungicide and he thinks the soil fungi has improved . The fields would have beet every five years . He treats the grain with Maxxmon but if I heard him right he might add urea .
There is no issue growing Combicrop without fungicides and sometimes even herbicides .
 
CORK said:
I thought MCPB was gone off the market with some time?

What would be the other options? It has been a tricky one in general.
Click to expand...
Nope MCPB available post emergence but is nothing special, its available from Nufarm I think it came through last year.

Think everything else is off label, but options available
 
Would it depend if you call it a crop of peas or a crop of Barley. If it is a crop of peas no problem but probably not enough peas to get the protein payment.
 
barley peas is prob more balanced from a feeding out point of view. 9 odd stone barley 5 stone peas. pre-em stomp aqua, shut gate. After beet anything will yield. Throw fungicide tank washings and bit of sulphur boron combitop if you're feeling flathoolach. The niter is the hard one to gauge. I'd start with 40/50 units after beet. Should be enough. Wheat be harder done because of ripening dates etc.
 
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