From the Ground Up, Issue 112

Welcome to the autumn 2026 edition of From the Ground Up. 

Find the booklet for the autumn round up 2026 event series here.

Harvest Snippets provides a harvest season summary of the Cultivar Performance Trials. Find all the 2025/2026 season harvest snippets here.

Not sure of the bet strategy for harvesting lodged maize? Check out this document which has tips for both maize grain and silage. 

Sometimes, the only way to bring in a crop is to harvest in conditions that are less than ideal. If you find yourself in this situation, it’s a good idea to think about your combine settings to help reduce losses and prevent unnecessary breakdowns. This Technical Update  covers some of the key points for getting the job done .

Between 2005 and 2020 FAR conducted 38 trials investigating tillage establishment methods for maize production. Most were analysed at the individual site/trial level. Maize update 93 discusses insights gained from aggregating all of this trial data. It includes information on the effects of crop establishment methods on established plant populations, maize yields and, where available, associated gross margins.

This report discusses the effects of maize establishment methods on established plant populations, maize yields, and associated gross margins. It is based on the findings of 38 FAR maize tillage and establishment trials between 2005 and 2020.

Start checking maize crop maturity about three weeks prior to when you think you’ll be starting your silage harvest. Good quality maize silage is best made when whole plant dry matter is between 30-40%

This is the handout from a field day hosted by the Stobie family, Gordonton, Waikato on 4 February 2026.

Read information on scouting and the current black-grass situation in this January 2026 update.