From the Ground Up, Issue 96

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.

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 .

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

Stem rust (Puccinia graminis subsp. graminicola) is the most damaging of the ryegrass diseases. This update discusses how different fungicide programmes and timings affect seed yield. It compares early versus late applications and offers practical advice to help growers improve rust control and maximise returns.

Welcome to the revised 2025 version of  The drying and storage of grain and herbage seed, first published in 1999. The book comprises six chapters that cover grain characteristics and their reaction to climate, the importance of seed moisture, the drying system, the storage environment, storage pests and their control, and construction considerations. These have been edited and updated by FAR staff and independent experts from the original chapters written by the late Murray Hill.

A velvetleaf find in a paddock that has been ‘clean’ for seven years, is a clear reminder of how long this weed’s seed will remain viable.

Between January and May 2025, FAR and harvester specialists conducted a comprehensive study to quantify the grain and seed left in the paddock by New Zealand growers and identify opportunities to optimise harvester performance. 

A review of New Zealand’s fall armyworm surveillance network has confirmed that crop scouting is the most reliable and informative tool for understanding fall armyworm (FAW) activity. However, it also acknowledges that scouting is time consuming and that industry personnel struggle to keep up in the height of the season.