Frankfurt/Main, Germany, 30th May 2018 – The international comparison of winter wheat cultivation methods, which has been an important part of the technical program at the DLG-Feldtage since 1988, will this year feature crop experts from seven countries presenting their strategies for growing the crop. This will once again give visitors the opportunity to get to know a wide variety of cultivation philosophies from different European growing regions, as well as Germany, and to discuss these with the experts involved to reach conclusions that could inform how they cultivate their own wheat crops.

Nine teams from the Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Russia, Sweden, Switzerland and Ukraine will participate in this year's wheat cultivation comparison. This has a competitive element, where they assume the role of farmers and strive to achieve the highest direct cost-free performance on the site; and an innovation element, where they can present novel processes or measures on their plots. The variety of options that are possible in cultivation methods (crop variety, sowing method, fertilizer strategy and crop protection planning) mean that a wide range of growing strategies will be on display. In addition, a team from the DLG's International Crop Production Center (IPZ), which is hosting this year's DLG-Feldtage, will present a strip-sown plot. This will not be included in the competition, but should prove an interesting topic for discussion when compared to the conventionally sown plots.

In order to assess their performance accurately, the demonstration plots will not only be presented as examples during the DLG-Feldtage, but will each be harvested using field trial methodology, and yield and grain quality will used to determine the selling price and crop value. The actual costs of crop establishment and management will then be deducted to calculate the direct cost-free performance of plot. When the results are published in the autumn, it will be possible for visitors to check how well the competition participants adapted their strategies to the conditions at the IPZ site at Bernburg, and if they have achieved their goals for crop yield and quality.
 
The participants in the international comparison of winter wheat cultivation methods are:
Plots 1 and 2: Institute of Soil Culture and Crops
Schackenthal, Germany
Varieties (target yields): Julie (9.0t/ha) / Winter Gold 7.0t/ha)
 
Plots 3 and 4: Hochschule Anhalt (FH) Department of Agriculture, Ecotrophology and Landscape Development
Bernburg, Germany
Varieties (target yields): Ponticus (8.5t/ha) / Lavoisier (9.0t/ha)
 
Plots 5 and 6: State Institute for Agriculture, Forestry and Horticulture of Saxony-Anhalt, Holger Minge
Bernburg-Strenzfeld, Germany
Variety (target yield): RGT reform (10.0t/ha)
 
Plots 7 and 8: Strickhof Consulting Service
Lindau-Eschikon, Switzerland
Varieties (target yields): Poncione (8.5t/ha) / CH Nara (8.0t/ha)
 
Plots 9 and 10: Faculty of Agriculture, Mendel University
Brno, Czech Republic
Varieties (target yields): RGT Reform (11.0 t/ha) / Julie (10.0 t/ha)
 
Plots 11 and 12: NUBIP Agrobiological Faculty
Kiev, Ukraine
Variety (target yield): Svitanok (9.0 t/ha)
 
Plots 13 and 14: ООО Agrostandart
Krasnodar, Russia
Varieties (target yields): Genius (8.0 t/ha) / Cubus (10.0 t/ha)
 
Plots 15 and 16: Patriotisk Selskab
Odense, Denmark
Varieties (target yields): Benchmark (11.3 t/ha) / Sheriff (10.8 t/ha)
 
Plots 17 ands 18: 10-Tonne Klubben
Fornåsa, Sweden
Varieties (target yields): Sheriff (10.0 t/ha) / Hacksta (10.0 t/ha)
 
Plot 19: IPZ Bernburg strip tillage demonstration
Bernburg, Germany
Variety (target yield): JB Asano (9.0 t/ha)
 
The DLG-Feldtage 2018 takes place from 12 to 14 June at the DLG's International Crop Production Center at Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt). The event is co-organized by the State of Saxony-Anhalt's Ministry of Environment, Agriculture and Energy, and Allianz, together with Münchener und Magdeburger Agrarversicherung AG (Munich and Magdeburg Agricultural Insurance). Trade partners are: Fachagentur Nachwachsende Rohstoffe e.V. (Agency for Renewable Resources); Union zur Förderung der Öl- und Proteinpflanzen (Union for the Promotion of Oil and Protein Plants); and Nordzucker AG.