Field of wheat and ox-eye daisys Moray Scotland. SCO 8446.
Specialist arable farms range from less than 100 ha to over 250 ha and most of the largest units are found in Lothian and the Borders, while more mixed farms combining livestock production (suckler cows and sheep) and arable crops are found on the lower slopes of the hills, particularly in Grampian Region. Winter wheat and winter barley are the main crops with smaller areas of oilseed rape, potatoes and other root crops. The South-East of Scotland, in particular Tayside and Fife, produces soft fruit (strawberries, raspberries, blackcurrants) and vegetables (peas, carrots, turnips and swedes). Although dependant on high levels of inputs and less diverse than other farmland habitats, arable fields may sustain small mammals, birds and insects or rare plants like the Cornflower. •Spring sown crops offer several opportunities for wildlife: fields left in stubble over the winter provide food for seed-eating birds while spring tillage brings to the surface invertebrates that can be fed to chicks. Spring sown crops form a suitable short cover in spring for ground-nesting birds like Lapwing. •Appropriate soil management and targeted use of inputs like fertilisers and pesticides may help to make arable farming more favourable to biodiversity, also helping to limit the risks of soil damage and water pollution. In responding to high prices of inputs and regulations controlling the use of fertilisers and agro-chemicals, specialist arable farmers are increasingly using technologies to adjust the use of inputs to crop needs. Scottish Natural Heritage TIBRE (Targeted Inputs for a Better Rural Environment) website provides information on new technology and innovative practices that can help to improve the use of inputs in arable farming - for the benefit of both the environment and the farm business.
Size: 6090px × 4018px
Location: Gardenstown, Aberdeenshire. Grampian Region. Scotland. United
Photo credit: © David Gowans / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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