Farm Director, Patrick Allpress, has been growing leeks for decades but in recent years his approach has changed.
Today, he is in the process of moving from drilling to planting, embedding integrated pest management, and powering his fields with a digestate from the farm’s cutting-edge anaerobic digester.
Patrick knows that the road ahead will still be tough – climate volatility, rising inputs, fewer crop protection products and tighter market margins are all on the horizon. Still, he’s steadfast in his optimism, convinced that the key to a resilient future lies not just in the tools or tactics, but in the leeks’ own genetics.
And he should know. BASF | Nunhems hosts variety trials at Patrick’s farm so he sees first-hand the latest developments. From enhanced resistance development to improved colour and flavour, the future of leeks is in his fields.
A legacy on the fens
Allpress Farms has been a fixture of Cambridgeshire agriculture since 1965. Today they have over 2,500 acres, growing onions and leeks, alongside break crops of wheat, maize, and hybrid rye. With its own packing facility, the family business employs 100 full‑time staff and supplies leeks to supermarkets across the UK.
“Being in the fens, we’re in the heartland of UK veg production,” says Patrick.
The fen’s peaty soils are ideal for allium crops, a fact that has guided the farm’s long term strategy. However, having lost many active ingredients in recent years, like all leek growers, Patrick and his team are increasingly challenged by weeds, pests and disease.
The genomics edge
“Genetics have a massive role to play,” says Patrick. “BASF | Nunhems acquired one of the best breeding lines in leeks and has continued to expand it really well, combining disease resistance with yield and those traits that appeal to retailers and consumers.”
Allpress Farms hosts field trials for BASF | Nunhems, testing the latest varieties for their suitability for UK production.
“Variety choice is crucial. With BASF | Nunhems we are exploring those characteristics we want for the future – leeks that are well suited to pre-pack, with resistance to disease, thrips and pink stripe.
“Their researchers are extremely thorough, gathering a vast array of data throughout the growing cycle.
“Validating performance with data in real-world conditions is essential for the future of our industry.”
Patrick hopes that advances in genomics and gene editing means that even the complex tetraploid leek genome can be improved faster than ever, shortening the breeding cycle and accelerating the availability of new varieties.
From drilling to planting – reducing risk
Meanwhile on-farm, Patrick is reducing risk by moving towards a 100 % plant based sowing system, a shift driven by the loss of seed treatments and the desire to reduce weed pressure.
“Seedlings are vulnerable and we’re finding that without these tools we’re losing more and more plants. By moving to a purely planting system, we will reduce risk,” Patrick notes.
While planting is more expensive, it reduces the time crops spend in the ground, cutting the window for pests and diseases to take hold. The new approach will also lower the farm’s use of pesticides, which fits with the company’s wider sustainability objectives.
Soil – the foundation of resilience
One area that is central to the long-term sustainability of AllPress Farms is soil health. Patrick’s strategy centres on building organic matter and protecting the peaty substrate that makes the farm’s alliums so successful.
“Originally farms here would have been mixed and the organic content of soils was largely maintained through manure. However, as farmers specialised, we’ve started taking more from soils than we’ve put back in,” Patrick explains.
To counter this, the farm uses digestate from its on farm anaerobic digester and cover crops in the winter. Precision applications of fertiliser ensure crops receive the right nutrients for healthy growth.
Patrick is helping others enhance their soil health too. He was a founding member of Fenland SOIL which helps farmers across the area with research, and shares knowledge about protecting these unique soils, mitigating climate change and measuring GHG emissions.
Pest and disease management – the new frontier
Thrips and fusarium are the farm’s biggest foes, especially as chemical options shrink.
“One of the biggest challenges is the loss of chemistry. Thrips and basal rot fusarium are our particularly difficult to control,” Patrick admits.
Patrick uses thrip traps and forecasts to predict infestations, and relies on the disease resistance bred into its leeks. For the farm’s organic production, varieties such as Maxton, Bokston and Yeston are chosen specifically for their natural resistance to thrips and yellow rust.
“When you’ve no crop protection products to help you get through our winters, which can be harsh, wet, and/or changeable, that resistance is crucial,” he says.
“In recent years, fusarium in onions has been the worst it has ever been and nobody really knows why – climate change, increases in cover crops, loss of crop protection products are probably all playing a role. Fortunately, breeders like BASF | Nunhems are picking up that mantle.”
Variety matters
When considering new varieties, Patrick has a long list of criteria.
“The supermarket specification is key,” he says. “For us, it is predominantly, 80%, pre-pack, so we’re looking to produce two leeks that weigh 500g. That means long leeks with good shaft length.
“Yield obviously comes into the decision-making, as does cleanability and packability.
“Quality is key – we want the best. As well as size, we’re looking for colour and flavour.
“Then there is pest and disease resistance.”
One of Patrick’s most difficult varietal challenges is finding a combination that offers sequential planting, and harvesting. This year, the conventionally grown crops are Bokston, Maxton, Krypton, Flexiton, Ronton with Laston.
“These are proving to be robust varieties that perform well on our farm,” he says.
Tackling on-farm challenges is a key driver for BASF | Nunhems. For example, its focus on cleanability is helping mitigate some of the labour challenges. In varieties such as Flexiton, the company reports improved efficiencies during handling, reducing the labour requirement by up to 25%.
Seeding a resilient future
It is this attention to detail and drive to optimise production that benefits Allpress Farms—and the entire UK leek sector. For them, every new variety is a bet on resilience.
As chemical controls fade, climate swings sharpen, and the market tightens, there is hope in breeding programmes that can deliver disease resistant, high yield, prepack ready leeks without sacrificing flavour or quality.
BASF | Nunhems is proud of its leek portfolio. Currently there are 17 varieties covering all growing seasons and markets. The company’s intensive research and unparalleled expertise in genetics enable the development of new varieties that are more resistant and easier to harvest and clean, reducing the need for labour.
Find out more about BASF | Nunhems leeks at: https://www.nunhems.com/gb/en/Varieties/LEL_leek