At Cockle Park Farm, crops are progressing steadily. Overall health remains good, with no significant pest or disease issues reported. Maintenance activities, including regular fence monitoring and grass cutting, ensure a controlled environment for crop growth.

Crops at the North Wyke Biomass Connect Demonstration Hub have shown mixed performance through October.

Across the Biomass Connect demonstrator hubs, varieties are progressing well into the season. Most sites reported healthy growth for core species, with limited pest and disease activity overall.

Progress at the Boghall Biomass Connect site in September showcased healthy growth across all varieties, with regular interrow mowing conducted to support field maintenance. The SRF alder and poplar are growing well, despite some rust and insect presence, while Eucalyptus and black Locust generally show good health with minimal damage from pests. Miscanthus varieties are thriving with little disease or vertebrate impact, and although willow showed signs of aphid and beetle activity, it continues to grow robustly.

September's updates at the Ayrshire Biomass Connect Hub reflected steady growth and resilience among various crops. While the alder and poplar showed signs of rust and minor insect or deer impacts, the Eucalyptus, Miscanthus, and willow plots thrived overall, with willow appearing especially lush. Miscanthus Athena also exhibited strong growth with minimal disturbance, contributing to the productive and green progress of the demonstration site.

At the Biomass Connect hub site at North Wyke, the crops have shown varied progress through September. The ground softened in mid-September due to cool, damp weather, allowing most crops to continue growing.

Progress at the Biomass Connect Demonstrator Hub at Cockle Park Farm in Newcastle has shown mixed results in plant health across various species.

There were a number of developments during September at Headley Hall. The SRF alder showed severe leaf damage due to beetle infestations, while SRF black locust ‘Turbo’ remained healthy despite some wind rocking as the weather worsened. SRF Eucalyptus require supports to help with tree lodging, though the trees remained largely healthy. The Poplar plots performed well, with good canopy and trunk growth and some trees showed early senescence. Miscanthus varieties experienced robust growth, and the SRC willow variety trials saw caterpillar damage in certain plots. Maintenance tasks, such as topping grass aisles and managing fencing, were also addressed to ensure continued progress.

The SRF and SRC plots, including Alder, Eucalyptus, and Poplar, showed varying growth patterns with some signs of senescence and pest activity, such as rust on Alder and aphids on Eucalyptus. While Miscanthus varieties demonstrated strong growth, broadleaf and grass weeds were controlled through mowing, and some Sida plants had begun flowering.