Belgium represents a diverse arable farming region where growers are increasingly exploring datadriven approaches to improve crop performance and sustainability. As Living Lab leader, Inagro works closely with three motivated farmers to codesign and test practical innovations directly on their own fields. This handson approach makes Belgium an ideal testing ground within SIMONE, ensuring that new methods are evaluated under real farm conditions and with strong farmer involvement.
The Belgian Living Lab focuses on winter wheat, a key crop in the region. Together with the participating farmers, three themes were selected: variety mixtures, seeding densities and weed management. Each experiment was designed in cocreation, allowing farmers to steer the topics and setups while Inagro supports with data collection through drone imagery, satellite data, field observations and yield measurements.
Three Core Themes
- Variety Mixtures: Reducing risk and improving stability by combining varieties with different traits such as disease tolerance, lodging resistance and yield potential.
- Seeding Densities: Exploring how different densities influence tillering, lodging risk, yield and profitability across varieties.
- Weed Management: Testing integrated strategies to control herbicideresistant blackgrass (duist) with minimal chemical input.
OnField Experiment 1 – Variety Mixtures
One participating farmer is interested in sowing several winter wheat varieties within the same field. Each variety has distinct characteristics, and mixing them may reduce disease pressure and stabilise yields over multiple seasons.
To test this, each variety was sown in a separate strip and compared with a strip containing a mixture of all varieties. Small untreated zones were included in every strip to evaluate whether variety mixtures require fewer fungicide applications. Drone and field observations will help assess emergence, disease development and yield differences.
More info about this OFE can be found in this factsheet
OnField Experiment 2 – Seeding densities
A second farmer wanted to compare different seeding densities across two winter wheat varieties. Some varieties produce more tillers at lower densities, which could reduce seed costs and lower the risk of lodging.
Two varieties were sown at two densities in long strips of 500 metres. The goal is to determine whether lower densities can maintain yield while improving crop stability and profitability. This experiment fills an important knowledge gap for the region, where clear data on optimal densities is still limited.
More info about this OFE can be found in this factsheet
OnField Experiment 3 – Weed Management (Blackgrass)
The third farmer faces a persistent blackgrass problem, with populations showing resistance to multiple herbicides. Together, we designed an experiment to evaluate integrated strategies that reduce reliance on chemical control.
The measures tested include:
- Creating a false seedbed before sowing
- Undersowing clover to increase competition with lateemerging blackgrass
The aim is to identify which combination delivers the best control while minimising chemical inputs.
More info about this OFE can be found in this factsheet
Innovations and Insights
Across the three experiments, large amounts of data are collected through drones, satellite imagery, field measurements and yield analyses. These datasets will feed into SIMONE’s decision support models (DAGs), helping farmers make informed choices.
Expected insights include:
- How variety mixtures influence disease pressure and fungicide needs
- The economic and agronomic impact of lower seeding densities
- Effective integrated strategies against herbicide resistant blackgrass
Farmers’ Motivation
Farmers participate because they:
- Want to test new approaches directly on their own fields
- Gain practical insights tailored to their soil, climate and management
- Reduce risks and improve profitability
- Contribute to innovation and sustainability in the region
- Benefit from Inagro’s support in data collection and interpretation
This collaborative approach strengthens farmer autonomy and accelerates the adoption of promising practices.
Conclusion
Through its three On Field Experiments, the Belgian Living Lab demonstrates how cocreation and real farm testing can drive meaningful innovation in winter wheat. By combining farmer expertise with datadriven monitoring and scientific support, SIMONE generates practical knowledge that helps build a more resilient and sustainable agricultural sector — in Belgium and across Northwest Europe.