With soil temperatures falling, rainfall due and lower day and night temperatures, application of propyzamide or carbetamide is now taking place. To enhance the activity of both products for blackgrass control a graminicide is also being be added.

Remember  that if a fop i.e  Fusilade Max had be used earlier in the season, then a dim  based product i.e Laser should be used, and vice versa. Also remember that the cut off point for Aramo (tepraloxydim) is end of November or if crop has nine true leaves, which most crops will have by now.

Where canopies are too thick then we will have to wait for some hard frosts or flocks of pigeons to open up to the canopies so that residuals may be applied to the soil surface. These products should not be applied in the rain or if heavy rainfall is immanent, as it goes against the VI guide lines. If we loose these products it will be the end of rape growing on most farms.

Cabbage stem flea beetle larvae can be found in the petioles of outer leaves of some plants, even though treated with the new seed treatments. This is due to the extended and irregular egg laying period caused by the warm, dry autumn. Most crops are large and dense enough not to warrant treatment. Any poorly developed crops should be monitored to see if the level of infestation warrants treatment.

Blackgrass control in cereals looks interesting. Where crops were treated at peri-emergence the blackgrass is exhibiting symptoms of death. Of all the pre-emergence treatments, Avadex (triallate) appears to be the most consistent. With no or very little blackgrass coming through, there has been very little pressure on Atlantis this autumn.