Early drilled rape crops are now up and away, with two to four leaves, and some may require a growth regulatory fungicide in a few weeks.
These crops tend to be after winter barley, and while the economics of this crop can be questioned, it has clear benefits in respect to the following rape crop.
In contrast, very little rain in
September and strong winds have meant late planted crops are sat in
dry soil, yet to germinate. There are also some crops with split
emergence. Spraying these crops is a bit tricky, with plants at
different growth stages, and sprays requiring the crop to be at
expanded cotyledon stage.
Many crops have had some autumn nitrogen, but the dry conditions have meant we are yet to really see a response. Slug pellets have been required in some cases.
Turnip sawfly larvae have been found in turnip crops and last year's rape stubbles, so monitoring is taking place. One consolation of the dry conditions is sub-soiling appears to have been working well, which will benefit crops in the season ahead.
Stale seed-beds ahead of drilling cereals remain stubbornly un-green! I am not convinced this is due to black-grass dormancy, but more the lack of moisture. Combine this with early drilling and you have a good recipe for grass weeds.
In fields with bad problems try and hold your nerve and let the stale seed-bed green up and drill late. Alternatively, don't forget the plough, still a useful tool in the ongoing battle against grass weeds.
Despite the dry conditions I would still advise applying pre-emergence herbicides once fields are drilled and rolled. Just check seed depth and seed-bed quality before application. Trials last season reinforced the importance of including flufenacet as the key component of pre-emergence mixes.
Although the current dry conditions have slowed down slugs, a return to damp conditions would see activity resume in earnest, so be vigilant.
Leave a comment
What a user pic? Get a Gravatar!