North:Fields now very much at capacity

Although another wet and wild day is taking place we have not faired as badly as some parts of the country but field applications are very much at standstill and winter ploughing is impossible. One of the children at the rugby club said to me yesterday can you please do something about this weather and I thought how popular a man i would be if I could.

However the few fields I have managed to plodge my way through recently all look in reasonable shape and any cloddier areas are settling down with weathering the exception is a few winter barley headlands where the crop is sitting with “cold,wet feet” the very thing barley does not like and is going the statutory yellow colour but as I try keeping to reassure everyone when it gets some nitrogen and TLC in Spring it will come away.

Volunteer beans in wheat have been a problem this autumn and most we have manged to treat with Pixie which seems to have had good results however some of the later crops that have not been treated have a good population of beans in them and hoping that a few frosts and winter weather will slow them down. Although we are fortunate in this area not to have a massive grass weed burden it is unlikely that any ground that was due to get Atlantis or Broadway Star will receive this now until spring.

So although it is quiet in the field we still have a lot going ontrying to plan for next season looking at most varieties in ground andyellow rust ratings a T0 is going to be the norm next season so lookingat trial results and ensuring we have the strongest fungicide choicesto cope with this as well as the main Septoria threat. Also workingwith growers to ensure soil management plans are reviewed and NVZ plansare done.

The other topical issue at moment is organising and delivering theNRoSO course this season “timing,targets and water” which I think is avery worthwhile course to attend as it really highlights the importanceof delivering product to the right target at the right time.

I would like to take this chance to wish all readers of Cropwatch a happy Christmas and prosperous New Year.

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