T0 treatments at North Farm, Horton, Dorset all went on within five days and in good spraying conditions, writes Peter Snell.
In contrast T1 sprays have been sporadic. The weather has been against us and the difference between the growth stages of Timber and Alchemy wheat is marked, despite similar drilling dates.
However the 1litre/ha of Tracker (boscalid + epoxiconazole) plus 1litre/ha of Bravo (chlorothalonil) T1 treatment has been applied over half the area, accompanied by the second split of chlormequat and, on some fields, Starane XL (florasulam + fluroxypyr), for cleavers control, and on others Topik (clodinafop-propargyl) + oil for wild oats.
The mid-flowering spray of 0.5litre/ha Proline (prothioconazole) and 0.2litre/ha Mavrik (tau-fluvalinate), for pod midge, was put on our Castille oilseed rape last Saturday by Julian Lownds who operates a high clearance self-propelled sprayer. Applied in 200litres/ha of water and hardly marking the tramlines, it went on just before the weather turned.
On Tipple spring barley we split the first fungicide timing - adding 0.25litre/ha Fandango (fluoxastrobin + prothioconazole) with the graminicide and then follow up with a further 0.5l/ha Fandango with the broadleaved weed spray seven days later. It sounds good in theory, but we're now waiting for a spray window for the second application.
I was disappointed to read that Gordon Brown failed to recognise the importance of British farmers' role in addressing the global food crisis.
As the world population heads towards 10 billion in the next 50 years, both food production and water availability will be major issues, and the recent seven-point plan by Downing Street doesn't seem to recognise our home grown potential.
Of course we are a small element in global food production, but along with the opportunities that biofuels could offer, does the government have to hold us back whilst other European farmers benefit?
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