Crop Watch
EAST Mark Hemmant, Agrovista (Norfolk)
Final leaf 3 is emerging on forward crops of winter wheat – these will need spraying as soon as conditions allow.
High levels of septoria are present in susceptible varieties that didn”t have a T0. Include chlorothalonil in T1 sprays unless already used at T0.
Active mildew is present in many varieties and eyespot can easily be found in second and early-drilled first wheats, but yellow rust has yet to be reported in Norfolk.
Risk assessments should be made on flowering oilseed rape crops for sclerotinia. Modern rape fungicides allow treatment before traditional timing of early petal fall, reducing wheeling damage.
SOUTH Steve Cook, Hampshire Arable Systems (Hants)
In the south leaf 3 has emerged in most crops; early September drilled Solstice and Einstein have leaf 2 emerging. T1 sprays are urgent, particularly as there have been significant rain splash events in the past three weeks, meaning septoria will be developing.
Use good rates of epoxiconazole to get enough eradicant activity, and add chlorothalonil as routine. Later sown second wheats will not have been so exposed to septoria, so prothioconazole will be sufficient, and will add eyespot control.
Winter oats are running out of soil nitrogen reserves, so will soon need fertilising, although starving them for a bit will help keep them short, in the absence of being able to apply chlormequat.
WEST Tim Horton, Cleanacres (Wilts, Oxon, Glos)
Recent showers have encouraged the spread of septoria on to emerging leaves. In the west leaf 3 is emerging on most crops, so T1 timing is critical to keep septoria at bay.
Applying a pre-T1 has reduced initial disease pressure, and given more timing flexibility, but a good dose of curative activity will be needed in any treatment. Damp conditions have also brought on eyespot, and there is plenty of mildew in susceptible varieties.
Winter barley has reached GS31 and needs a T1 spray, which sets up the potential for the whole crop. Net blotch, particularly in Pearl, and rhynchosporium are the main targets.
NORTH Patrick Stephenson, AICC (N Yorks)
April is a wonderful weather month. If you don”t like what you”ve got, wait an hour and it will change. Wet weather has stopped all land work and we need a dry week to begin again.
Wheat crops are due for T1, and rates may need to be adjusted if spraying is delayed. Worrying levels of mildew in Claire was/will be an extra cost at T1 not accounted for. Robigus is shooting up and after some vertigo problems last year, extra growth regulator may be needed.
Winter barleys that received T1 on time look well, but those awaiting treatment have worrying disease levels.
