Crop Watch – East
Mark Hemmant – Agrovista UK
Final leaf 3 is emerging on forward crops of wheat – these will need spraying as soon as conditions allow. High levels of septoria are present in susceptible varieties that did not have aT0 spray.
Active mildew is present in many varieties and eyespot can easily be found in second and early drilled first wheats.
As yet yellow rust has yet to be reported locally but with rust reported elsewhere in the country it would be wise to ensure a rust active triazole is used on susceptible varieties. Include chlorothalonil with the T1 spray unless already used at T0.
Many crops are also showing signs of manganese deficiency, which should be corrected with the T1 spray.
Winter Barley will also require spraying this week. Many crops locally have quite high levels of rhynchosporium.
Risk assessments should be made on flowering crops of winter oilseed rape and treatments planned for sclerotinia – apothecia have been seen in rape fields already.
Modern rape fungicides allow effective treatment prior to the traditional timing of early petal fall, reducing damage by wheelings and promising a yield response even in the absence of disease.
Treatment for seed weevil can be included if more than two per plant are found. Take great care with any application during flowering when bees are foraging.
Slugs are active in many crops. Check susceptible spring crops and treat if necessary.
Where volunteer potatoes or perennial weeds are likely to be a problem in set-aside, an application of glyphosate in the next few weeks will remove heavy infestations of volunteer cereals / annual grasses. This should release these difficult weeds which can then be targeted with a second application later in the year.
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12 April 2005
Bridget Carroll – Independent Arable Advisor
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The slow, cold spring has made many wheat crops slow to respond to nitrogen. Additional N will probably not help. Crops still demonstrate the results of a wet harvest and establishment. However it pays to be patient and not produce too much lush growth.
T1 sprays are targeted for the third week in April, epoxiconazole plus chlorothalonil will be the main choice. Cost control is critical so it‘s important not to overspend.
The cool conditions have meant that there is little disease to control other than mildew in prone situations and eyespot to evaluate on second and very early drilled first wheats (such as Istabraq and Claire respectively).
Yellow rust has been reported on Robigus in the North so it might pay to watch this variety carefully in susceptible areas.
It will probably pay to use a stem base disease spray if present moist conditions continue.
Cool temperatures have made OSR flowering slow, warmth will see crops move. Monitor pollen beetle on small plants in variable crops.
Present conditions would make a sclerotinia spray seem likely to be worthwhile.
Spring crops (and weeds) are emerging fast due to high soil temperatures so watch beet weed control and also potential damage if conditions turn warmer. High levels of mouse damage are an issue.
Peas will need rapid response for broadleaved weed control as always even if pre-emergence herbicides have been used.
Linseed establishment is underway as conditions improve – a prompt spray for flea beetle will be needed if seed dressings have not been used. This will need to be followed by equally prompt weed control, particularly if polygonums predominate.
Potatoes are emerging fast and will require re-ridging and weed control with/without paraquat soon.
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5 April 2005
Jon Yeoman – Frontier Agriculture
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Final applications of Atlantis (mesosulfuron- methyl + iodosulfuron – methyl – sodium) should be applied without delay. Blackgrass is now going into stem extension.
Forward wheat crops are at or approaching GS 31. Weaker strawed varieties, and those on fertile sites should receive their growth regulator where delayed by weather.
Many growers have delayed early nitrogen applications for first wheat‘s, as crop growth is suggesting plentiful residual N from last year. Take note of estimated residual supplies, place in rotation, variety and site, before adjusting programmes accordingly.
Winter oilseed rape crops have slowed their recent rapid growth, allowing pollen beetle invasion at the susceptible ‘green/yellow bud‘ stage. Monitor crops carefully, especially backward ones, and treat crops where thresholds are reached.
Pea and bean crops will be emerging soon. Monitor carefully for the first signs of pea and bean weevil and thrips. Consider treating at the first signs of damage.
Recent rainfall will have re-infected plants with fresh septoria spores, and on susceptible varieties, consider adding chlorothalonil to growth regulators.
No reports of yellow rust on Robigus yet.
Second wheat‘s – especially those established on min till systems – are showing signs of stem base browning. Monitor from now onwards to consider strategy at T1 timing.
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29 March 2005
Andrew Blazey – TAG Consulting
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Settled weather means priority has switched from spring drilling and tidying up blackgrass to cereal growth regulator/fungicide applications.
September-drilled wheat is at GS30 or beyond. When assessing lodging potential and nitrogen timing, consider; variety, location and history of field, residual nitrogen, yield potential and current plant populations.
On susceptible varieties mildew levels have risen slightly in recent mild weather. Septoria levels remain high in most varieties. To date no yellow rust observed, even in more prone varieties such as Robigus. Assess disease levels and treat where appropriate when applying T0 growth regulators.
Levels of Eyespot are currently low but this could change prior to T1.
Forward crops of oilseed rape should have received fungicide to check growth. Nitrogen application is complete in most crops. Watch out for pollen beetle and apply approved pyrethroid insecticide if thresholds exceeded before flowers open.
Target pigeon control on backward areas and rescue bangers from forward crops before it‘s too late!
Monitor emerging pulse crops for thrip and weevil damage and treat if necessary. Some thinner stands of winter beans are well notched and require treatment; this could be done in conjunction with any outstanding grass weed control.
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22 March 2005
Mark Hemmant – Agrovista UK
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A priority for many will be catching up with grassweed control in winter wheat.
The cut-off for sales of Atlantis (mesosulfuron-methyl + iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium) has been extended to April 15 but don‘t delay treatment – blackgrass is much larger than last spring and will now be competing for yield.
Forward crops of wheat are at or approaching GS30. High levels of septoria are present in susceptible varieties and these will benefit from a T0 spray.
Also consider treating mildew at T0, particularly on light soils. Plan PGR applications on later sown / backward crops to even out / encourage tillers.
Winter oilseed rape is approaching cut-off time for phoma control and for broad-leaved weed control with Galera (clopyralid + picloram) or Shield (clopyralid).
Pollen beetle has already been seen, so monitor any crops at the green bud stage closely and treat if the threshold is reached.
Pre-emergence herbicides should be a priority for spring beans because post-emergence options are very limited.
Leatherjacket numbers are very high this year and may affect sugar beet even where grass is not in the rotation, particularly where minimum tillage is being used.
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