THE FORECAST risk of sugar beet virus yellows infection in the eastern region has effectively been doubled, growers have been warned.

This follows the capture of an aphid in a Broom’s Barn suction trap in Suffolk on April 11, a full month ahead of schedule.

Virus yellows risk for untreated crops is now 54% for crops drilled on March 15, rising to 82% on April 15. The risk falls to 2-3% if treated with Gaucho (imidacloprid).

No aphids have been found in other regions as yet.

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