West: Slugs are the problem pest in oilseed rape

With harvest finally complete after a very stressfull stop-start August due to the weather, our attention can now be focused on the emerging oilseed rape crops and the drilling of cereals. Harvest yields have generally been above average, but some early-drilled wheats suffered from sprouting and spring barley struggled for malting if harvest was delayed.

The oilseed rape has generally established well even though it was drilled later than we would have liked. Flea beetle doesn’t appear to have been a problem, but slugs are and should continue to be monitored and treated accordingly.

Cover crops being established are looking well and will certainly be soaking up any spare nutrients in the soil, so will hopefully grow to their full potential and reduce leaching and soil erosion, as well as providing a good amount of organic matter to be returned to the soil prior to next spring’s crop.

Winter wheat variety selection has proved interesting due to some seed shortages, however, drilling is now underway, with seed-beds working well. Pre-emergence herbicide sprays for blackgrass or ryegrass will need to be applied and hopefully, if weather allows, near perfect conditions will be achieved.

Hybrid barley seems to be going from strength to strength on the back of another good year where they have out yielded the conventional varieties. They have proved themselves in areas where suppression of blackgrass is needed to help with its control.

Maize crops are looking well and eyespot hasn’t been a major problem, it is just showing itself in some varieties now. Harvest still looks a week or so away as the dull weather in August has slowed development down. Post-harvest management of maize stubbles is crucial to reduce soil and nutrient loss, so establishing a crop or cultivations should be a priority on fields following maize.