Growers treat Regina to too much fungicide
Growers treat Regina to too much fungicide
TOO much fungicide was applied to Regina malting barley last season, a survey of farmers has shown.
Growers treated the variety much like any other winter barley, despite the fact it has an 8 rating for net blotch and a 7 for rhynchosporium.
Flusilazole was used on half the crops, when all that was needed was a morpholine to control mildew, says Clive Marlow, marketing manager for agent British Seed Houses.
Some growers also wasted money by applying growth regulator, not because it is not needed – although Regina has a 9 rating for straw stiffness, it can still help tiller production – but because they applied chlormequat only, says Mr Marlow.
A follow-up application of Terpal (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid + mepiquat chloride) is vital to avoid "bounce back", which makes crops more prone to lodging from one application of growth regulator than none at all, he warns. *