IN BRIEF
uSUGAR beet growers are advised to clean up volunteers and clamp residues as soon as possible to cut the risk of downy mildew infecting newly emerged crops. Recent cool wet weather favours disease spread and volunteers or re-growing roots should be killed off as soon as possible. There is no recommended fungicide control, so cutting inoculum sources is the best approach, says IACR-Brooms Barns Mike May.
uGROWERS in Suffolk and Essex should watch out for powdery mildew from as early as mid-July, warns IACR-Brooms Barn Mike May. Nationally 52% of the crop area is forecast to be affected by the end of August and treatment with a triazole or sulphur based fungicide is recommended within seven days of infection. After similar forecasts last summer up to 20% yield responses were recorded in fungicide trials in the worst hit areas. "That is worthwhile even at C-beet prices," he says.
uTWENTY more spray nozzles have been added to official LERAP-Low drift star ratings list since Mar 30. This brings the total to 48 (30 three-star and 18 two-star) from five companies. The full list can be viewed at www,maff.gov.uk/aboutmaf/ agency/psd/leraps/3star_equipment/eqip3str.htm
uA NEW inorganic manganese formulation is said to offer improved performance and better tank-mixing compatibility than traditional formulations. Containing 350gMn/litre Headland Choice is also said to be the most concentrated, fully soluble manganese on the market. "Choice effectively overcomes the age-old antagonism between concentration, availability and compatibility in inorganic manganese formulations," says product development manager Stephen Foote. He claims it provides the same nutritive value as a 440g/litre sulphate formulation.
uNEW agrochemical supplier Interfarm, created earlier this year as the marketing arm of manufacturer Rohm and Haas, has taken on sole UK rights for the fungicide Graphic (propiconazole + fenbuconazole). It will also supply Kruga (fenbuconazole), Dithane (mancozeb) and Kerb (propyzamide).
uCORRECTION
CONTRARY to last weeks report (Arable, Apr 7, p55), Peter Jones is wheat director of flour milling company Rank Hovis, not as indicated. *
IN BRIEF