IN BRIEF

16 February 2001

IN BRIEF

&#8226 LODGING can reduce cereal yields by 0.5-2t/ha, according to 71% of growers questioned in a survey conducted by pgr-maker Syngenta. A further 15% rated the losses at 2-3t/ha and 11% at more than 3t/ha. Almost half the respondents considered soil fertility and nitrogen use to be the biggest cause of lodging, while one-third cited variety as the main reason.

Early drilling, high seed rates, high tiller density and stem-base disease were all placed much lower down the list.

&#8226 BEAN growers should have farm-saved seed checked for eelworm infestation or use certified seed to avoid yield losses of up to 75% and possible crop rejection, especially for export markets, warns UKASTA. Bean stem nematode is becoming more widespread, with fields likely to remain infested for up to 10 years, it says. &#42