Seed treatment good value
Seed treatment good value
Sugar beet seed treatments for 1999
SEED treatments for 1998 sugar beet sowings cost no more than in 1997. "We were able to hold prices for 12 months. That was good news for growers," says John Prince, seed manager for British Sugar, the UKs sole supplier. Indeed in one case the strength of the £ allowed a slight price cut, he notes. "In the 10 years I have done this job we havent managed a zero price rise."
Although a similar brake on prices is unlikely for 1999, treatment remains good value, he maintains.
As before there are six options. For about 27% of growers the standard fungicide coverage against seedling disease is the correct choice, says Mr Prince. About half these know their crops are prone to docking disorder and must use granules to control the nematodes responsible. The other half, mainly in the north and west, rarely need an insecticide seed treatment and control aphids with sprays alone, he explains.
Force (tefluthrin) remains cost-effective on about 3% of the national crop which is at risk from soil pests but where aphids are less of a problem, again mainly in the north. Uptake of Force in the York factory area is 12%, he notes.
Gaucho (imidacloprid) is used much more widely. "We managed to drop the Gaucho-treatment price by £1 a unit this year. It doesnt sound very much, but it should be welcome because it was used on 66% of the UK crop."
That level of uptake is only 1% up on 1997, he notes. "It looks as though we have peaked." Main advantage is that besides dealing with soil pests, to date it controls all aphids, including those resistant to foliar sprays.
There has been some concern about adverse effects on bees visiting Gaucho-treated sunflowers in France but the evidence remains circumstantial, he says. "There is also no proof yet that the chemical was made less effective through leaching in this Aprils heavy rain. Pot trials show it moves into the soil, but it doesnt seem to move very far."
Type Colour code Price/unit
Standard (thiram + hymexazol) Pink £85
Standard + Force (tefluthrin) Green £105
Standard + Gaucho (imidacloprid) Blue £121
Advantage £13 extra
SEED treatments for 1998 sugar beet sowings cost no more than in 1997. "We were able to hold prices for 12 months. That was good news for growers," says John Prince, seed manager for British Sugar, the UKs sole supplier. Indeed in one case the strength of the £ allowed a slight price cut, he notes. "In the 10 years I have done this job we havent managed a zero price rise."
Although a similar brake on prices is unlikely for 1999, treatment remains good value, he maintains.
As before there are six options. For about 27% of growers the standard fungicide coverage against seedling disease is the correct choice, says Mr Prince. About half these know their crops are prone to docking disorder and must use granules to control the nematodes responsible. The other half, mainly in the north and west, rarely need an insecticide seed treatment and control aphids with sprays alone, he explains.
Force (tefluthrin) remains cost-effective on about 3% of the national crop which is at risk from soil pests but where aphids are less of a problem, again mainly in the north. Uptake of Force in the York factory area is 12%, he notes.
Gaucho (imidacloprid) is used much more widely. "We managed to drop the Gaucho-treatment price by £1 a unit this year. It doesnt sound very much, but it should be welcome because it was used on 66% of the UK crop."
That level of uptake is only 1% up on 1997, he notes. "It looks as though we have peaked." Main advantage is that besides dealing with soil pests, to date it controls all aphids, including those resistant to foliar sprays.
There has been some concern about adverse effects on bees visiting Gaucho-treated sunflowers in France but the evidence remains circumstantial, he says. "There is also no proof yet that the chemical was made less effective through leaching in this Aprils heavy rain. Pot trials show it moves into the soil, but it doesnt seem to move very far."
Seed treatment remains cost effective, maintains John Prince.