The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Protection advice issued after cereal crops delay
Farmers are now playing catch-up with disease control
Detailed guidance on managing this spring’s rapidly-moving cereals crops has been issued by AHDB.
As crops race through their growth stages after a delayed start to the season, the levy body has advised that after the extremes of hot and cold, crop growth has not been smooth or predictable.
It means many farmers are now playing catch-up with disease control programmes, prompting AHDB crop protection scientist Paul Gosling to advise on the most appropriate time for spraying.
He said: “In wheat crops, even if the timing interval between T1 and T2 is short, it’s vital to make sure the timing of the T2 is correct. The flag leaf should be fully emerged. Any delay in treatment increases the chance of infection.
“With hints of declining SDHI efficacy against septoria now evident in some places, it’s also important to include a multisite at T2 to manage resistance and improve control.”
On nitrogen management, the AHDB advises that their nutrient management guide should be followed to ensure applications are made in response to yield potential.
It states: “Where wheat crops are judged to have high yield potential or have small, pale canopies, an early summer nitrogen application can be beneficial.”
The EU’s decision to extend the ban of neonicotinoid insecticide seed treatments to include wheat and barley crops will put more pressure on pyrethroid chemistry, especially in the autumn, and AHDB says monitoring shows aphids can build resistance to pyrethroids and these have to be used with care.
It adds: “Several cases of pyrethroid resistance in grain aphid, from various locations, have already been reported. The pest can cause direct feeding damage to cereals over the summer. Crops should be monitored and a spray considered if half of tillers are infested at the start of flowering.”
Detailed information about disease, nitrogen and pest management is available on the AHDB website.