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Crop Crack 14.03.09
By Wendy Fearon
A large percentage of the winter cereal crop planted in the autumn did not receive a residual herbicide due to the wet conditions. The cold conditions over winter have meant weed growth has been slow but as temperatures improve clods will begin to break down increasing the weed problem.
Once spring growth commences proper however, contact herbicides give more reliable control, but their efficacy is critically linked to improving soil temperatures and active weed growth having begun. Where grass weeds are a concern in winter wheat Hussar may be applied up to GS32, this will also give control of some broad leaved weeds but is weak on fumitory, fat hen and chickweed.
As soil temperatures rise, so the Nitrogen will quickly be needed, followed by growth regulation and disease control soon after that, yet ground conditions will need to improve significantly to allow such work to start. The most notable disease in crops at present is Rhynchosporium in barley and septoria in wheat. An early fungicide should be applied onto Robigus whereas Alchemy has better septoria resistance and will not need a fungicide just as early. Incidences of eyespot last season were low which should reduce the risk for this season coupled with the late sowing which further reduces the risk.
It is important to monitor closely for leatherjackets as numbers are significantly up on last season. Some of the more advanced barley crops are already looking for nitrogen.
Farmers often ask me what the total cost of production is for a particular crop and whilst you can give a rough guide, it is not an exact figure. There are many hidden costs which are never taken into account and I urge all growers to take the time and work out exactly what a crop costs to grow.
Potato harvesters have come to a standstill again and crops harvested in drier ground have come out reasonably well.
Potato growers are now planning for the season ahead and there is a real need to assess the best means of weed control.PDQ is now completely gone and finding alternatives which will give the same level of control has been extremely difficult. The other important thing to note is the new maximum application rate for Linuron. The rate has been reduced to 600g ai/ha in 300 litres of water.
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