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Crop Crack 20.02.10
By Wendy Fearon
I have had great opportunity this week to walk both winter barley and wheat crops. Winter barley seems to have come out of the winter a bit worse for wear with older leaves hungry for want of some fertilizer which should be applied over the next couple of weeks. Certain varieties are already showing high levels of rhynchosporium on older leaves and manganese deficiency is also beginning to appear particularly on lighter soils.
Hopefully all crops have received their autumn herbicide for the control of broad leaved weeds and annual meadow grass. There has been a fair bit of herbicide applied over the last couple of weeks and there is still an opportunity to apply residual herbicides to late drilled crops. Othello is still an option going into the spring for grass weed control where the grass has begun to tiller, on winter wheat only, and a wetter must be added.
Aminopyralid in the form of Pharaoh or Forefront will be available for use in the 2010 season but will be sold under strict guidelines set out by CRD. The active ingredient will be re-introduced with new recommendations and a stringent stewardship programme devised to prevent inadvertent movement of manure from farms.
I am aware that a large proportion of vegetable/potato growers will be taking conacre and I feel it is very important you are made aware of the potential problems of planting sensitive crops in land sprayed with aminopyralid and also land where manure and slurry have been applied. Potatoes, sugar beet, fodderbeet, vegetables beans or other leguminous crops must not be planted until the second year after application.
If Forefront or manure or slurry containing aminopyralid was applied in 2010, these crops could not be planted until 2012. Supporting these new recommendations is an enhanced stewardship package which will require anyone supplying or advising on the use of aminopyralid to be re-trained in the details of product use. Those applying, or using, products containing aminopyralid are required to confirm in writing that they have been instructed on product use and manure management issues. These records form part of user traceability system. The new stewardship requirements are stringent. It is believed they will mitigate against manure leaving farms where aminopyralid has been used and so help to safeguard against repeats of sensitive crops being affected.
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