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Crop Crack 14.08.10
By Wendy Fearon
Unfortunately weather conditions have meant little has changed since the last crop crack.
It has been a real struggle to get winter barley and second cut silage lifted. There have been many outbreaks of blight reported in recent weeks and a tight program should be maintained. Aphids are now present on both seed and ware crops.
Pre-Harvest Weed Control
Early sown Winter Wheat and Spring Barley crops should be examined to decide whether or not they require pre-harvest treatment for the control of annual and perennial weeds especially scutch, rough stalked meadow grass and thistles.
Roundup Energy is the most effective and consistent product for this treatment. It is a complete product that does not require additional wetter to be effective, even at low rates.
Roundup Energy should be applied when the grain moisture is below 30% which coincides with the hard dough development stage (GS 87). The safe stage is 1-3 weeks prior to harvest leaving at least 7 days between spraying and harvesting.
Pre-harvest Round-up not only controls weeds but also helps to accelerate senescence of the crop making the harvest earlier, combining easier, and reducing drying costs.
Pests in Grain
To ensure this season’s crops remain free from pests, stores need to be thoroughly cleaned of any old grain that may be harbouring pests. As pests arise from within the store and not the actual newly harvested crop it is essential to clean the store and associated machinery. An insecticide such as Reldan may have to be applied. Ideally once the grain has been harvested, the moisture content should be reduced to 14% or lower. This is the key value above which grain pests such as mites, beetles and weevils can breed and survive.
Grassland Reseeding
Now is the correct time to assess swards prior to autumn reseeding. To achieve effective sward destruction it is best to allow at least 2-3 weeks regrowth of the sward and spray with Round-up when there is good leaf area to absorb chemical. Then graze or cut the sward 7 days after treatment. This removes the foliage and allows for easier ploughing and trash burial.
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