Farming News - Crop report - latest from the regions
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Crop report - latest from the regions
9 April 2010. Crops noticeably greening up with some very rapid growth noted in oilseed rape crops. Fungicides for growth regulation now. Brown rust on winter wheat found in Eastern counties but elsewhere rusts of any colour are still absent. Early appearance of chocolate spot in winter beans. Winter barley crops mainly clean but brown rust found in South East.
Winter Oilseed Rape
South East. Stem extension to Green buds fully visible – ES Alienor still most advanced variety again this year. Furthest on crops likely to be at yellow bud towards end of next week. Strongest crops having 50-75% dose of Folicur applied now for PGR effects and also to provide some early foliar protection against Sclerotinia.
Light leaf spot: first lesions beginning to show now in crops where no fungicides applied pre-Xmas. Proline/Sanction will be applied prior to stem extension to prevent infection of new growth.
Sclerotinia: soil temperatures are currently too low for apothecial development, however with wet soils and a high water table after the wet spring, sclerotia will germinate freely once it gets warm enough and consequently this could well be a very high risk year if wet weather arrives around flowering. A few thick crops had odd patches of mycelial infection pre-Xmas, indicating potentially high local infection pressure.
South West. Most crops now showing a few yellow buds and rapidly catching up to a normal year growth stage timing wise. Pigeons still hammering away. Chief problem will be harvest timing later in the season where parts of some fields have been grazed bare to the ground.
Light Leaf Spot: can be found where the pigeons have left some leaf and prothioconazole treatments will be applied..
Weed control: effects of late January applied Kerb now starting to show.
Eastern Counties. Rape rushing through growth stages. Most in middle of stem extension a few yellow buds on the most advanced, changing daily. Fungicides with growth regulatory properties are currently being applied. Plans being made for early flowering, petal fall fungicides for sclerotinia control.
Light Leaf Spot: still at low levels not seen on new leaves during stem extension.
Weed control: recently applied Fox ( just before flower buds visible) has shown dramatic effects on weeds within 5 days, killing all poppies. Crop effects look slight, some ‘splattering’ necrotic blotches on leaves but these represent minimal leaf area.
East Midlands. Big variations in growth across field and between fields. Most crops at GAI of around .75-1 with a few forward fields at 1.5 (even these have patches down at .75). Growth regulator restricted to riskier fields (i.e.high fertility or low stem strength, e.g. Catana).
Some crops receiving second part of first N (split due to slow growth) and final N will be aimed at early flowering.
Light leaf spot: levels remain very low and no action needed.
Weed control : many fields have had Galera but a few fields showing very late flush of cleavers where they were clean 2 weeks ago – cleavers in these fields just emerging to 1 whorl, so if Galera is prevented due to weather shouldn't’t be a problem (hopefully). One or two fields will now be missed due to weather delays and oilseed rape buds now showing above canopy.
West Midlands. Crops with sludge cake or poultry litter under them are really taking off and extending rapidly. Applying canopy management products as of last weekend with the majority going from Monday 12th. Early crops today will have to apply the final split of nitrogen sometime next week due to rapid growth and being able to apply prills accurately before crop gets too high.
Light leaf spot: not seeing at any significant level.
Phoma: unsprayed crops still have low levels.
Weed control: Charlock in oilseed rape crops has been totally destroyed by the frosts and will not need any treatment.
North east. Crops picking up nitrogen now and growing quickly with many at ‘buds proud’ stage. Most crops had 75kg N early with Sulphur, and a further 75 kg N being applied as conditions permit. For most crops this will leave 60kg to be applied at ‘yellow bud’ to early flowering.
Light Leaf Spot: despite higher temperatures still not seen any significant levels. 0.6 -0.75 L /Ha Folicur planned at ‘buds proud’ stage. This will be early April for most crops. A trace element mix will be included.
Weed control: patches of Mayweed seen on a few headlands.
Winter Wheat.
South East. Growth stages now range from late tillering to early stem extension (ie. GS 22-24 to 29-30), with September sown crops now mostly at GS 30. Leaf 4 now up to 2/3 emerged on September sown Solstice, Gallant and Einstein – T0 fungicides being applied to September sown crops when leaf 4 is fully emerged on main shoots. October sown crops may well only need a 3-spray programme this year, particularly as is now only around 8+ weeks until ear emergence !
Awful weather until beginning of this week has frustratingly prevented most field work until last few days.
With very low residual soil Nitrogen levels in evidence (25-40 kg/ha – virtually all low Index 0) first priority is applying N+S to most crops.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Mildew: no active pustules visible now.
Septoria: very evident on all older leaves – only top 3 leaves appear free from symptoms.
Eyespot : beginning to find stem lesions in September and early October sown crops of Xi19, Cordiale and Solstice.
Weed control : outstanding Blackgrass control - some significant populations evident and growth stages typically range from GS23/24-30 now.
South West. Most crops well tillered. Only early September sowings at GS 30 and leaf 5 is still the youngest emerged leaf. Bare patches now filling out. Warmer weather forecast for the weekend should really push things on.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen .
Mildew: developing rapidly in early drilled Humber. Mildewicide will be required with t0 fungicide and chlormequat.
Weed control : Bromes – Sterile Brome which missed Atlantis treatment last autumn is now well tillered. Pacifica will be now substituted. Brome is now greening up and recovering from the winter stresses and is now ready for treatment,
Eastern Counties. Crops actively growing and majority at G.S. 2.6 with some approaching GS 30. Crops actively growing. Soils dry enough to perform most field operations. Daytime soil temperatures up to 12ËšC, night time temperatures 6ËšC. Main nitrogen application underway on forward crops at GS 30-31.
Brown rust: odd pustules on susceptible varieties; Duxford, Zebedee, Cordiale. Epoxiconazole applications on susceptible varieties where there is risk of delay with GS 30 fungicide applications.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Mildew: disease present on late drilled crops and on susceptible varieties, Solstice, Conqueror and Claire, but not active.
Septoria: apparent in most crops, in particular on early drilled and forward crops.
Weed control : wild oats now at GS. 1.2 - 2.4 where not controlled in the autumn. Some spring wild oats germinating.
East Midlands. Some forward Duxford at GS 31+ and expect GS 32 in about 10 days. Solstice about GS 30+. Later second wheat and wheat after maize at GS 29/30 and very late wheat at GS 24-29. On the whole soils wet to saturated with some ponding. Fieldwork (e.g. fertiliser) possible with care.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen. But at risk crops have had something at T0 of Cherokee or similar.
Mildew: gone in the frost.
Septoria: plenty on lower leaves and T0 on or going on. Problem is where Atlantis applied and no chlorothalonil applied – these will get a early and vigorous T1.
Eyespot: low levels of stem browning can be found on Einstein in particular and these will probably get prochloraz at T0. Some browning of outer leaf sheaths but no real increase in levels.
Weed control : no spraying of Atlantis possible for last 10 days or so but where Atlantis/Pacifica applied 14 days ago affects being seen. Problem is some blackgrass now as big as plates so do not expect high levels of control.
West Midlands. Crops range from GS 31-GS21. Early sown Humber, Grafton, Battalion and Diego now at GS 31. Ground has dried up rapidly this week as a consequence of high winds. Where T0 have been applied will start T1 from Monday 19th April, remainder of T0 to go on hopefully over the next few days and will delay T1 by one week.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Mildew: traces on Humber.
Septoria: low levels on bottom leaves.
Weed control: Brome control - Will apply Broadway Star after T0 or where no T0 being applied approximately week beginning. 5th April. Remember 7 day interval either side of chlormequat applications.
North east: despite lower than average temperatures, the longer day length is enough for crops to develop, and many 1st wheats now at GS30-31. Only 4mm rainfall in last 7 days, but windy conditions have hampered field work. Some farmers have completed Atlantis applications and are now onto their T0 sprays, but others have still to start on the Atlantis. If the good weather forecast for the end of the week materialises everyone should be up to date by middle of next week. 65 – 90 kg N/ha planned for virtually all wheats over next 7 days. Despite some low SMN results even where chicken muck been applied will only apply low levels of N yet, as there maybe late mineralisation as soil temperatures rise.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen. However, will apply a T0 fungicide to all varieties with a resistance rating of 5 or less. This includes Oakley, Robigus, Duxford, Gallant, Glasgow and Viscount. The T0 will be 0.75 L Cherokee.
Mildew: gone in the frost.
Septoria: actual levels appear much lower now than they were a month ago as new clean growth now pre-dominates..
Eyespot: no obvious infections seen.
Weed control : blackgrass situations all been identified now. It is growing vigorously now so the sooner we get good spraying conditions the better.
Winter Barley.
North East. Crops at GS 30 -31. Despite the cool conditions crops are picking up nitrogen and have ‘greened up’ well. Net-blotch is the most prevalent disease in most crops. Broad spectrum fungicide mix of Proline 275 @ 0.37L + Comet @ 0.4L planned for early April. This will be tank-mixed with any PGR applications not done yet.
Eastern counties. Crops range from G.S. 1.5-3.0, majority at G.S. 2.7. Crops in good condition and actively growing. Nitrogen applications to malting barleys generally complete, some second nitrogen applications to feed barleys ongoing. Mildew, Net-blotch and Rhynchosporium present in most crops. First fungicide applications of prothioconazole+ fenpropimorph+ azoxystrobin ongoing on some forward crops.
West Midlands. Crops range from GS 24 - 31. Traces of Net-blotch and Rhynchosporium and will probably start T1 fungicides from 8th April.
East Midlands. Crops approaching GS 30. Some barley getting top up of early 1st N and final N will go on in about 10 days or so aiming for about 180 kg/N/ha. Very little disease present.
South West. Earliest barleys pushing GS 30 and fungicide/pgr based largely on prothioconazole and pyraclostrobin will start later on next week. No diseases present.
South East. Growth stages now range from GS 29-30+ - T1 fungicides being planned for mid-April onwards. T0 Fungicides now being applied in combination with delayed first PGR. Low levels of Net-blotch, mildew and Rhynchosporium as well as brown rust.
Sugar beet
Just started drilling again but showers have been developing today. It is getting late now and yield penalties will be high for any further delay in drilling. Some farms have been unable to apply pre-emergence herbicides ahead of crop and weed emergence. Weeds are emerging with the crop in the moist conditions and prompt action will be required. Early emergers are charlock, volunteer oilseed rape, ivy – leaved speedwell, poppies and knotgrass.
Winter Beans: early appearance of chocolate spot on crops from East to West.