Even with the slow start to the season, growers should start to think about completing the next stages of the HGCA Mycotoxin risk assessment.

Conditions so far this season will not have had a big impact on risk scores because the two biggest factors are rainfall during flowering and rainfall at harvest. However, the late season may affect T3 applications as Dr Simon Oxley, Senior Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager at HGCA, explains:

“Many wheat crops are behind, which means they are likely to move rapidly through the growth stages later in the season. After ear emergence, growers need to be ready to get on with the right T3 for their crops and ensure it is recorded as part of the risk assessment.”

Higher dose rates at T3 can reduce the overall risk from fusarium mycotoxins. Growers should have already completed the pre-flowering part of the risk assessment, taking into account the effect of cultivation, previous crop, variety and region.

There are a number of other key points growers need to keep in mind when filling in risk assessments, according to Dr Simon Oxley:

“It shouldn’t be assumed that last year’s risk will be the same as this year’s – as the amount of rain at flowering and harvest can make a big difference to the risk this season.

“Fields with the same agronomy, previous crop, sowing date and rainfall can be covered by one risk assessment. However, it is advisable not to rely on one risk assessment for the whole farm.

“Finally, at harvest, if grain with different risk scores is mixed in stores then the higher risk score should be taken as the score for all the grain. Growers may, therefore, want to consider storing grain with a higher risk separately.”

Legislative limits for the most common mycotoxins in grain intended for human consumption have been in place for several years and guidance limits have also been set for animal feed. Completing a mycotoxin risk assessment helps growers comply with due diligence and food safety requirements.

This season, HGCA is doing risk assessments for selected Recommended List trial sites which will be updated throughout the season at each stage of the risk assessment. These and all other mycotoxin information, including full risk assessments, are available at hgca.com/mycotoxins, for hard copies of the risk assessment call 024 7647 8730.

Meet the HGCA team and mycotoxin specialist Dr Simon Edwards of Harper Adams University at Cereals 2013 stand 10-J-1002.