14 March 2011

No Change Needed Despite Rampant Rust                    

With February’s above average temperatures, Bayer’s Long Sutton trials manager David Bluett says growers need to be extremely vigilant against yellow rust this season.

Met Office figures show that it was the mildest February since 2002, and the ninth in the last hundred years. According to Mr Bluett, vulnerable varieties at Long Sutton are ‘riddled’ with the disease. “This is probably the highest disease level I’ve ever recorded for this time of year. We’ve had so few frosts there has been nothing to really check the disease,” he says.

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Normally, Mr Bluett uses infector plants at the Long Sutton site in Lincolnshire but that won’t be necessary this season. “In the past at this time of year I’ve often had to look over the whole trial area for any infection to find the disease. This season, the amount of yellow rust in the most vulnerable varieties is clearly visible.”

But Bayer’s product agronomy manager Dr James Taylor-Alford says growers don’t need to do anything different this season. “My advice to growers is unchanged. For those who have varieties like Oakley, Solstice and Robigus, including a fast moving azole such as Folicur (tebuconazole) as part of T0 sprays is essential really.

“Prevention is better than eradication, and if the disease gets hold you’re in trouble. A T0 spray will keep the disease at bay and protect new leaves until the T1 timing,” he points out.

And he urges growers not to let disease rob growers of extra margin. “With forward wheat selling at over £150/t the economics of a T0 are even more defined. For the more susceptible varieties I would typically recommend a 0.5l/ha dose - at around £10/ha it’s just good agronomic and business sense,” he concludes.