Delayed maturity and serious weed problems in large numbers of cereal crops will add significant extra combining and drying costs as well as serious knock-on delays for autumn establishment if growers are not very careful indeed, warns Hutchinsons technical director, Dr David Ellerton.

“Regardless of the weather as we move into August, most wheat crops look like being harvested a good two weeks later than normal,” he points out. “At the same time, persistent stem greenness and some of the worst weed infestations in recent years are set to interfere noticeably with both combining efficiency and grain moisture levels.

“Without positive harvest management action, low combining outputs will markedly increase per hectare diesel costs. Moisture transferred to the grain from crop and weed leaves and stems during combining will also push-up the drying bill. And, of course, slower harvesting will compound the problem of maturity delays, tying-up men and machines that should be cracking on with establishing next season’s crops.”

Despite forecasts that the UK’s weather will improve from next week, conditions will remain challenging following what has been an erratic start to the year for most growers.