A season for digital tools – Crop Production Magazine

The main issue is having to split crops into several different categories and from now on, it’s going to be about paying attention to detail, says Sally Morris, agronomist and area business manager at Farmacy.

However despite the bad weather, Sally says there are many crops with potential which will have to be pushed to achieve their full yield potential.

“We’ve already been sensibly robust at T1 as septoria pressure is high in early or thick crops. Going forward, fungicide choice will be rain and forecast dependent, but will have to remain robust to protect the potential of the crop.

“Clearly, we’re now at a stage where we can tell which crops can be pushed harder and those where we just have to accept that it’s a case of doing what’s essential – it’s all about risk management.”

She stresses that this year, more than ever, using Omnia will be beneficial to create notes and plans for patchy fields, allowing for utilisation of areas where there’s greater potential.

Sally says she’s seen a lot of early weed germination: “Competition has to be reduced as much as possible and spray out areas where there’s no crop and blackgrass has taken over.”

She believes leaf testing will be crucial as magnesium and manganese levels will have to be addressed. “I’m also a fan of biostimulants which are very good for reducing stress in crops, but in a year where we’re being mindful of spend, this is a conversation to be had with individual farmers,” she concludes.