Crop Watch: Yellow rust concerns and some welcome rain – Farmers Weekly

Well, what a difference a month makes. Four weeks ago soils were cold and wet, and we were having regular frosts – now it’s akin to the Sahara desert.

The weather challenges certainly don’t make the life of a farmer or agronomist easy. Needless to say I shall be out there doing my finest rain dance.

In general, T0 applications are drawing to a close with the latest drilled crops just being finished off.

Forward wheats are looking well and aren’t too affected by the lack of rainfall, but if it continues then the light-land crops will start to struggle.

Our focus switches to T1 fungicides in the main, with lots of different options available – tailoring product choice and rate to variety and drill date certainly takes some thinking about.

When it comes to disease pressure, growers are reminded to focus on the potential weather after T1 rather than the conditions running up to T1.

With the potential to have stressed crops over the next few weeks, it would be advisable to split jobs apart to reduce big tank mixes and increase water rates where possible.

Last time I wrote we were concerned about early drilling and bolting. Had we all known what the weather was going to do we could have held off.

However, despite this, sugar beet drilling is done and into good conditions, which unfortunately have got drier and drier.

Most fields have every growth stage imaginable, from seed sat in dust and not yet cracked to expanded cotyledons.

Of course, to make things exciting weeds are still flushing despite dry conditions. Growers should be checking beet across the whole field area and treat according to the smallest plants.

Early mixes of phenmedipham + ethofumesate + metamitron are supported at any growth stage, which can be used as holding sprays until the beet are big enough to increase rates and incorporate different actives and oil.

Peas and beans have established well and are enjoying the sunshine – they almost grow in front of you.

With the dry weather, pre-emergence herbicide activity might well be limited so follow-up herbicides, albeit limited, could be required this year.

If crops are moving fast through growth stages, don’t get caught out and miss the boat.