14 May 2010

Winter cereals

The below average temperatures including night frosts during early/mid May have slowed plant growth and development rates of winter barley and especially winter wheat.
 
Winter barley plots at the Haywold, Yorkshire Wolds site had flag leaves emerging on 1 May (around a similar time to last season). Crop growth appears lush and the final application of plant growth regulator was applied on 9th May before awns emerged.

Foliar disease levels in winter barley are generally low but mildew, rhynchosporium, brown rust and net blotch are all present in crop canopies. Damp mornings will help encourage disease development and spread. In contrast, disease levels are very low where fungicide had been applied; the final fungicide sprays will be completed at full ear appearance.

With the recent dry weather, visible Septoria tritici has largely been confined to the lower leaves in the winter wheat crop canopies. However, the heavy rain showers during the last week or so of April will have splashed spores on to the upper leaves and pressure from this disease is likely to substantially increase.

Mildew levels in the winter wheat plots are much lower than in the previous two seasons at Haywold. Similar to previous seasons, there is very little mildew at the Cammeringham (Lincolnshire) site. However, any humidity within the canopy combined with a forecast return to warm conditions will encourage disease development ? levels in Claire, Beluga, Oakley, Einstein and Solstice in particular should be monitored. There is no 'active' yellow rust in the untreated plots at either Cammeringham or Haywold; no brown rust pustules have been found to date at either site.

Traps are due to be erected to monitor numbers of wheat orange blossom midges once ear emergence is underway.

Winter oilseed rape

Flowering and pod set are both underway at the Haywold site. There are distinct differences in time of the start of flowering this season; Excalibur, Cuillin, Castille, and Palace were early whilst DK Cabernet and the semi dwarf variety DK Sequoia are very late.

All plots have received the first application of fungicide to control sclerotinia. To date weevil numbers are low but plots are being monitored.

A 'late' application of liquid nitrogen is due to be applied in trials investigating responses to nitrogen timing once all petals have fallen from the crop canopies.

Spring trials

Crop establishment in the spring barley trial at Haywold has been very good and very even. Plant growth has been rapid; spring barley currently has 2 to 3 tillers but stem extension has only just got underway. Nitrogen and sulphur top dressings have been completed.

Herbicide has been applied to control broad leaved weeds. Rhynchosporium had developed mainly on the upper leaves in early May and so a low rate of fungicide was applied to 'keep a lid' on disease development. A follow up fungicide spray is due around first node stage.

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