Rain relief but disease under control

That’s according to Suffolk-based Agrovista agronomist, Malcolm Perry who says that the combination of a thorough disease control programme this year and prolonged dry weather has combined to minimise disease in winter wheat crops.

“This combination has basically solved the problem of what was, potentially, going to be a high risk season,” he comments.

Mr Perry says that last week crops in the region were drought-affected which led to a reluctance in applying further sprays, but a little rain in the meantime and the promise of more on the way has boosted crops.

“We’ve currently got very little disease including no yellow rust and only a little mildew at the bottom of the crop,” he points out.

Rigorous applications

He says that rigorous T2 applications of a triazole and/or a strobilurin will be running out of steam soon, and growers will be looking to get their T3 sprays on shortly. “We’ll be looking at products with fusarium activity like Swing Gold (dimoxystrobin + epoxiconazole), and perhaps something with a bit of prochloraz in it.

“Opus (epoxiconazole) will also be an option for any yellow rust susceptible varieties,” he adds.

Andrew Wells, agronomist with the Arable Alliance in Nottinghamshire, says that disease in his part of the country hasn’t taken off at all this season.

“We’ve managed to keep spray programmes relatively cheap so far because of the low disease pressure and the droughty conditions,” he says. “We’ve been spot on with timings, and yellow rust has been virtually absent apart from the occasional bit around telegraph poles for example.”

OWBM evidence

Mr Wells points out that orange wheat blossom midge (OWBM) is in evidence and a chlorpyrifos spray will be added into T3 tank mixes where appropriate.

“The good news is that growers are increasingly using midge resistant varieties such as Viscount, which is helping to deal with the problem.”

In terms of T3 fungicides, he says that up until now few strobilurins have been used in winter wheat and so obvious choices for him will include either Amistar Opti (azoxystrobin + chlorothalonil) or Comet (pyraclostrobin).

Either is likely to be in a mix with a triazole such as Proline (prothioconazole), he suggests.

“The dry, cool and late spring has certainly had a marked affect on disease pressures so far, and it will no doubt have taken its toll on yield on the lighter land. The yield potential on heavier land looks OK, however,” he concludes.

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