Agronomy

All four emergency applications for the use of Vydate (oxamyl) in 2021 potato, carrot, parsnip, garlic and onion crops have been rejected by the Health and Safety Executive.

For oilseed rape crops, wet weather is one of the biggest risk factors for boron deficiency, with the micronutrient easily leaching out of soils.

Winter waterlogging and the recent cold spell has left soils slow to warm up as spring approaches and growers are being urged to monitor soil temperatures regularly for the most effective fertiliser applications.

It is looking increasingly likely that the virus level forecast for the end of February 2021 will be below the threshold for triggering the Cruiser SB (thiamethoxam) derogation in sugar beet, says BBRO.

High infection levels of light leaf spot are being seen on susceptible oilseed rape varieties after incubation.

My list of wishes in my last column didn’t include the biggest flood in the Waveney Valley since 1968, but it happened nonetheless and on Christmas Eve a nearby measuring station recorded its highest ever water level up by nearly 0.5 metres.

With drilling around the corner, Farmers Guardian explores key considerations for spring barley crops this season, whatever the end market.

Winter seems to be progressing in the normal way, with December being suitably wet and the last field destined for winter wheat will now be planted with spring wheat.

Happy New Year. I hope you all had some form of rest and normality over the festive period. Like many of you, I was happy to see the back of 2020 while filled with excitement for what the new year has in store for us. Well at this moment in time I am slightly concerned that 2021 is just 2020 reappearing in disguise.

Spring oats have grown in popularity in recent years, but ‘sparse and ancient’ best practice agronomy information for the crop led to the formation of the Spring Oat Forum, hosted by AHDB and Gowlett Grain.