Arable Farming

A new initiative said to add an innovative dimension to refining crop nutrition has been launched by ADAS.

Cereal growers are being urged to spray off patches infested with black-grass now, before more plants set viable seed.

As wheat ears emerge in crops across the UK, Dr David Ellerton, technical development director at Hutchinsons emphasises the importance of careful planning of T3 sprays

As I write, it feels like the calm before the storm. Usually around this time we would be flat out with T2’s on wheat, but that will not take long this year and we are now playing a waiting game for the spring cereals.

At the beginning of the month a wise farmer told me if there is no rain in the first week of May then there will be none for the rest of the month. After a brief interlude of 8mm rain last Sunday he has not been far wrong.

In response to withdrawal of the multisite fungicide, chlorothalonil on May 20, the Fungicide Resistance Action Group (FRAG) has updated its fungicide resistance stewardship advice.

Spring barley crop progress is very variable across the country, however, no-one is disagreeing that total production will be up significantly and this will be combined with tricky marketing conditions.