Crop protection

With the late sowing of most spring bean crops, ensuring plants remain clean and healthy for as long as possible will be crucial to fully benefit from the good establishment this season

Growers are often familiar with orange blossom midge however, they are urged to pay more attention to its yellow cousin, the lemon blossom midge as it moves further north of England.

With aphid activity increasing and many sugar beet crops behind because of delayed drilling, the British Beet Research Organisation (BBRO) is advising growers to monitor crops and review aphicide options.

Simon Nelson advises farmers on a wide range of arable and forage crops across Cumbria, north Lancashire and into south west Scotland. He has worked for Agrovista for 23 years.

BASIS implements three changes to NRoSO membership after taking over the scheme from City and Guilds.

With black-grass starting to rear its ugly head above crops this season, growers have until around the first week of June to decide what to do with badly affected areas, in order to prevent seed return.

Farmers with tricky grass-weeds to control are invited to take part in a new farmer-led project as part of the second year of trials on harvest weed seed control (HWSC).

A leading horticulture group has pulled out of the Government’s Edible Horticulture Roundtable, citing disappointment at the decision not to develop a horticulture strategy for England.’

Delays to sugar beet planting could increase the risk of virus yellows infection at early crop growth stages, where emergence coincides with warmer weather and greater aphid pest activity.

As the catchy weather continues, T2 fungicide choices become ever more important. Farmers Guardian gets some impartial technical advice from the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) members around Great Britain.