February Crop Notes 2010.
I have recorded 67mm (2.6”) of rain in January. The October to January rainfall is 317mm compared to the 10 year average of 290mmindicates we are in slightly wetter than average year for over-winter rainfall.
With very few forward bulky crops in the ground this year most crops will benefit from early nitrogen and sulphur applications to help promote and retain tillers.
Wheat bulb fly egg hatch has been making slow progress in the last month, so Dursban egg hatch applications are still in time. Rolling should still be considered if the conditions ever allow it.
As usual we should monitor winter barley crops during February for the kite shaped yellow stunted patches of Barley yellow Mosaic Virus (BYMV). This soil borne problem continues its spread and we find one or two new infections in most years.
Atlantis applications for blackgrass control will have to wait until weed growth recommences after the arrival of warmer conditions. Steven Moss from Rothamsted has presented results in HGCA meetings that provide more evidence of the emergence of resistance in the blackgrass populations to this material. We must continue to use cultural means and other active ingredients to minimise our reliance on Atlantis.
Roger Sylvester-Bradley has been reporting on the HGCA wheat management guidelines that have been recently published. One particular aspect that he felt worth emphasising was the use we can make of grain protein information from previous feed wheat crops in judging the success of nitrogen programmes.
It also presents a useful table that relates the premiums required to breakeven when growing breadmaking wheat.
Clearly the more expensive nitrogen is the harder it is to make a profit with breadmaking wheat.
Oilseed Rape: With the first crops just starting extension growth pigeon deterrence remains an important task this month.
The first nitrogen and sulphur applications should be timed for later on this month. Aim to apply 40 –50% of the total dose in the first pass. Where the crop is particularly large and forward consider delaying the first application until March and also splitting about 25% of the total dose into April.
We are past the latest time for applying Kerb, but carbetemex may be used until the end of Feb as long as crops have not started spring growth.
Peas & Beans: Foot rot diseases of peas and beans are increased both by the frequency of legumes in the rotation and the poorer quality of the seedbed. Any restrictions to root exploration or drainage during the growing season will increase the risk of damaging attack. It has long been recognised that ploughing in dry soil conditions and producing a seed bed with the minimum of passes is key to growing a good crop of peas or beans.
The PGRO have been offering a foot rot test for peas for some years and estimate that on average you can expect a yield loss of 0.75t/ha for each increase in the foot rot index of 1. Since it takes 8 to 10 years for the index to drop by 1 in the absence of legume crops there is good reason to continue practicing wide legume rotations where no more than 4 legumes per 20 years are grown.
Spring bean drills may start to roll this month. Seed rates should be calculated to establish 40plants/m2. This normally involves drilling about 45seeds/m2.
Drilling of dry harvest peas is generally best left until early March as February drillings often struggle to make the best yields. Target plant populations should be in the range: Marrowfats 65plants/m2, others 70plants/m2.
Mike Thompson
01760 755663
07831 468442