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Crop Clinic News
What's New: 08 February 2012
Summary
Until this week we have had barely any sustained period of cold and frost to drive down pest and disease levels and to nip at weeds, so the current cold snap should really be very welcome – home heating bills aside. The autumn was one of the mildest on record and crops were generally more advanced than the norm so an early season is likely.
There is much chat about the level of disease in crops with yellow rust being reported in wheat as far north as Yorkshire and high levels of brown rust as well further south. Closer to home we have no reports yet of rust but we do have septoria and mildew in the monitored wheat and net blotch, mildew and rhynchosporium in the barleys.
Demand for T0 chemistry could start early so, while ground is firm enough to walk on, get out and check on crops and start to consider if an early spray will be required on the winter cereals.
We’ve had a run of low disease years which have allowed a few savings in crop protection programmes but do keep an eye out this year and, if disease does heat up, don’t expect the same performance from low input programmes. If the current cold snap is sustained it will help to bring things back to a more normal crop growth stage and disease level for the time of year but at the moment it is likely to a more pressured year than the last few.
The mood at the January HGCA roadshow events was generally quite upbeat and the long term forecast for cereal prices, combining growing world markets and the possibility of UK biofuel plants coming back on stream gave a cautiously positive steer. With new chemistry available that lifts the yield bar that little bit higher we have the chance to really optimise Scottish yields in 2012, with right start to programmes.
Across The Country
Aberdeenshire
In general, winter crops are looking well and are still quite green.
There are reports of some pigeon damage on winter oilseed rape but most rape crops are well grown and covering the ground well. Headlands and wet areas in rape crops have suffered more and can be patchy.
Winter barley has some new white roots and tillers are numerous on the varieties Volume & Element (up to 8 tillers). There is mildew on Cassia but frosts are keeping this disease at bay. Winter wheat looks really well and has up to 4 tillers.
Farmers are busy with ploughing and FYM spreading, provided the ground is not frosty.
Angus
Overall, winter cereals and oilseed rape have done well to date, the mild backend having allowed for good growth and establishment. Some oilseed rape crops and winter barley are perhaps a bit forward but much will depend upon the weather from now on in.
Recent snow and frosty weather will slow any growth and disease. Field work was getting going in January but the recent frost and snow has stopped this.
Potato grading has not shown up anything other than the normal levels of problems in seed and ware and price is the main talking point for ware growers.
Much cattle FYM is being spread and with the end of the closed period for higher N organic manures approaching; no doubt slurry and hen manure applications will start up again.
Ayrshire
The last couple of months have seen very little activity although hard frosts have allowed some to get last season’s straw in off the fields and to get FYM out in preparation for the cropping season. Ploughing started in the last couple of weeks but those on heavier land will need to wait a while longer.
Winter crops are growing but they are very patchy and damage from heavy rain and waterlogging is very evident. Soil samples have been coming in all winter and have allowed earlier planning and purchase of fertiliser. Early carrots will be going in as soon as conditions allow field work to begin.
Banff & Buchan
Winter oilseed rape has emerged from the frosty weather generally looking well at about 7-9 leaves in some crops whilst others would have just entered the stem extension stage. There were signs of light leaf spot which will be addressed at 2nd LLS spray. Winter barley has tillered well with little disease present. There is mildew present in some winter wheat crops which on average are at 3-4 leaves. It will be a further two weeks or so before crops in the NVZ areas will be able to receive a fertiliser boos weather permitting.
Borders
The open early winter has encouraged greater weed germination in untreated winter sown crops, but there are also reports of weeds such as volunteer rape emerging in treated crops. The persistent early slug activity seems to have abated and most crops are now sufficiently developed to survive their activity.
The relatively mild winter has allowed late sown wheat crops to generate 3 unfolded leaves and are now ready to tiller. In contrast early sown crops have many tillers and carrying low levels of septoria tritici and in some crops mildew. Winter barley crops have also tillered well but are looking rather pale as lower leaves die off. Mildew and net blotch are present at low levels. The lower leaves of winter oil seed rape are also dying off and as yet there is little new growth and with the recent cold spell more pigeon activity is evident.
Ploughing is still ongoing in places, but the majority of ploughed land is benefiting from the frosty cold conditions which have been with us since the end of January.
Dumfries & Galloway
No crop news for this area.Fife
Winter oilseed rape has come through the winter looking not too bad and there is no obvious light leaf spot on the resistant varieties. Many plants look quite ragged due to slug holes getting larger and pigeons have had a go at some plants. Mildew can be easily found on susceptible varieties of winter barley. Winter wheat plants have plenty of septoria lesions on older green leaves. The overall consensus is that crops are looking a bit cheerier than this time last year.Inverness
The weather in the Inverness area has been calm and sunny but also cold and frosty over the last week or so. Most crops seem to have come through the winter well with low levels of disease. Winter barley is at the early tillering stage. Winter wheat ranges from the 3 leaf stage to early tillering and winter oilseed rape is at GS1,9.Kincardineshire
A colder spell of weather over the past week or so has seen field work slow down. Prior to this winter ploughing was progressing at pace with growers taking advantage of the mild weather. Crop growth has slowed considerably however all crops are generally looking well. There is a higher level of disease in all winter crops due to the mild weather. Many growers will need to consider a To application to control this early disease.
Lanark
No crop news for this area.Lothians
Wheat and barley crops have had an easy winter and plant populations are very satisfactory. There is little visible disease, and the recent ground frost is welcome as a control measure. Between the frosts it has been possible to catch up with Light Leaf Spot spays that did not go onto oilseed rape in the autumn. Rape crops are under pressure from pigeon damage too now.
Moray
Winter oilseed rape has emerged from the frosty weather generally looking well at about 7-9 leaves in some crops whilst others would have just entered the stem extension stage. There were signs of light leaf spot which will be addressed at 2nd LLS spray. Winter barley has tillered well with little disease present. There is mildew present in some winter wheat crops which on average are at 3-4 leaves. It will be a further two weeks or so before crops in the NVZ areas will be able to receive a fertiliser boos weather permitting.Perth
The workload is much more advanced than this time last year. Ploughing is well through and FYM applications are being made when conditions allow. This cold, dry spell is allowing for some drainage works and even sub-soiling of wet patches to take place.
Pigeons have been working on some winter oilseed rape crops but they should be able to withstand some grazing. Crops seem to have continued to grow slowly throughout the winter and some winter barley and winter wheat crops are quite advanced, and septoria can be found in most wheat crops.
Stirling
The few winter crops in the area are generally looking well despite the very wet weather. Winter wheat crops were all late sown and vary in growth stage from three leaves to early tillering. The main disease present is septoria which is present on most leaves. Several wheat crops are very patchy with areas washed out due to the wet weather. Some have been totally wiped out. There are very few winter barleys and they are all at early tillering with little sign of mildew or rhynchosporium.
Cultivations have started for spring crops. It has been slow due to the ground being very wet. Many fields will have to have straw removed or chopped prior to ploughing. Some fields were never combined and will need the whole crop chopped or removed.