Tillage Newsletter - June 2024

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In this month's edition:

• Grass weed control
  Already we are starting to see problem grass weeds like blackgrass, Italian ryegrass, sterile brome, etc., appearing in crops. This may be due to the lack of competition from thin cereal crops in 2024, but they seem to be a growing problem year on year. June is the critical month for dealing with these grass weeds and preventing them from setting seed, which may stay in the soil for years. Waiting until July is too late.
• Spring barley - Disease control
  Spring barley crops have grown very well over the last month or so and most will have received their first fungicide. The risk of infection of rhynchosporium and net blotch will be determined by the disease rating of each individual variety; however, in the case of ramularia, it is normally caused by stress in the crop.
• Beans
  Chocolate spot is the main disease that affects beans and while some will get downy mildew or bean rust, control options are limited. Apply a fungicide at the first signs of disease or in any case at the start of flowering and repeat two to three weeks later.
• Spring oats
  Most crops were drilled in April and these are moving through the growth stages quite quickly. Growth regulation should be used between the second and third node. Apply CCC 750g/L at 1.5-2.0L/ha. Ceraide, Meddax Max or Moddus are also options here.
• Winter wheat - Disease control
  Septoria is very visible in most crops; however, the infection is reasonably well controlled in crops where the leaf 3 and flag leaf fungicides were applied on time.
• Spring wheat - PGR and disease control
  Apply CCC from GS30-31 for maximum effect. Rate is dependent on risk of lodging but will generally be in the range CCC 75% 1.0L/ha. Check product labels for total dose of CCC and/or consider Medax Max or Moddus to GS32 or Terpal at GS37-39.