Weather: Crops jumped through the growth stages last week. The heat sent spring crops from tillering to flag leaf from the start to the end of the week. Keep an eye on oats and spring barley varieties with weak straw for growth regulator. Don’t miss the timing where it is needed. Terpal and Medax Max can be applied at flag leaf.

Many spring barley crops missed the first fungicide timing, and some will no doubt be aiming to apply one fungicide at this point. This needs to a be a strong fungicide. Folpet is needed for ramularia. Ideally you are aiming the timing at awns peeping for ramularia control but stressed crops are prone to ramularia, so if disease is in the crop then apply earlier.

Where one fungicide is being applied you can’t apply a small fungicide. There may be disease present, and there will be high pressure after the rain this week. Macfare or Balaya plus Imperis are likely the best options. Cutting spend won’t necessarily mean saving money. Crops are generally good so they need to be kept clean.

Winter wheat: Many winter wheat crops headed out and started flowering in and after the sunny weather last week. The T3 fungicide is aimed at the flowering stage. Some crops are still to receive this. It should target fusarium prevention and keep the flag leaf clean. Prothioconazole and tebuconazole in a mix are one option, discuss with your agronomist.

Beans: The first fungicide on beans is at the start of flowering. Early-sown crops will have been treated. Most crops are starting to flower now or have in the past week. Rain has likely prevented fungicide going out up to now on many crops, but apply once the weather allows. Signum and Elatus Era are good options.

You need to decide how many times you are going to treat the crop. You don’t want a crop full of disease that doesn’t yield, but you don’t want a late-sown crop green in November that you lost yield from because you can’t harvest it either. If applying one fungicide go with a high rate. You’re unlikely to be able to delay it too much now as disease risk is there in the current weather.

Beet: Beet crops are difficult to manage at present as emergence is uneven in places. Damp conditions are good for application, but not the rain of this week and the wind the week before. It’s hard to get crops sprayed in current conditions, but follow the advice on splits and timings from your agronomist as best as possible. A new fungicide has been launched for beet in Ireland. Revystar XL can be used, growers will be familiar with the product on barley and wheat. It can be applied at 1l/ha at the start of stem elongation.

Farming for Water: See page 41 for information on the Farming for Water Programme. If you applied and were accepted last year you don’t need to do anything until sowing time. You may still be able to apply for the scheme if you did not last year.