Back to a broken week

After such a prolonged dry spell which helped planting, it was inevitable that the weather would break at some point. Most areas seem likely to get some rain over the coming week but for many this will be very welcome. While there was some rain across the south throughout April, many other tillage areas got very little.

Emergence on spring crops has been patchy in some regions especially on the heavier ground in the northeast. As a result many spring crops now look like the winter cousins, with patchy establishment as seeds sit in cloddy ground awaiting moisture for germination.

Slow soft rain is perhaps the only cure as seeds are too shallow to be pushed down into moisture by a roller. It seems likely that the dryness will have initiated trace element deficiencies so get these corrected, especially on spring crops. Manganese is the most likely problem but there may also be issues with magnesium, zinc and copper on some soils.

Earlier winter corps will be at the stage for growth regulation and also first fungicide on winter barley.

Nitrogen

Spring crops, especially malting barley, need to have the balance of their nitrogen applied by the two- to three-leaf stage, or earlier where rain will help wash it in. Total N on malting barley for distilling might be 130-140kg N/ha with up to 170kg on worn fields for brewing and for feeding barley. Total rate should be influenced by the history of the field. Spring wheat and oats provide more flexibility on application timing. Bring spring wheat up to around 140kg N/ha before GS30 with the intention of applying a later split around flag-leaf timing. Bring oats up to 120-130kg N/ha total by GS30/31.

Most winter crops have moved into stem extension so the main nitrogen applications need to be applied. Bring wheat on worn ground up to 175kg N/ha but hold fertile ground and fields following break crops at 150kg, with the intention of a further application on all wheat later.

Winter barley needs to have all its nitrogen applied at this stage, which may mean a total of 160 to 190kg N/ha depending on field history. All N needs to be applied to winter oats also to bring crops up to 125 to 140kg N/ha.

Fodder beet

Beet planting continues in some areas while many areas are now finished. Early weed control is vital in beet as the crop is a poor competitor. Rain forecast for the week ahead will ease any dryness-related fears so now is a good time for many to apply their first weed spray.

T1 herbicides should be applied when the rows are visible in the crop.

The specific timing can range from when the crop is 30% emerged to mid- to late-cotyledon stage.

Product options will vary depending on the stage of the crop and the target weeds. Most T1 tank mixes will contain Debut (30g/ha) plus Betanal maxxPro (0.5l/ha) and either Gloflo/Mondello/Goltix (0.5 L/ha) or Venzar (0.5L/ha) where charlock is present, along with oil.

Remember, products containing desmedipham (Betanal maxxPro, Farmco Trio etc) cannot be used after 1 July 2020.