This week, I spoke with Brian Reilly who manages the trials site for Drummonds, which is located near Termonfeckin in Co Louth. This region was among the worst affected by wet last backend and now dryness in all crops.
Little more than 30% of the normal winter crop area was planted last backend. This left a lot more spring crops to be sown, but the heavy nature of some of this land and the light nature of more of it resulted in many crops getting off to a bad start.
Germination was a problem in many crops and this is most obvious on headlands where soil had been damaged
Brian confirmed that dryness has been a big issue in the region, with only 10mm to 20mm of rain in the past eight weeks, depending on the location.
Germination was a problem in many crops and this is most obvious on headlands where soil had been damaged. Cloddy areas in seedbeds did not germinate until there was limited rain in early May.
Some areas by the coast got heavier rain (approximately 20mm) in early May and that caused capping in some fields.
Germination and establishment are very variable, as is yield potential. Timing of planting is perhaps the biggest single variable, with earlier-sown crops generally faring far better.
This is true for both winter- and spring-sown crops. Early-sown crops in the backend got going before the ground became waterlogged, while early sowing in spring resulted in more moisture for germination.
Cultivation and establishment method also made a difference
Soil condition is the next important variable. Crops sown in land with good structure established much better and coped better with the dry conditions.
Rain was variable too. Cultivation and establishment method also made a difference.
Fertiliser use in spring crops was affected by dryness. However, Brian said that crops that had a good proportion of their fertiliser incorporated or applied shortly after emergence show an advantage.
He said the use of liquid nitrogen (UAN) also appears to show an advantage.
BYDV levels are low in spring cereals, but aphid numbers have recently increased, especially in later-sown crops close to the coast.
Wheat
The northeast is winter wheat country, but only about one-third of the usual crop area was sown. Crops are very variable and earlier planting has fared better.
A proportion of crops were spring-sown and these have been slow to progress on the ground that since became very tight and slumped. Crop growth stages vary from GS31 to GS39/booting.
Yellow rust lesions on spring wheat. This disease can take on an individual pustule form on juvenile plant leaves and evolve to the traditional striped lesions as the plant matures.
In Brian’s trials, Cellule is by far the earliest variety, followed by Graham. Septoria levels are very low, but a number of varieties do have yellow rust.
Bennington is by far the worst affected, followed by Torp. All varieties now carry a rich green colour, so they look more promising than they did a few weeks ago but that’s a relative comment.
Spring wheat area could be up to five times higher than normal and even higher than winter wheat. Crops and plots are growing well and range from mid-tillering to GS32. Early-sown crops are generally better and fuller, Brian said.
Yellow rust is already evident on some varieties
There was a lot of imported seed used and Brian indicated that establishment from that seed was at least as good as from native seed.
Yellow rust is already evident on some varieties. Levels are low and the disease is showing as groups of individual pustules rather than stripes.
There is no sign of mildew yet, but Brian reminded me that Chilham is quite prone.
Barley
Only about one-third of the normal winter barley area was planted last backend and there are very few good crops in the area, Brian said.
While crops have remained very clean, they are also quite thin. They never really took off, despite good timely management.
The only thing that made a visible difference was January fertiliser, which seems to have helped head number.
Crops range from awns-out to flowering with ear count only around 70% of normal. This, plus the blank areas in fields, could pull back grain yields to about 60% of normal, Brian suggested.
There was a little net blotch in crops early on, but now ramularia is the main worry, as crops are subjected to many different stresses.
Many spring barley crops in the region are showing signs of moisture deficit as crops turn pale, older leaves die off and nutrient deficiencies appear.
Spring barley in the area is up by more than 50% this year. Early-sown crops are generally better, while later sowings suffered more from the dryness.
Earlier-sown crops are now at GS31/32, while later ones are GS24/27. But there is variation in all crops due to variable establishment.
Crops and plots are generally free of disease, but manganese deficiency has become very evident in recent weeks.
Oats
About half the normal winter crop area was planted while the spring crop area is doubled. Winter crops are heading out, but they are little more than knee high. Crops are generally free of disease, but there is some crown rust about.
Winter sown oat plots are headed out and remain very short. While oats can elongate considerably late in the season, lodging risk should be low.
Spring crops range from GS22 to GS32. In general, this crop seems to have done very well and it has coped well with the dry conditions and scavenged well for nutrients.
Spring beans
Crops are growing well and are now at about 4in to 6in (10cm to 15cm) tall. Establishment was variable here too and was heavily influenced by conditions at planting and the quality of the soil.
Most crops were sprayed for weevils, which seem to have been prevalent in the area this spring. The dry conditions hit the effectiveness of the residual herbicides and there are now some weedy crops about.
Traditional planting patterns for winter and spring cereals were severely affected by the wet weather last backend.While recent rain will help, excessive wet and dryness have damaged the potential of crops across much of the northeast.Earlier-sown crops in both winter and spring fared better for uniformity of establishment and growth.Rainfall amounts have been low but quite variable across the region in the past eight weeks.
This week, I spoke with Brian Reilly who manages the trials site for Drummonds, which is located near Termonfeckin in Co Louth. This region was among the worst affected by wet last backend and now dryness in all crops.
Little more than 30% of the normal winter crop area was planted last backend. This left a lot more spring crops to be sown, but the heavy nature of some of this land and the light nature of more of it resulted in many crops getting off to a bad start.
Germination was a problem in many crops and this is most obvious on headlands where soil had been damaged
Brian confirmed that dryness has been a big issue in the region, with only 10mm to 20mm of rain in the past eight weeks, depending on the location.
Germination was a problem in many crops and this is most obvious on headlands where soil had been damaged. Cloddy areas in seedbeds did not germinate until there was limited rain in early May.
Some areas by the coast got heavier rain (approximately 20mm) in early May and that caused capping in some fields.
Germination and establishment are very variable, as is yield potential. Timing of planting is perhaps the biggest single variable, with earlier-sown crops generally faring far better.
This is true for both winter- and spring-sown crops. Early-sown crops in the backend got going before the ground became waterlogged, while early sowing in spring resulted in more moisture for germination.
Cultivation and establishment method also made a difference
Soil condition is the next important variable. Crops sown in land with good structure established much better and coped better with the dry conditions.
Rain was variable too. Cultivation and establishment method also made a difference.
Fertiliser use in spring crops was affected by dryness. However, Brian said that crops that had a good proportion of their fertiliser incorporated or applied shortly after emergence show an advantage.
He said the use of liquid nitrogen (UAN) also appears to show an advantage.
BYDV levels are low in spring cereals, but aphid numbers have recently increased, especially in later-sown crops close to the coast.
Wheat
The northeast is winter wheat country, but only about one-third of the usual crop area was sown. Crops are very variable and earlier planting has fared better.
A proportion of crops were spring-sown and these have been slow to progress on the ground that since became very tight and slumped. Crop growth stages vary from GS31 to GS39/booting.
Yellow rust lesions on spring wheat. This disease can take on an individual pustule form on juvenile plant leaves and evolve to the traditional striped lesions as the plant matures.
In Brian’s trials, Cellule is by far the earliest variety, followed by Graham. Septoria levels are very low, but a number of varieties do have yellow rust.
Bennington is by far the worst affected, followed by Torp. All varieties now carry a rich green colour, so they look more promising than they did a few weeks ago but that’s a relative comment.
Spring wheat area could be up to five times higher than normal and even higher than winter wheat. Crops and plots are growing well and range from mid-tillering to GS32. Early-sown crops are generally better and fuller, Brian said.
Yellow rust is already evident on some varieties
There was a lot of imported seed used and Brian indicated that establishment from that seed was at least as good as from native seed.
Yellow rust is already evident on some varieties. Levels are low and the disease is showing as groups of individual pustules rather than stripes.
There is no sign of mildew yet, but Brian reminded me that Chilham is quite prone.
Barley
Only about one-third of the normal winter barley area was planted last backend and there are very few good crops in the area, Brian said.
While crops have remained very clean, they are also quite thin. They never really took off, despite good timely management.
The only thing that made a visible difference was January fertiliser, which seems to have helped head number.
Crops range from awns-out to flowering with ear count only around 70% of normal. This, plus the blank areas in fields, could pull back grain yields to about 60% of normal, Brian suggested.
There was a little net blotch in crops early on, but now ramularia is the main worry, as crops are subjected to many different stresses.
Many spring barley crops in the region are showing signs of moisture deficit as crops turn pale, older leaves die off and nutrient deficiencies appear.
Spring barley in the area is up by more than 50% this year. Early-sown crops are generally better, while later sowings suffered more from the dryness.
Earlier-sown crops are now at GS31/32, while later ones are GS24/27. But there is variation in all crops due to variable establishment.
Crops and plots are generally free of disease, but manganese deficiency has become very evident in recent weeks.
Oats
About half the normal winter crop area was planted while the spring crop area is doubled. Winter crops are heading out, but they are little more than knee high. Crops are generally free of disease, but there is some crown rust about.
Winter sown oat plots are headed out and remain very short. While oats can elongate considerably late in the season, lodging risk should be low.
Spring crops range from GS22 to GS32. In general, this crop seems to have done very well and it has coped well with the dry conditions and scavenged well for nutrients.
Spring beans
Crops are growing well and are now at about 4in to 6in (10cm to 15cm) tall. Establishment was variable here too and was heavily influenced by conditions at planting and the quality of the soil.
Most crops were sprayed for weevils, which seem to have been prevalent in the area this spring. The dry conditions hit the effectiveness of the residual herbicides and there are now some weedy crops about.
Traditional planting patterns for winter and spring cereals were severely affected by the wet weather last backend.While recent rain will help, excessive wet and dryness have damaged the potential of crops across much of the northeast.Earlier-sown crops in both winter and spring fared better for uniformity of establishment and growth.Rainfall amounts have been low but quite variable across the region in the past eight weeks. 
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