Winter cereals:
Main jobs now will be T1 on winter wheat, possible growth regulator on oats and final fungicide (+/- PGR) on winter barley. Some wheat crops have their third last leaf unfolded while others are still only emerging. The third last leaf needs to be fully unfolded on main stems when spraying. This ensures good fungicide cover on this leaf plus some cover on the emerging second last leaf.
T1 sprays must include a substantial rate of a single triazole, plus a contact. Given the dry weather some growers may have the potential to either reduce or omit an SDHI at this timing. April rainfall, variety and location will influence this decision. It is still important to include an SDHI in dirtier crops and in higher rainfall regions.
Any SDHI mixture or straights can be used but they must be well protected with a robust triazole rate plus a contact.
Many winter barley crops are pushing towards awn emergence. If you are covered this far from the first spray then opt for a second and final spray as the awns appear. Make sure your mix includes good cover against brown rust, as well as rhyncho and net blotch, and include chlorothalonil or folpet for ramularia control.
Final spray options might be Siltra, Elatus Era, Ceriax, or a mixture of Proline with either Treoris or strobilurins. Include chlorothalonil or folpet for ramularia.
Nitrogen on spring crops:
Dry weather is making top dressing of spring crops awkward at the moment. Growers would also do well to consider the impact of soil nitrogen levels on total rates. The warm backend, coupled with the dry winter and not so big yields last year, could leave more than normal N amounts in the ground for spring uptake. Research testing at the moment indicates that this is actually the case. If total N rates are not reduced to compensate this could have implications for both lodging risk and grain protein levels on malting crops.
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Management notes: Dryness to bring new crop challenges
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