Eamonn Cogan, Slane, Co Meath
There has been great growth in Meath in the past week, with crops flying through the growth stages.
Eamonn finished applying a fungicide spray (Trinity 250 at 0.6l/ha with Globaztar at 0.6l/ha) and 40l/ha of N16 last week to winter oilseed rape.
It has now lost between 70% and 90% of its petals. The winter barley also received N16 (30l/ha) last week to help grain fill.
Eamonn saw a yield response from using this last year, mostly from an increased bushel weight.
The barley will receive its last spray of Alonty (1l/ha) and folpet (1.5l/ha) in the coming days. The barley is spotless, and while he doesn’t expect record-breaking yields, Eamonn expects a decent yield.
He says his winter wheat is a lovely crop, with good potential. Currently, he is applying his T2 spray, based on an Inatreq product; he says it is proving difficult to compare different formulations and packs, as there are many products on the market.
The wheat received its final dose of nitrogen last week, bringing it to a total of 225kg N/ha – with a reduction in this figure in fields where organic manure was applied.
He says Revystar XL at T1 gave excellent protection, with fully clean leaves in the crop. The winter oat field received its middle fungicide and final growth regulator.
While there is some red blotching in the Husky, Eamonn is not worried about this, as it is often a common sight in Husky.
The spring oats are now at mid-tillering. It received Hurler (0.7l/ha) and Cameo Max SX (45g/ha), in addition to Ninja (75ml/ha) recently.
Eamonn is happy with the crop, though it will need a growth regulator and fungicide soon.
The spring barley is at the two-leaf stage. There is some water still lying in hollows, but there is good overall establishment. It received 495kg/ha of 10-5-25 at sowing.
Alistair Craig, Limavady, Co Derry
Alistair's daughter Ellie in the oilseed rape crop.
Three sunny days last week have transformed some of Alistair’s crops from being “a bit backwards” to very green, promising crops.
However, there has still been some rain and the ground has not dried up much.
The winter oilseed rape is coming to the end of flowering – Alistair says it’s still behind the other crops in his area due to the winter grazing, and is much shorter. But it is very clean and has impressed Alistair so far.
This week, it will receive 14kg N/ha of melted urea as a foliar feed.
The winter wheat is slightly behind on the farm. Growth regulators of chlormequat and trinexapac-ethyl were included with Propel Xpro three weeks ago.
It is due its T1 next week, including 14kg N/ha of melted urea.
Alistair says the crop has come on in leaps and bounds recently. It had only 48 plants/m2 earlier this year.
The winter barley varies from a seed crop of KWS Tardis, which Alistair thinks is the best crop he has ever grown to 8ac that was cut for silage. It was ensiled with first-cut silage last week as it had lots of weeds and disease.
Alistair doesn’t know why this field fared badly, as it received the same husbandry as other fields. It was then drilled with beans because of available subsidies and to condition the soil.
The stronger barley received Cerone last week, with between 0.2/ha and 0.4l/ha applied depending on the strength of the crop. A T1 of Propel Xpro, Medax Max, magnesium sulphate and melted urea was applied since last speaking with Alistair. It will receive a T2 spray this week.
The gate is closed on the winter rye, which is headed out to be whole-cropped at the start of July. It is looking very strong and Alistair hopes it stays standing.
Alistair is happy he implemented a crop rotation this year. It has allowed him to spread the workload in a difficult spring and reduce the farm’s risk.
Damien Fewer, Kildalton College,
Co Kilkenny
Spring barley with an aphid trap to help monitor barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) at Kildalton College.
Planting has finished and crops in Kilkenny are relatively clean, except for high Septoria pressure in winter wheat.
The wheat received Revystar XL (1.25l/ha) and Arizona (1.5l/ha) at the three-leaf stage, while the T2 spray of Questar (2l/ha), Proteb (1l/ha) and Stavento (1.5l/ha) was applied last week, with Cerone (0.75l/ha) included.
The final fertiliser was applied in early May, bringing the crop to 200kg N/ha on the Index 2 site.
The winter barley has some Septoria nodorum on the lower leaves. After receiving Terpal (1.5l/ha) at GS37, it received its final spray of Siltra (0.6l/ha) and Arizona (1.5l/ha) last week.
The winter oilseed rape got Filan (0.5kg/ha) on 2 May and has finished flowering. The winter oats are now at 125kg N/ha and have no rust or mildew currently present.
Basagran SG (1.1kg/ha) was applied to spring beans after no pre-emergence herbicide was applied. Damien will report on its effectiveness next month.
Ninja (75ml/ha) and Falcon (1l/ha) were applied last week to control bean weevil, with notching present, and annual meadow grass respectively.
The spring barley was top-dressed at emergence (total of 155kg N/ha). It will receive a herbicide, aphicide and wild-oat spray this week.
The spring oats and wheat received Cameo Max SX (45g/ha) on 4 May, with the oats having Hurler (0.75l/ha) in the mix, while the wheat had 0.6l/ha of Axial Pro.
The first fungicides (Talius at 0.2l/ha, Proline at 0.5l/ha, and Comet 200 at 0.6l/ha) and growth regulators (CeCeCe 750 at 1l/ha and Moddus 250 EC at 0.2l/ha) were applied to the oats two days later. The same growth regulators were applied to the wheat in addition to 0.7l/ha of Elatus Era.
Covered and open maize trials, in addition to open commercial maize, were drilled at Kildalton in the past two weeks.
A pea/oat and pea/barley combi-crop trial has also been planted. This is being grown without synthetic inputs, and will act as a demonstration trial for students and farmers.
Eamonn Cogan, Slane, Co Meath
There has been great growth in Meath in the past week, with crops flying through the growth stages.
Eamonn finished applying a fungicide spray (Trinity 250 at 0.6l/ha with Globaztar at 0.6l/ha) and 40l/ha of N16 last week to winter oilseed rape.
It has now lost between 70% and 90% of its petals. The winter barley also received N16 (30l/ha) last week to help grain fill.
Eamonn saw a yield response from using this last year, mostly from an increased bushel weight.
The barley will receive its last spray of Alonty (1l/ha) and folpet (1.5l/ha) in the coming days. The barley is spotless, and while he doesn’t expect record-breaking yields, Eamonn expects a decent yield.
He says his winter wheat is a lovely crop, with good potential. Currently, he is applying his T2 spray, based on an Inatreq product; he says it is proving difficult to compare different formulations and packs, as there are many products on the market.
The wheat received its final dose of nitrogen last week, bringing it to a total of 225kg N/ha – with a reduction in this figure in fields where organic manure was applied.
He says Revystar XL at T1 gave excellent protection, with fully clean leaves in the crop. The winter oat field received its middle fungicide and final growth regulator.
While there is some red blotching in the Husky, Eamonn is not worried about this, as it is often a common sight in Husky.
The spring oats are now at mid-tillering. It received Hurler (0.7l/ha) and Cameo Max SX (45g/ha), in addition to Ninja (75ml/ha) recently.
Eamonn is happy with the crop, though it will need a growth regulator and fungicide soon.
The spring barley is at the two-leaf stage. There is some water still lying in hollows, but there is good overall establishment. It received 495kg/ha of 10-5-25 at sowing.
Alistair Craig, Limavady, Co Derry
Alistair's daughter Ellie in the oilseed rape crop.
Three sunny days last week have transformed some of Alistair’s crops from being “a bit backwards” to very green, promising crops.
However, there has still been some rain and the ground has not dried up much.
The winter oilseed rape is coming to the end of flowering – Alistair says it’s still behind the other crops in his area due to the winter grazing, and is much shorter. But it is very clean and has impressed Alistair so far.
This week, it will receive 14kg N/ha of melted urea as a foliar feed.
The winter wheat is slightly behind on the farm. Growth regulators of chlormequat and trinexapac-ethyl were included with Propel Xpro three weeks ago.
It is due its T1 next week, including 14kg N/ha of melted urea.
Alistair says the crop has come on in leaps and bounds recently. It had only 48 plants/m2 earlier this year.
The winter barley varies from a seed crop of KWS Tardis, which Alistair thinks is the best crop he has ever grown to 8ac that was cut for silage. It was ensiled with first-cut silage last week as it had lots of weeds and disease.
Alistair doesn’t know why this field fared badly, as it received the same husbandry as other fields. It was then drilled with beans because of available subsidies and to condition the soil.
The stronger barley received Cerone last week, with between 0.2/ha and 0.4l/ha applied depending on the strength of the crop. A T1 of Propel Xpro, Medax Max, magnesium sulphate and melted urea was applied since last speaking with Alistair. It will receive a T2 spray this week.
The gate is closed on the winter rye, which is headed out to be whole-cropped at the start of July. It is looking very strong and Alistair hopes it stays standing.
Alistair is happy he implemented a crop rotation this year. It has allowed him to spread the workload in a difficult spring and reduce the farm’s risk.
Damien Fewer, Kildalton College,
Co Kilkenny
Spring barley with an aphid trap to help monitor barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) at Kildalton College.
Planting has finished and crops in Kilkenny are relatively clean, except for high Septoria pressure in winter wheat.
The wheat received Revystar XL (1.25l/ha) and Arizona (1.5l/ha) at the three-leaf stage, while the T2 spray of Questar (2l/ha), Proteb (1l/ha) and Stavento (1.5l/ha) was applied last week, with Cerone (0.75l/ha) included.
The final fertiliser was applied in early May, bringing the crop to 200kg N/ha on the Index 2 site.
The winter barley has some Septoria nodorum on the lower leaves. After receiving Terpal (1.5l/ha) at GS37, it received its final spray of Siltra (0.6l/ha) and Arizona (1.5l/ha) last week.
The winter oilseed rape got Filan (0.5kg/ha) on 2 May and has finished flowering. The winter oats are now at 125kg N/ha and have no rust or mildew currently present.
Basagran SG (1.1kg/ha) was applied to spring beans after no pre-emergence herbicide was applied. Damien will report on its effectiveness next month.
Ninja (75ml/ha) and Falcon (1l/ha) were applied last week to control bean weevil, with notching present, and annual meadow grass respectively.
The spring barley was top-dressed at emergence (total of 155kg N/ha). It will receive a herbicide, aphicide and wild-oat spray this week.
The spring oats and wheat received Cameo Max SX (45g/ha) on 4 May, with the oats having Hurler (0.75l/ha) in the mix, while the wheat had 0.6l/ha of Axial Pro.
The first fungicides (Talius at 0.2l/ha, Proline at 0.5l/ha, and Comet 200 at 0.6l/ha) and growth regulators (CeCeCe 750 at 1l/ha and Moddus 250 EC at 0.2l/ha) were applied to the oats two days later. The same growth regulators were applied to the wheat in addition to 0.7l/ha of Elatus Era.
Covered and open maize trials, in addition to open commercial maize, were drilled at Kildalton in the past two weeks.
A pea/oat and pea/barley combi-crop trial has also been planted. This is being grown without synthetic inputs, and will act as a demonstration trial for students and farmers.
This is a subscriber-only article
SHARING OPTIONS: