The 2025 Crop Protection Magazine is out this week. It will be free inside this week’s Irish Farmers Journal.

Here’s a preview of what’s coming up.

The challenge of crop protection has not gotten any easier since our 2024 magazine when it comes to pest control. However, one big difference is that crops - both winter and spring - have gone in in good conditions and have great potential.

When it comes to weed and disease control, more products leave the shelves – key among them Metribuzin used in potato and cereal weed control and Debut, an important beet herbicide.

As the tool box gets smaller, we must use all tactics available to us to improve crop yields. In this magazine, we try to equip farmers and the trade with information to improve pesticide efficacy, look at options to improve plant health and provide details to ensure you are safe and compliant when using plant protection products.

Safety

Safety is essential when applying products to crops. Francis Bligh of Teagasc gives a rundown on all safety precautions to be taken from the time you purchase a can. It is a must-read for all.

Tom McCabe of UCD encourages farmers to keep the faith with winter wheat. While septoria control can be challenging, it is still a crop that can provide a return.

Steven Kildea has an update on fungicide resistance in cereal crops. This update is important to know how to manage crops to protect chemistry and get the best yields.

We examine varieties to see what varieties are more susceptible to different disease or straw issues and how management should be adjusted for different varieties.

We have a grass weeds update from Teagasc, talk bio-stimulants and crop nutrition, have a reminder on crop growth stages, take a look at new technology and, of course, we have the lists of products to provide details when you’re spraying or filling out crop records.