Sugar Beet Focus
Beet crops look good – but in need of a drink
• Crops off to good start this spring • Settled weather expected in June • Key challenge is pests and disease
industry leaders have warned. Beet went into the ground very well this spring, said NFU Sugar chairman Michael Sly. But many crops are in need of a drink. Mr Sly said: “We are – like many farms across East Anglia and the Midlands – in desperate need of rain.” The Met Offi ce outlook for for relatively settled
S June is
weather – although longer term forecasts are diffi cult with accu- racy. While this may bring dry and often sunny weather, warmer day time temperatures may occa- sionally trigger heavy, thundery showers.
ignifi cant rain is now need- ed for sugar beet to reach its yield potential this season,
But there still remains the
chance of low pressure bringing longer spells of rain at times, per- haps with some stronger winds, said the Met Offi ce. Even so, tem- peratures would be near normal or warm overall for the time of year, it added.
Neonicotinoid loss Away from the weather, this is the fi rst spring beet has been drilled following the ban on neonicoti- noid seed treatments. There is some evidence that fl ea beetle has attacked the shoots of young-
“
Like many farms, we are in desperate need of rain
Michael Sly: strong science needed in fi ght for actives
er plants – but it remains to be seen how much damage had been caused. “We are not sure if there will be consequences but we are keeping an eye on it,” said Mr Sly. The loss of neonicotinoids left growers with only be one option in terms of insecticide seed treat- ment. The pyrethroid Force ST (Tefl uthrin) is the last remain- ing active ingredient of the pre- vious CruiserForce that farmers will be familiar with. This product controls a num- ber of pests which attack sugar beet seedlings – including spring- tails, symphylids, millipedes and pygmy beetle. But it is not sys- temmic and does not control aphid vectors of beet yellows vi- ruses or leaf miners.
Fungicides
Most crops have established well this spring
In terms of fungicides, Syngen- ta reports good results from its seed treatment Vibrance SB (see page 70). But NFU Sugar and oth- ers have voiced frustration that growers are being left without the necessary tools at their dispos- al to protect crops against pests and disease. Mr Sly said: “Our experience of dealing with the ban on neonico- tinoids and subsequent emergen- cy applications shows how polit-
£2.8m repaid to sugar beet growers
Some £2.8m has now been repaid to growers who over- paid their levies almost 20 years ago. The NFU and British Sug-
ar made a joint application to Brussels for the money to be refunded in respect of over- payments made in 1999 and 2000. After a long battle, the outstanding money has now been returned, said NFU Sugar chairman Michael Sly. “Current and past sugar
beet growers who respond- ed to letters and complet- ed forms last year are in the process of being paid by Brit- ish Sugar, with British Sug- ar claiming the money back from the Rural Payments Agency.” Mr Sly said he believed
all current growers had now received their money. NFU Sugar had spent over £60,000 and many hours raising awareness of the re- fund to more than 7,000 qual- ifying beet growers – both past and present. “NFU Sugar considers
that this was a very worth- while investment from our reserves and funds on behalf of those growers who over paid their levy all those years ago,” said Mr Sly.
icised plant protection products have become. We continue to ar- gue strongly for strong science and the evidence base on which these crucial decisions are made.” Increasing numbers of leaf miner eggs are being reported by the British Beet Research Organ- isation. Sporadic thrips damage is being observed too – although there are no treatments availa- ble for this pest.
Mr Sly said NFU Sugar was continuing to work with BBRO scientists and representatives in other arable crop sectors to try to help farmers for the future. But he cautioned against any expec- tations of early progress, warn- ing: “It is an uphill task.”
JUNE 2019 • ANGLIA FARMER 59
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