amide is the main option for post- emergence treatment at this time of year. In cereal crops we should be


wary of any mild spells in Decem- ber that might kick-start aphid activity, and virus spread. That said, conditions throughout the main fl ight window were not good and numbers of resident aphids will be low. It’s generally only the Septem-


ber-sown wheat and barley crops that attracted signifi cant num- bers and these are likely to have been treated.


Warm soils


Soil conditions are more or less suitable – temperature-wise if not travel-wise – for propyzamide ap- plication to oilseed rape and even if not, few growers are prepared to wait much beyond the end of November to apply it. There was one recent season


when the appropriate soil tem- perature didn’t occur until March, so some compromise is often nec- essary. Applying to warm soils in September and early October will shorten the active’s useful life but even if soils are warm now we should get suffi cient persis- tence from it.


Early phoma infections were treated but in many rape crops these have only appeared re- cently and these are unlikely to form yield-robbing stem cankers, hence any late autumn fungicides should target light leaf spot, if this is required.


Timely tips


• Watch for issues with winter bean crops


• Mild weather can trigger aphids in cereals


• Check latest application dates for sprays


• Adjust herbicide levels for later sowings


• Check rape for cabbage stem fl ea beetle


Flea beetle


Crops should also be checked carefully for presence and num- bers of cabbage stem fl ea beetle larvae, not with a view to treat- ing as nothing is effective, but to have an idea of likely damage and hence yield potential and level of justifi able expenditure from this point on.


It goes without saying that


fi elds destined for spring crop- ping may also be a little wet now so should be left alone. Winter cultivations, even win-


ter spraying-off, rarely helps and with the equipment available to- day leaving these operations until just prior to sowing can be just as effective in terms of cleaning up weeds and preparing seedbeds.


› Richard Overthrow is a region- al agronomist with NIAB TAG, the UK’s largest independent agrono- my organisation with several re- search centres in the Midlands. For more details, call 01223 342495.


keep lid on barley disease Wet


autumn weather has seen mildew on some barley crops


The situation is worst in va- rieties with low disease ratings of 4 or below – and where there are a lot of volunteers from previ- ous winter or spring barley crops. Manganese defi ciency can also


make crops more susceptible to mildew infection. Dr Ellerton says this increased disease risk may be enough to jus- tify an autumn or early spring fungicide application prior to stem extension, to prevent disease infections reducing the crop’s till- ering capacity and yield potential. Yield responses of over 0.5 t/ha could be possible, says Dr Eller- ton. Products containing prothi- oconazole will give the best con- trol of net blotch, rhynchosporium and mildew. Additional tebucon- azole will be necessary for brown rust.


“These products should gen- erally be applied at half to three quarters dose depending on dis- ease pressure.”


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DECEMBER 2020 • MIDLAND FARMER 13


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