CAFRE: Aphid monitoring and BYDV management

Northern Eire’s School of Agriculture, Meals and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) is advising growers to be conscious of the impression that Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) can have on newly established cereal crops.

Final autumn noticed larger ranges of illness an infection than would usually be the case.

CAFRE crops specialist, Leigh McClean, defined:

“This was partially as a consequence of heat, dry, settled climate after sowing, which inspired winged aphid migration.

“The largest BYDV danger is from early sown cereals as they’re uncovered to virus transmitting aphids for longer.

“The very best built-in pest administration (IPM) apply is to keep away from September sowing the place sensible. That is notably so in high-risk, hotter, sheltered fields at decrease altitudes or these areas  which are near the coast.”

BYDV

Current Teagasc analysis has proven the place the danger of BYDV an infection is excessive, a single pyrethroid utility on the two- to three-leaf stage is efficient in controlling aphids and lowering the extent of BYDV an infection for October sown cereals.

A second spray offers no yield profit. For top danger September sown cereals, a second spray could also be justified to guard yield if gentle settled situations proceed by means of the autumn.

A number of pyrethroid purposes ought to be prevented as they speed up resistance within the aphid inhabitants, making BYDV management harder in future seasons.

McClean additional defined: “Growers ought to take some reassurance that if situations are too moist, chilly or windy to spray following sowing, they’re additionally not good for aphid migration.

“The ensuing danger of BYDV transmission is decrease.” 

Winged aphid migration is monitored throughout Northern Eire by the Agri-Meals and Biosciences Institute (AFBI). Populations are posted weekly on that organisation’s web site together with a BYDV danger forecast.

Weed management

Turning to weed management in winter cereals, McClean advises the applying of residual herbicides earlier than the crop or weeds emerge. 

“Growers ought to prioritise winter oats and barley as energetic substances, notably these efficient on grass weeds are restricted to a couple merchandise,” he stated.

“Spring herbicide choices are fewer with these crops than is the case with winter wheat. Winter crops ought to be checked till crops are previous the susceptible seedling stage.

“The very best danger follows rape or vegetable crops the place slug numbers are excessive, seedbeds are cloddy, damp and seedling emergence is sluggish.” 

CAFRE can be advising cereal growers to watch new crops for slug harm.

If slug numbers exceed 4 per lure in cereals or one per lure in oilseed rape, then making use of ferric phosphate slug pellets ought to be thought-about.

To gauge efficacy, growers ought to search for decreased feeding harm as slugs typically die unseen underground with these pellets.