Tillage: Some winter barley crops at excessive danger of lodging

Some winter barley crops are at a excessive danger of lodging, if the climate turns moist between now and harvest.

That is the view of agronomist, Richard Owens, who manages a collection of cereal and potato crops in counties Antrim and Down.

“I walked plenty of winter barley crops final week. They have been exceptionally tall and never as thick as I might have anticipated for this time of the yr,” Owens informed Agriland.

“I sense that the plant progress promoters utilized earlier within the season haven’t labored. This can be a consequence of the moist and chilly situations at time of utility.

“We’re six weeks off the primary barley crops of the yr being harvested.

“Ear fill is now effectively underway. I might be involved that because the ears get heavier, these crops which are fairly tall will likely be very disposed to lodging, ought to the climate flip moist and blustery previous to combining,” Owens added.

Winter barley crops

Richard Owens has additionally seen some ramularia in winter barley crops that he has inspected over current days.

“This can be a illness that may take maintain in highly regarded, sunny situations. However there’s nothing that growers can do about it. All winter barley crops could have acquired their ultimate fungicide spray by this stage,” he mentioned.

“We’ll simply have to attend and see what the harvest brings.”

Turning to winter wheat, the agronomist confirmed that almost all crops are trying effectively.

“A lot of the wheats that I’ve checked out over the previous few days are actually responding effectively to fertiliser that was utilized final month. Ears are actually beginning to emerge,” he continued.

“By way of spraying programmes, I might strongly advise the appliance of T2 ear wash.”

Spring barley

However it’s not such a rosy image, the place spring barley is anxious. Some crops in Northern Eire have been solely sown out in the midst of Might.

“Later sown crops are discovering life troublesome, given the persevering with sizzling, dry climate,” Owens added.

“In these cases, I might suggest a foliar feed containing a spread of amino acids and sugars.

“These will act to maintain crops vibrant. There’s a vary of seaweed-based merchandise available on the market nowadays, which might meet this want.”

He defined that barley crops are additionally very susceptible to manganese deficiency, the specter of which will increase in periods of stress.

“There isn’t any rain of notice forecast for the remainder of this week and, probably, past,” he mentioned.

“On that foundation, I might advise that every one spray therapies utilized to spring barley over the approaching days ought to embody a supply of foliar manganese.”

The place major crop potatoes are involved, Richard confirmed that some fields in Northern Eire have been solely planted out on the finish of Might.

“It has turned out to be one of many newest seasons on report for growers,” he commented.

“Later planted crops will attain maturity. However yields will likely be down on what would usually be anticipated.

“Growers must also plan for these later sown crops to be extra predisposed to blight assault.

“It’s because their foliage is softer and fewer illness resilient than these planted earlier within the spring,” he mentioned.