Winter wheat crops are approaching their flag leaf spray, David Leahy Agronomist with Glanbia says.
This year programmes have been thrown out of sync due to the cold spell of weather we’ve had; growth literally slowed down, he says.
“Ideally we’d like to have the gap between T1 and T2 on wheat at 21 days. In most cases this year it’s probably going to stretch to 25 – 28 days.
“Our advice would be to use robust rates at T2. T2 is delivering 50% of your final yield on winter wheat so look it there’s going to be no shortcuts on winter wheat this year,” Leahy says.
In terms of winter barley, it is now, by and large fully, headed out they’re all receiving their final fungicides, Leahy says.
He says that farmers are probably a little bit disillusioned with winter barley at the moment feeling its probably a bit thin and what not.
There is still a lot to play for in terms of grain fill, I feel that winter barley does have reasonable potential to do well again this year.
“On the spring barley crop which is still our most popular crop in Ireland, got off to a poor enough start esp the april sown crops, weather turned cold so growth slowed down,” Leahy says.
Then all of a sudden it got wet. Again a bit of kindness, a bit of heat, a bit of sunshine; those crops will pick up again there’s no doubt about it, he says.
The agronomist says that a new crop this year in Ireland, relatively new would be spring beans.
“Looking quite good, obviously there’s a payment going with them this year from Europe which probably increased the area substantially.
We’re probably approaching our first disease spray within the next 10 days. The disease which most farmers will be looking out for will be chocolate spot.
By and large that crop is also looking good, he says.
Some 80-85% of winter oats are currently at flag leaf and Glanbia’s next spray will probably be in a weeks time when the crop is potentially half headed out.
“Again that crop is full of potential and personally speaking I feel its one of the better looking crops this year in the country,” Leahy says.
Video credit: Glanbia
