Crop protection

The fungus responsible for light leaf spot, the UK’s most important oilseed rape disease, is becoming increasingly resistant to azole fungicides but not QoI (strobilurin) or SDHI fungicides, according to Rothamsted.

With slug pellet applications imminent, the agricultural industry is being reminded that metaldehyde stewardship guidelines apply this autumn.

Devising a method for the precision application of fungicides and biopesticides is being investigated in a newly commissioned project funded by Innovate UK.

The fifth Groundswell event was the biggest yet, welcoming farmers to cultivate new ideas and dig the dirt on regenerative farming techniques. Alice Dyer and Chloe Palmer went along.

In conjunction with Bayer we will be keeping track of winter wheat development over two cultivation strategies, and using Rapid Disease Detection results to monitor disease progress through the season.

What a rollercoaster ride this season is turning out to be; cold, dry, hot and wet, spring has had a bit of summer, autumn and winter in its making.

Cooler temperatures have so far halted septoria progress, but the disease is expected to ramp up in the coming weeks following the bout of warmer weather.

Warmer temperatures are encouraging aphids to fly, and an increase in aphid numbers is now being widely reported and recorded across the British Beet Research Organisation’s (BBRO) yellow water pan network.

The UK pesticides’ regulatory authority has confirmed the imminent withdrawal of a number of key seed treatments widely used by UK vegetable growers.

Septoria pressure in UK wheat crops is expected to build in the coming weeks as warmer temperatures are set to follow early May rainfall.