Crops notes December 06

Growers should continue to monitor cereal crops over the winter period for signs of slug or leather jacket damage and treat if necessary. The threat of aphids has now reduced but crops not sprayed or those sprayed very early in the season should be inspected on sunny days for signs of aphid activity. If aphids are present they should be sprayed to prevent the spread of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus. Where autumn herbicides have not been applied every effort should be made to apply them as soon as possible after crop emergence before the weeds get too large.

January is an ideal month to carry out soil sampling before any slurry or farmyard manure or chemical fertiliser is applied to the fields. Soil sampling is an essential starting point when planning the fertiliser requirements of any crop and from 1 January 2007 under the Phosphorus Regulations chemical phosphate fertiliser can only be applied if there is an identified crop requirement.

Soil sampling:

Arable to a depth of 150mm

Growers should already be planning for next season to ensure good quality seed stocks are available at planting. All seed stocks should be checked regularly to ensure no problems are developing during the storage period. Where home saved seed will be used it should be graded and stored correctly to ensure sprouting is controlled. It is also advisable to get a sample "hot box" tested and inspect it closely for skin borne disease. The "hot box" test is a simple, effective method of determining seed quality. It identifies seed lots that are likely to develop tuber blight, soft rot and dry rot by storing tubers under favourable conditions for disease development by testing at (15-20 °C) and under humid conditions for 10-14 days. Details on how to conduct your own test are available at www.ruralni.gov.uk/crops/potatoes

Growers are encouraged to manage the risk of PCN and are reminded of the PCN advisory service. Interpretation of results from soil analysis, carried out at the Nematology Laboratory, Newforge Lane, together with advisory options, should enable growers to minimize the risk of PCN contamination. With this information growers will be able to make better decisions on field and variety selection. Results will remain confidential to the grower.