Fieldwork continues apace on all tillage farms. Ground conditions are good and crops are responding well to the improved weather conditions, according to Teagasc.
Specific crops need bespoke management controls at this time of the year.
Chocolate spot is the main disease that affects beans. Some crops may also get downy mildew or bean rust. However, in these circumstances, control options are limited.
The advice is that growers should apply a fungicide at the first signs of disease or, in any case, at the start of flowering and repeat two to three weeks later.
Signum at 0.5-0.75kg/ha can be applied at both timings for good disease control. Elatus Era is also an option and has approval for a single application on beans at 0.66L/ha.
For downy mildew control, basfoliar active and nutriphite PGA, which are biostimulants, both claim some control.
Beans offer growers a good opportunity to control problematic grass weeds such as bromes, ryegrasses and wild oats with graminicide-type herbicides.
Products that can be used in this context include: Fusilade Max (1.0-3.0L/ha); Stratos Ultra (1.5-4.0L/ha); or Falcon (0.7-1.5L/ha). Spraying should take place before flowering has commenced for best control.
Spring oats
Most spring oat crops were drilled in April and these are moving through the growth stages quite quickly. Growth regulation should be used between the second and third node.
Farmers should apply chlormequat chloride (CCC) 750g/L at 1.5-2.0L/ha. Ceraide, meddax max or moddus are also options here.
Where disease is concerned, rusts and mildew require a broad-spectrum fungicide. These include: Elatus Era; cello, or a triazole such as proline plus a strobulurin, e.g., comet.
A specific mildewicide should be included if it is visible in the crop. This should be added to the plant growth regulator at growth stage (GS) 32 to 33.
The final fungicide should be applied when the crop is starting to head out. Options to be followed here are the same as the first spray.
Winter wheat
Septoria is very visible in most winter wheat stands at the present time. However, the infection is reasonably well controlled in crops where the leaf three and flag leaf fungicides were applied on time.
The final fungicide should be applied at the early flowering stage, which is normally three weeks after the flag leaf spray.
Options here include prosaro, jade or protendo extra at 80-100% application rates.
Spring wheat
A plant growth promoter should be applied to spring wheat crops. According to Teagasc, the use of CCC from GS30-31 will deliver maximum effect.
The application rate is dependent on risk of lodging but will generally be in the range CCC 75% 1.0L/ha.
Growers should check product labels for total dose of CCC and/or consider medax max or moddus to GS32 or terpal at GS37-39.
It is important to avoid mepiquat products (terpal) where the straw is destined for the mushroom industry.
Mildew tends to be the biggest threat in spring wheat, although KWS helium and WPB duncan have good resistance.
Septoria is usually less of an issue than in winter wheat.