Farmer Focus: Disease levels see high fungicide spend
Matt Redman © Tim Scrivener It has certainly been the spring of the low disturbance drill for cereals, with concrete-like conditions on the surface and plasticine below.
The Avatar has proved ideal for slotting seed in the ground without bringing up lots of wet earth to deal with.
See also: How an Essex oat grower hit variable cost of £48.50/t
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However, the opposite has been the case for maize, with land prepared in the autumn having slumped and lost structure and, therefore, not ideal for planting maize into, even if we could get it to dry.
As a result, we have ended up ploughing and using a lot more diesel than I had hoped – but luck has been on my side and the weather conditions have helped immensely, resulting in the crop being drilled in good conditions, eventually.
T2 fungicides have been applied to the winter wheat at an eye-watering cost, but with high levels of disease present and limited choice of what can be used effectively, it has been necessary.
Hybrid barley currently looks fantastic. It has been quite a spirit lifting crop to grow this year – there is something about seeing a field full of awns swaying in the wind, especially while looking at ruts and patchy wheat crops in the fields next door.Â
I am slightly concerned about the likelihood of any heavy rain between now and harvest though, as it is rather tall.
I am very fortunate that crops on the whole look good here.
However, the level of blackgrass that has now popped up in fields drilled in January and February (those with weaker pre-emergence herbicide strategies) is disappointing.
June is a fairly busy month of the arable farming calendar with Cereals, Groundswell and various trials days giving ample chances to get off-farm.
While it may only be a lot of window shopping this year, the social element of these events cannot be underestimated.
With harvest still a few weeks away, it is a great time of year to share what happens on-farm, what different crops are grown for, and the machinery people see working at all hours to get the harvest in.
The NFU is launching its #YourHarvest campaign again this year on 12 June. So, get involved and share what you’re doing on-farm across social media, the highs and lows, the fun jobs and the not-so-fun.
Embrace your inner Clarkson and share your harvest.
