sponsored by - cpm magazine...but on reflection, i think that was a bit optimistic. my boots were...

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It wasn’t so much a walk I went on thismorning as a squelch. I thought it wastime to assess whether there was any sign that my soils might be approaching a state in which they may support a crop.

I’d brought a spade to assess the inevitable damage,but on reflection, I think that was a bit optimistic.

My boots were telling the story as they squelched andschmucked their way unsteadily through the mire. In fact,there were one or two instances where one field hadwashed itself into another, so I’m not sure the spade wasgoing to give me much of an agronomic insight intoplough pans, let alone a clue of how to resolve them.

In the end I just stood in a quoggy puddle and imagined a time when soils were friable. This goo I surveyed is capable of producing barn-filling wheats, I kept telling myself, and gradually I was transported to an imaginary field in which clods crumbled and tractorwheels left but the merest mark.

First, we’d need to give these soils some cultivationcare (p4). How deep should we go to bring body andstructure back to this earth? I began to get quite excited asI imagined the fine texture of a well cultivated tilth runningthrough my fingers.

Next we’d need the finest wheat variety, and the choicehas never been richer (p6). We’d want one that’s not onlycapable of a stonking yield, but would thrive in these soils(under current conditions, it was a bit of a stretch toimagine that bit).

So how would we feed it? This is a high-potentialwheat, an athlete honed from biomass and leaf tissue. We need a strategy that puts up no limitations and

Tom Allen-Stevens has a 170ha arable farm inOxon, and if anyone from Defra’s reading, yes hehas done his bloody Soil Protection Review.ttoomm@@ccppmm--mmaaggaazziinnee..ccoo..uukk

Are high yields just a dream?

2 cpm magazine barn-filling wheats

Talking TilthA word from the editor.

Plan for autumn when planting this springAfter a wet and cold winter following an awful autumn, it’s important to look to the long term if maximum yieldpotential is to be achieved.

Pulling apart the barn-fillersGoing all out for yield starts with picking the rightgenetic material.

Feeding the hungry cropWheats with high potential will need careful nurturing from cold, sodden soils.

Protection pays in a high-pressure year Results from the 2012 fungicide trials deliver some powerful messages on disease control for the currentgrowing season.

Capacity key to crop careA flexible approach and a range of kit that can respond to the changing needs of a crop and the season are how Norfolk grower Edward Jones gets the best from his barn-filling wheats.

Special CPM Supplement

March 20132

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Editorial & Advertising SalesWhite House Barn, Hanwood, Shrewsbury,Shropshire. SY5 8LP

Tel: (01743) 861122E-mail:[email protected]

[email protected]

Advertising CopyBrooks Design, 24 Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire. SY1 1RD

Tel: (01743) 244403E-mail: [email protected]

CPM Editorial, advertising and sales offices are at White House Barn, Hanwood, Shrewsbury SY5 8LP. Tel: (01743) 861122. CPM is published ten times a year by CPM Ltd and is available free of charge to qualifying farmers

and farm managers in the United Kingdom.

In no way does CPM Ltd endorse, notarise or concur with any of the advice, recommendations or prescriptions reported in the magazine. If you are unsure about which recommendations to follow, please consult a professional agronomist. Always read thelabel. Use pesticides safely. CPM Ltd is not responsible for loss or damage to any unsolicited material, including photographs.

Editor Tom Allen-Stevens

Sub Editor Charlotte Lord

Writers Tom Allen-StevensAndrew BlakeRob JonesMick Roberts

Design and Production Brooks Design

Publisher Angus McKirdy

there’s no excuse for hidden hunger (p9).And then we need to protect it from disease –– use

the best modern chemistry and sagest advice to preservethat potential right through to harvest (12).

In front of me now was an imaginary field full of tightly clustered wheat ears. As I stroked them they rustled, bowed gently and sprang back up, each ear full of ripe, plump grains. These would fill the barn –– they’dmake its sides buckle and groan.

Then it started raining, and I was back in my soggymire. Maybe I should give up such fancies and leave thebarn-filling wheats to farmers who know what they’redoing (p14), while it’s for CPM, with the help of its sponsors, to bring together the agronomic insight to ensure success with high-potential wheats into this supplement.

I turned to go home, and realised I couldn’t. I wasstuck. The priceless irony was that the very field I couldn’tget to take a crop, had in fact taken hold of me. Ah –– sothat’s what the spade’s for.

www.yara.co.uk

Plan for autumnwhen planting this spring

After a wet and cold winter following an awful autumn,it’s important to look to the long term if maximum yieldpotential is to be achieved. CPM seeks advice on pulling

sodden soils back into condition.

By Mick Roberts

The soil profile pit will reveal where

problems lie, and becareful not to work

much deeper than this.

“

”

Crops mauled into wet, poorly structuredsoils this spring are unlikely to achievetheir best potential. In the process, warnexperts, this could also be laying the foundations for further problems thisautumn and jeopardise 2014 yields.

Unless it’s possible to repair the soil structure andcreate decent seedbeds, those looking to boost next season’s yields need to consider carefully the knock-oneffects of this spring’s fieldwork, says independent soiland machinery consultant Philip Wright.

“When you weigh up spring sowing’s disadvantagesthere’s a really good case to leave certain fields fallow.This’ll provide time to remedy any damage, help combatweeds and reduce the risk of making matters worse,” he maintains.

“What’s more, sowing a cover crop will help draw out moisture, protect the soil and crops with aggressiverooting, and can also provide an element of naturalrestructuring.

“The worst fields are also likely to have the poorest and wettest soils, which will generally harbour the highestamounts of blackgrass. A fallow period will offer ampleopportunities to blitz the grassweeds with glyphosate,” he says.

Taking into account of the establishment, growingcosts, lower yields and change to rotations, spring sowingcould be costly compared to the potential for preparing thefields ready for a good, early sown first wheat for harvest2014. “Spring crops are also later to harvest, so could

restrict the time available to repair existing damage andcould create even more problems next autumn,” he adds.

In all situations, he advises the first step has to be toget out into the fields with a spade, dig profile pits andmake decisions on a field-by-field basis –– certain areas within fields may even need to treated differently. If the damage isn’t too deep and can be repaired with cultivations this spring, then there’s no reason not to sowa crop, but it may mean treating headlands differently tothe main area of the field.

“In most cases, even if the top dries out sufficiently,it’s still going to be wet underneath. While wide, lowground-pressure tyres will help, it’s vital to keep axleloads low –– small tractors with light mounted equipmentare the best option.

“The soil profile pit will reveal where problems lie, andbe careful not to work much deeper than this,” he adds.“Sub-soiling will be a real challenge and one that’s


Digging a profile pit will reveal the true soilstructure and depth of any damage, says Philip Wright.

probably left to later in the year. But if the surface cansupport the tractor and the soils are in a less-than-plasticstate, there could be an opportunity to repair shallowercompaction, or even consider mole drainage later in the spring.”

At the LAMMA show and other recent events, staff at Great Plains, the manufacturer of Simba equipment,have been fielding a huge number of enquiries from itscustomers and others looking for advice on cultivationsfor spring sowing.

“Depending on their cropping, rotations and locationssome farmers will be planting spring crops for the first time in recent years,” explains David Holmes, UK Sales Director.

Farmers are typically facing three main field situationsto deal with – wet, over-wintered ploughed land, stubblesleft untouched since harvest and/or repairing ruts plus compaction caused in the harvest or by lastautumn’s operations.

“The aim this spring will be to select the rightmachine and adapt the settings and adjustments to suit

the conditions. This will also include tine design, workingdepth, and the right roller to leave a safe, weatherprooffinish as well as assessing whether or not there’s a needto repair the soil structure. This also needs to be done ona field-by-field basis and, importantly, after digging pitsto assess the conditions and depth for any compaction or damage. Much of this may be shallower than it firstappears,” he explains.

For over-wintered plough land, David Holmes suggests pressing with an element of cultivation usingmachines such as the UniPress or CultiPress for levellingand cultivating. “It’s important not to go too deep andbring up wet soil from below. The idea is to work shallowin the top profile with the standard ‘DD’ rings consolidatingthe soil to leave a weatherproof surface,” he adds.

The trailed or mounted Simba X-Press will be a goodoption for working down some ploughed soils and, moretypically, stubbles that have been left uncultivated, saysDavid Holmes.

“The main benefit is the ability to adjust the angle ofthe discs between 0-25°, which provides the flexibility toadjust it to suit the soil type and conditions. It’s best toreduce the angle for working on ploughed or wet land.But if the ground hasn’t been touched since autumn, thenyou can increase the disc angle to incorporate theresidues. The following DD rings consolidate and leave a weatherproof seedbed. This year we’ve also introduceda range of new rollers to suit various soil types and conditions.

“The most important point is to check the work andactually make adjustments. The aim will always be towork the dry surface and leave the wet soil belowuntouched –– possibly setting it to work no deeper than 100mm,” he adds.

The tine bar at the front on the X-Press ST will also offer those who have the right conditions an opportunity to repair the soil structure with springoperations. The five ST, loosening tines can work

At the recent LAMMA show, Great Plainsintroduced a range of new rollers to suit differing soil types and conditions.

Care needed on heavy soils

Tom Hawthorne is working towards a controlledtraffic system at Flawborough Farms.

down to 250mm ahead of the discs and rear roller.“Alternatively the DTX, SL and SLD cultivators, which

are tine and disc machines, offer the ability to vary tinedepth and cultivate the surface with adjustable discs as wellas the tine only Flatliner range. This season it’s crucial toselect the tine design and wings to match the soil moistureand conditions. If it’s dry underneath, you may require adifferent tine design than if, which is more likely, it’s wetbelow,” he says.

The machines can be equipped with the ST –– ShallowTine, LD –– Low Disturbance or Pro-Lift –– deeper working, which can be specified with different wings. “The soil type, structural damage and moisture will determine what is most appropriate, but it’s vital to set itcorrectly and not operate below the ‘critical depth’, whichcould cause smearing.

“Any operations this spring, however, must be carriedout with an eye on autumn work and harvest 2014. There’sno point making more of a mess, struggling to grow acostly, later-harvested crop. It’ll get you into a situationwhere there’s not enough time or the right conditions torepair existing damage and put harvest 2014 yields at risk.

“For autumn 2013 the same principles apply. Get thespade out and, just as this spring, assess the fields individually and select the right leg and wing for the prevailing conditions,” he stresses. n

Notts-based Flawborough Farms, in commonwith many others in the country, has managed to establish less than half of its cropping, whichwould normally comprise winter wheat andoilseed rape.

“We have some very heavy land here,”comments Tom Hawthorne. “I know everybodysays that, but it’s very heavy and difficult. We just had too much rain.

“We did manage to get in 900ha of oilseedrape, but then we had 40mm of rain, the soiltemperature dropped to 3°C, the slugs woke upand that was the end. It just didn’t stop raining.The river has flooded four times –– normally wewould expect about 550mm of rain, this yearwe’ve had 900mm,” he adds.

The farm hasn’t been ploughed since the1960s and is currently working towards using a

controlled traffic farming (CTF) system, directdrilling mainly the oilseed rape and minimumtillage for the wheat. This spring he intends todrill spring beans, linseed and oilseed rape,preferably without any preceding cultivations.

Last season the farm switched to using aSimba SLD cultivator that Tom Hawthorne saysleaves a finer finish than its predecessor andmoves the one pass system further forward. “Lastautumn we generally ran it with the discs in fullwork over most of the field and dropped the tinelegs in for the tramlines and headlands. If there’sany compaction remaining following this we’reconfident we can remove it this year.”

He always digs holes to check whether soils need restructuring and to determine at what depth to set the legs. “Our aim is to do one pass with the SLD, possibly with a

Simba 6.6m wide UniPress behind,” he adds.While the cultivator is likely to remain in the

shed this spring, it’ll be used in the autumn forthe bulk of the cultivations. “We’ll run it veryshallow without the legs whenever possible,but drop in the legs to restructure the soil where necessary.”

5cpm magazine barn-filling wheats

The aim this spring will be to select the rightmachine and adapt the settings and adjustmentsto suit the conditions, advises David Holmes.

Pulling apartthe barn-fillers

Going all out for yield starts with picking the rightgenetic material. CPM takes six leading Group 4s fromthe Recommended Lists and analyses their strengths.

By Tom Allen-Stevens

What you’ll notice is the

tillering – it’s veryvigorous.

“

”

AAtt ffiirrsstt ggllaannccee,, cchhoooossiinngg aa vvaarriieettyy tthhaatt’’llllffiillll tthhee bbaarrnn iiss aa pprreettttyy ssiimmppllee jjoobb:: ttaakkeetthhee HHGGCCAA RReeccoommmmeennddeedd LLiisstt ((RRLL)),, llooookkaalloonngg ‘‘UUKK ttrreeaatteedd yyiieelldd’’ aanndd ppiicckk tthheehhiigghheesstt –– jjoobb ddoonnee..

Or is it? Will the variety you pick perform on light land, for example? A different choice may nudge ahead in the north of England or Scotland, and the headline yield may belie some inconsistencies.

So we’ve taken six of the top performers from the RL,dug a little deeper and pulled them apart. There may only be1-2% of treated yield between most of them, but a little bitof insight into how they put on that yield can reveal how different management regimes, in certain situations, can get results that simply won’t show up in RL trials (see table on p8).

KWS SantiagoSantiago is the list leader on yield and therefore the onemost likely to make the grain trailer groan. First listed in2011, its scope of recommendation is limited to the eastand west regions only, but this doesn’t appear to haveknocked back sales –– it’s quickly risen to take 14% market share of winter wheat varieties certified in Englandand Wales for 2013 harvest. This puts the variety a shadebehind market leader JB Diego on 14.2%.

“It’s a very versatile variety that has that all-importantability to yield,” notes David Waite of Frontier. “It’s takenover from Oakley and performs well in both the first andsecond-wheat slot – it’ll be chosen as the mainstay feedvariety on a lot of UK farms.”

Disease resistance and straw stiffness is middle-of-the-road, he adds. “Santiago will benefit from a full fungicideand PGR programme.” But it has no stand-out weaknesses.“Like a lot on the RL, it matures late, which could put offsome growers, especially those further north.”

Heavy, fertile sites are where the variety will perform atits best, and where you can push it hardest, according toJohn Miles of KWS. “You want to aim for a mid-Sept, normal drilling window. It has a prostrate growth habitgrowing close to the ground, and what you’ll notice is thetillering –– it’s very vigorous. Santiago usually has over tentillers by mid Feb, and can have over 14 in a good season.”

One of the slowest to start in the spring, it’ll then produce a big canopy, he continues. “Once it picks up its boots, Santiago really gets going, and puts out a verybroad flag leaf. It’ll be a canopy you’ll want to manage ––the main thing is not to drill too early. Soil type and fertility


250

200

150

100

50

0KWS

SantagoKWS

KielderLeeds* Conqueror JB

DiegoGrafton

Mar

gin

ove

r tr

ials

co

ntro

l (£/

ha)

Margin over control – average Margin over control in best situation

Put a high-performance wheat in its best situation and itbring a higher return than the headline RL yield suggests.

John Miles reckons Kielder has the potential tooutshine Santiago on heavy, fertile sites

Source: HGCA 2013/14RL; assumes wheat @ £200/t; * based on limited data

Financial performance of six leading wheat varieties

Even with lower tiller numbers, Santiago has thepotential to yield as long as nothing is limitingduring the grain-fill period.

will decide how it puts on its canopy in spring, but a robustPGR programme will help as the straw is not as stiff as Oakley.”

This year, tiller retention will be important, and with fewcrops sporting more than four or five per plant, they’ll needcareful feeding, advises John Miles. “The potential to yieldwill still be there, as long as nothing is limiting during the

grain-fill period. Santiago’s relatively late maturing, so willneed a good root structure and a clean canopy throughoutthe season to help it fill all the grain sites.”

Blow-away sands and drought-prone sites are unlikelyto bring the best from Santiago, he adds. “Its eyespot scoreis low, which doesn’t make it a natural second wheat, butagain the agronomics can help compensate.”

KWS KielderNew to the RL, Kielder was lined up to be the natural successor to Santiago, and should have been a step-up onyield. But a poor performance in 2012, underlining the varietyas another that matures late, hit its average yield far harderthan others on the RL that had more years’ data to draw on.

“Kielder’s performance in 2010 and 2011 was exceptionally good –– it was so far in front, it was almostuntouchable,” recalls David Waite. “Don’t draw too manyconclusions from the 2012 harvest. It’ll probably outyieldSantiago this harvest, and has slightly stiffer straw. But wehaven’t seen much of it commercially, yet.”

A slightly earlier drilling date could suit Kielder, reckonsJohn Miles. “Hard feed growers doing well with Oakley andSantiago will like Kielder. It’s shorter and stiffer than Santiagoand there’s a better eyespot score, so it may do better as asecond wheat, too. Again, heavy, fertile sites are where it’llperform best, and where there’s most potential for it to significantly outshine Santiago.”

High-yielding wheats at a glanceKWS KWS

Santiago Kielder Leeds Conqueror JB Diego GraftonUK treated yield (% control) 107 106.3 106.4 105.2 102.5 100.4

Best situation Heavy land 2011* Light Late 2nd wheat 2012*land land autumn

Yield in best situation (t/ha) 11.6 11.0 10.7 9.8 9.2 8.9

Specific weight (kg/hl) 74.6 73.8 77.8 74.8 77.1 77.8

Year first listed 2011 2013 2013 2010 2008 2009

2013 market share** (%) 14.0 - - 3.0 14.2 6.3

Lodging without PGR (%) 4 4 4 11 4 1

Height without PGR (cm) 87 83 88 85 88 76

Ripening (days +/- Solstice) +2 +3 +2 +2 0 -1

Disease resistance

Yellow rust 5 4 7 6 8 6

Septoria tritici 5 5 5 4 5 5

Brown rust 6 7 5 6 4 3

Mildew 5 4 3 3 5 7

Eyespot 3 [7] [5] 3 5 8

Fusarium ear blight 6 6 7 6 6 5

Orange wheat blossom midge R R R R - -

Source: HGCA Recommended List 2013/14; **NIAB TAG England and Wales; [ ] limited data*2011 trials favoured late maturing varieties; 2012 trials favoured early maturing varieties

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www.greatplainsmfg.co.uk

Wheats with high potential will need careful nurturing

from cold, sodden soils.CPM seeks specialist advice

on nutrition needs.

By Andrew Blake

In the Midlands and the North, Grafton sells as wellas JB Diego, says David Waite.

LeedsNewcomer Leeds has entered the RL as the highest-yieldingsoft Group 4. But it’s a strong performer on light-land sites,and, as it name suggests, is likely to pick up a lot of interestnorth of the Humber, believes David Waite.

“Leeds came top in the HGCA north region trials, top in SRUC trials and also top in Scottish Agronomy trials. It’s got the highest specific weight of any of the Group 4sand it’s favoured for distilling, so has a lot going for it. Butyou’ll need to watch it for mildew and not drill too early,” he points out.

Leeds is quite a quick developer, best suited to the standard winter-wheat drilling window, advises John Miles.“Drill too early and there’s a danger it’ll be too thick by mid season.

“There’s more in the package, disease-wise, which gives Leeds a bit of wiggle room. The yellow rust score is better, although mildew is a weakness, and its high fusarium ear blight score could explain its strong performance in 2012. Light land and later sowings also look good for Leeds, but there’s not yet enough data to draw too many conclusions.”

ConquerorConqueror’s strength shows when it’s sown late. It made its RL debut in 2010, and is the highest-yielding Group 4 on the late-sown autumn list, making it a favourite following potatoes or sugar beet. It now commands about 3% market share in England and Wales.“Conqueror’scarved out a niche in the late-sown slot and fills it quitenicely,” notes David Waite. “Avoid drilling it too early,

though –– it’ll grow too thick and you’ll have problemskeeping it standing.”

Good in poor, cold seedbeds, Conqueror’s speed ofdevelopment and ability to tiller puts it in front from a latesowing, says John Miles. “From mid Oct onwards, it’ll puton an extra couple of tillers on Santiago sown at the sametime, which is important for wheat bulb fly.

“In spring, it gets away relatively early. It moves a bitquicker on lighter land and does fairly well as a secondwheat.” But there are low disease scores and it’s prone tolodging, he warns. “It’ll need a robust fungicide and PGRprogramme, although it has strong adult plant resistance to yellow rust that kicks in at flag leaf.”

JB DiegoIt may not be the highest yielder on the RL, but a rock-solidperformance from JB Diego has earned the variety a largeloyal following and put it ahead as the market leader. JBDiego first came on the list in 2008, has a good specificweight and yellow rust score and performs well over a widerange of soil types and sowing dates.

It’s also the variety with the least variation in yield performance among the Group 4s, across all regions, yearsand situations, points out David Waite. “Growers like JB Diego because it’s consistent and reliable –– it won’t let you down.

“It’ll probably remain the mainstay wheat on a lot offarms, where growers will introduce another variety to compare against it. It performs well as a second wheat, has a good rating for yellow rust, but a low score for brown rust.”

GraftonDon’t underestimate the value of an early maturing wheat,notes David Waite. “In the Midlands and the North, Graftonsells as well as JB Diego. You can sow it early, it has verystiff straw, then you can harvest it early and there’s a goodspecific weight, too. Early maturity doesn’t show up on theRL, but it’s a great management tool.”

On the RL since 2009, Grafton is the third most popularGroup 4, with 6.3% market share. The 2012 RL results show the variety up as a relatively strong performer, whichsuggests that it was helped along by its early maturity. The harvest date and suitability to early sowing makes it particularly valuable for growers in the North, according toDavid Waite, where it’s frequently grown as the companionvariety to the mainstay high yielder.

The variety helps spread the workload, too, says John Miles. “Most on the RL mature late, so Grafton fits in around your other wheats. It does fairly well as a second wheat, which makes it really valuable as an entry to oilseed rape.” n

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www.greatplainsmfg.co.uk


Backward crops need prioritising.

Their root size andhealth will have been

compromised by the waterlogged

conditions.

Kick-starting a wheat into top performance this spring will need to take account of variable growth overwinter and widespread sodden soils thatwill have lost much of their potentiallyavailable nitrogen, advises Mark Tuckerof Yara.

Not all crops need extra care. “For those that are asyou’d like to see them by this stage –– looking relativelyhealthy –– it will be ‘business as usual’ in terms of timingand split. They should receive 25% of their total nitrogenin early March followed by 50% of the total in April withthe final 25% going on in May.”

However soil testing has highlighted some very lowsoil N reserves, he warns, which may affect overall rate.

Across six sample farms, where the previous cropswere cereals or oilseed rape, the average total mineral Nfigure of 108.5kg/ha on 12 Oct had dropped to 33kg/haby 13 Jan. “That’s only 57% of the Jan 2012 figure on thesame farms, so total N rates may need to be 20-30kg/hahigher this year.”

If the crop value remains high and growers boughttheir nitrogen fertiliser early, the breakeven ratio (the cropyield in kg needed to pay for 1kg of N) may be nearer to

Feeding the hungry cropWheats with high potential will need careful nurturing

from cold, sodden soils.CPM seeks specialist advice

on nutrition needs.

By Andrew Blake

4:1 than 5:1, he adds. “That will also justify using moreN. For every change in ratio of 1 the recommendationchanges by 10kg/ha, and the Fertilizer Manual (RB209) is based on a ratio of 5:1,” points out Mark Tucker.

“Backward crops are different and need prioritising,”he continues.

“Biomass per ha is the fundamental basis of yield with 50% of it going into the grain, so crops low in biomass have lower yield potential. This can beaddressed through high rates of early nitrogen to promote leaves and tiller development.

“Think of those crops as second wheats and treatthem accordingly. As with second wheats their root size and health will have been compromised by the waterlogged conditions. Nitrogen uptake efficiency will bereduced so higher N rates will be needed to compensate,”he notes (see table 1).

“In terms of giving crops a kick start in the spring,phosphate can be a key nutrient. Phosphorus is notoriously immobile in soil, and cold wet conditions further aggravate the situation (see chart).”

Plants need roots to be well established to seek and absorb nutrients from the soil, but they first needphosphorus to grow those roots, he explains.

“A shot of well timed foliar phosphate might well beseen as a quick energy ‘drink’ for the crop. Phosphorus is at the heart of all the plant’s energy processes.

“A formulated product gets quickly to where it’s needed, by-passing the cold soil, and overcomes thetemporary shortage to help stimulate soil uptake.”

A crop’s total phosphorus need cannot be met byfoliar sprays, he acknowledges. “But a typical 5 l/ha spraywill supply 2.2kg/ha P2O5, which can usefully meet theimmediate demand and help the crop go on to look after

“

”

Soil testing has highlighted some very low soil Nreserves, warns Mark Tucker.

Urea or AN?

Take account of potential ammonia loss andspreading quality when assessing how muchproduct to apply.

Growers’ nitrogen application decisions musttake account of the type of fertiliser theyapply, urges Mark Tucker.

“With standard urea, ammonia loss maybe a key issue. That loss is highest when thesoil is moist at application, and hydrolysisstarts the urea conversion, followed by dryconditions. Small canopies will not recapturethe ammonia N.

“So the best scenario is for application tobe followed by rain within two to three days.If this doesn’t fall, ammonia loss may typicallybe 20-30%. With ammonium nitrate it will beonly 3-5%.

“If losses are high, then higher rates ofnitrogen, perhaps 10-20%, will be needed to compensate for this lower nitrogen-useefficiency.

“Depending on the quality of the ureaprills, care needs to be taken at application to avoid striping,” he adds.

“On the other hand, ammonium nitrate is at greater risk of leaching as it providesdirectly available nitrogen. So if extensive rainis forecast, three-way splits are consideredbest practice.”

s

“It’s worth addressing any likely shortages with soil-applied phosphate, along with your nitrogen. In recent trials, yield increases of 0.5-0.8t/ha in wheat havebeen seen.

“Sulphur leaches like nitrate nitrogen, so levels arelikely to be low this season and early sulphur will be critical. It differs from nitrogen in that it’s not easily remobilised in the plant, deficiency showing first in theyoungest leaves. So I’d advise multiple sulphur applications with nitrogen to meet the demands of new growth.

“Potash often goes without a mention, but it’s

itself, via soil reserves and freshly supplied fertilisers.”Canopy size must also be borne in mind –– as the

2012 season showed, the biggest crops need plenty ofenergy to support themselves, and without it yield suffers,he warns. “But it’s important not to create an oversizedcanopy because yield comes also from grains/ear andgrain size.”To increase the canopy size, he suggests three options: 1. An early, high-rate dressing, such as 80-100kgN/ha,

as soon as travel is possible, although that may risk fertiliser run-off.

2. An early application of 50kgN/ha followed two weeks later by another 50kgN/ha.

3. As soon as travel is possible, wake the crop with foliar phosphate or formulated nitrogen products, and follow up with solid fertiliser 10-14 days later.“All depend on the weather and workload. If the latter’s

an issue, then an early high rate of N, followed by areview as the crop moves into March, is the only realisticoption, although there may still be a risk of run-off.”

Many trials results in wheat suggest that the averagestarting point for total N inputs is 220-230kg/ha, he notes. “But the range is typically 150-260kgN/ha. So growers should explore whether they need to raise or lower the figure.

“Historic nitrogen cores, knowledge of the field, anduse of organic manures or digestate products may permitlower N recommendations. Very low nitrogen levels, poorroot systems, and high yield potential all lead to higherrecommendations.”

Tools such as N Plan are available to get field-specificfigures, he points out. “These calculations are importantso that Nmax calculations can also be made and theresults compared with field plans.

“The starting point does vary in terms of crop,although the soil starting point, for example where the N levels are low, will be similar.”

It’s also important to consider how the plant utilisesthe applied N –– during March and stem extension, cereals take up 2-4kgN/ha every day, he notes. “It’s the‘grand-growth’ phase. As the plant then reaches floweringit redistributes its nitrogen to support grain fill. Up to60% of yield can come from plant reserves, while theother 40% will mainly be from photosynthesis by the flagleaf and ear.

“Adequate magnesium levels in the leaf are importantthroughout the season, but essential at grain fill. There’s adirect relationship between magnesium content in grainand thousand-grain weights.

“So with the likely poor root development this season,magnesium will be a nutrient to keep an eye on by usingleaf analysis. The simple alternative is to consider feedinglittle and often, with the nutrient taking a ‘free ride’ in tankmixes with other inputs.”

The period of crop demand for phosphorus, potassium and other elements is similar to that for nitrogen, through March, April and May, when large biomass changes occur, notes Mark Tucker.

“Soil types vary in their phosphate availability, and70% of its uptake occurs in the eight weeks from the end of Feb.

The three micronutrients of importance in cerealsare manganese, copper and zinc, says Yara’s Roy Houlden.

“Where they’re likely to be limiting, any or allshould be applied relatively early in the crop’sgrowth and before stem extension.

“Most growers know whether they usually needto supply manganese, but they may be less sureabout copper and zinc. A timely broad-spectrumleaf tissue analysis, when crops begin to grow and demand for nutrients rises, should help them decide.”

Small plants this year may struggle to get thenutrients they need, he continues. “Hidden hungerquickly robs crops of yield potential well before anysymptoms are evident. If roots aren’t well developedbefore stem extension, the foliar route can providevaluable nutrition for plants struggling to seek elements from the soil.”

However, it’s worth remembering that over-supply of one nutrient can affect another’s availability, he warns. “For example, soil-applied sulphur levels above 100-125kgSO3/ha can lock up molybdenum which is critical for efficientnitrogen use.

“Nutrient management and flexibility may provemore important than usual this spring. Thankfullymost modern well formulated foliar products arevery tank-mixable, so there are usually plenty ofopportunities to ‘keep things going’ while applyingother products.

“If crops do encounter drought in April –– theystill just might if there’s little rain this spring and root and soil structures aren’t good –– then a

little-and-often ‘tonic’ of an NPK plus trace elements may be beneficial, again by-passing the soil to keep things going.

“Sulphur is most usefully and economicallyapplied with nitrogen in fertilisers, but if purchaseshave been made without it or with too little, there’san opportunity to meet peak demand via a foliarspray.

“Each 5 l/ha application of an ammonium thiosulphate-based product will supply a useful4.25kgSO3/ha –– about a tenth of the crop’s seasonal need, and certainly enough to meet peakdemand over the following week or 10 days.”

It’s worth remembering that soil pH has a bigimpact on crop nutrition, he adds. “Growers shouldstrive to keep it at the optimum of 6-6.5 for bestnutrient availability.”

Managing the micronutrients

Cold soils reduce phosphate availability.

The effect of early nitrogen on winter wheat tilleringFirst N Shoots/m2 Shoots/m2 % shoot Ears/m2 Yield t/hadressing on 23 March on 13 April number(kg/ha) increase

100 383 988 257 447 10.08

70 339 745 219 364 10.03

40 374 631 168 300 9

Source: Yara 2004; total N applied in each case 220kgN/ha

Hidden hunger quickly robs crops of yieldpotential well before any symptoms of nutrientdeficiency are evident, notes Roy Houlden.

100

80

60

40

20

021 18 16 13

Soil temperature (0C)

fundamental in the plant’s management of water loss andnitrogen uptake. Wheat’s daily demand during tilleringaverages 7.7kgK2O/ha –– it’s worth focusing on this intensity of need as you strive for higher yields,” notes Mark Tucker. n


s

www.kws-uk.com

Anyone who thought they spent toomuch on fungicides inlight of the low yields

should actually pat themselves on

the back.”

“


For anyone running wheat fungicide trials,2012 was a vintage year. The return of rainat the start of April saw latent septoriaexplode, and with few let-ups in the wetweather, disease pressure remained atunprecedented levels through to harvest.

“From a trials perspective it was a fascinating season,”says David Robinson, Frontier’s head of trials. “It allowedus to pick out some key differences in fungicide performance, even though yields were capped by the dull, cool weather.

“Anyone who thought they spent too much on fungicides in light of the low yields should actually patthemselves on the back –– there’s no doubt that robuststrategies paid off.”

Despite lower yields, which were 15-20% down on normal in line with many commercial crops, a comprehensive fungicide programme delivered excellentreturns, he notes. Overall the average response inFrontier’s variety trials over untreated plots was 4t/ha in2012, worth £700/ha –– a six-fold return on fungicidespend. Actual responses varied between 2.5t/ha for resistant varieties like Relay, and up to 7.5t/ha for varieties like Beluga, KWS Santiago and Torch.

Not surprisingly, T2 sprays aimed at the flag leaf,

Protection pays in a high-pressure year

Results from the 2012 fungicide trials deliver some powerful messages on disease control for the

current growing season. CPM seeks some advice for high-performance crops.

By Rob Jones

the key yield driver, produced the largest response acrossFrontier’s fungicides trials. “On average in these trials, T2 produced an extra 3.8t/ha. That would be worth over£650/ha at £175/t, a very good return on a typical spendof £45-55/ha.”

Given the early yellow rust pressure, T0 produced an extra 0.3t/ha, a near four-fold return on the £15/hafungicide cost, and T1 an additional 2t/ha, representing atleast a tenfold return on the £25-35/ha spent. T3 eked outa further 0.6t/ha, worth about £100/ha worth of yield froma £20 investment.

“We also applied a T4 two weeks after the T3 earspray, which gave an additional £120/ha of grain from thesame spend, which shows how sustained the diseasepressure was. However, this is the first time we’ve seen a response –– a T4 is only likely to be worthwhile inexceptional seasons such as 2012.”

Overall, the message is clear, he maintains –– given another high-pressure season a robust fungicideapproach is likely to pay again, even when yieldprospects are reduced.

Even in a dry year, such as 2011, fungicides coveredtheir costs, David Robinson points out. “We saw an average uplift of 0.4t/ha that year. Although ten times less than 2012, it was enough to pay for a pretty intensive programme.”

Assuming these past two seasons represent theextremes, in terms of response growers can expect anythingin between, and are very unlikely to lose money, he adds.

“It was a different story a few years ago when wheat wasworth £60/t, but now a relatively small increase in yield willcover the cost. Typically, in most seasons you could expectto build around 3t/ha with a comprehensive fungicide programme compared with untreated crops.”

Based on the results of these trials, David Robinsonbelieves growers can justify spending £100/ha and more onfungicides in medium and high-disease pressure years forbarn-filling wheats that promise to fulfil their potential.

“It’s worth remembering that high-output varieties alsotend to be more susceptible, so they’re worth looking after.”

2012 provided the first really stern test for SDHIs, henotes. While some growers may be reluctant to use SDHIstwice, David Robinson believes the findings speak for themselves. Crops treated with SDHI at both T1 and T2, the key timings, produced 0.5-0.75t/ha more than cropstreated with SDHI at T2 only in 2012.

Further work showed that a sequential T1/T2 SDHIapplication produced an extra 1.5t/ha over a conventionaltriazole-based programme, with the T1 timing producingabout 40% of that uplift and T2 the rest (see chart).

“Although there was a lot of disease about, it must beremembered that this was in a season when yields werecapped. I suspect in a more typical season we would belooking at similar results. I’d recommend growers use this approach in any year on crops with high yield potential –– they’re missing an opportunity if they don’t.”

Frontier’s trials provide some key pointers for the 2013season in terms of fungicide choice, says Christine Lilly, the company’s technical support manager.

“The big difficulty is going to be the huge range of cropdevelopment –– some were drilled on time, but

Christine Lilly believes everyone will probablyhave to brush up on their skills when assessinggrowth stages.

The average response to fungicides in Frontier’svariety trials was worth £700/ha in 2012, reportsDavid Robinson.

some were established very late and continue to struggle.Some growers may have a spread of three or four monthsin terms of crop growth, and many will have to treat cropsalmost on a field-by-field basis.”

While product choice won’t change much, timing willbe critical. “Everyone will probably have to brush up ontheir skills when assessing growth stages, especially theearly ones –– by T2 most backward crops will havecaught up.”

T0 sprays need to be applied at GS30, right at the endof tillering and just prior to stem elongation, she explains.Some could be two weeks later than normal.

“Assessing T1 is trickier, especially on small crops ––you may have to dissect plants to ensure it’s the target thirdleaf that’s emerging –– go when at least half is showing.Backward crops may be a week to 10 days behind.”

Disease threat is low, judging by crops in late Jan.“There are no reports of yellow rust. Septoria is present,and mildew is one to watch. It can be a threat on late-drilled crops, particularly if manganese is short.Usually adding proquinazid at T0 at up to half rate willsuffice –– if plants are covered earlier on, then applyingthis alone should clean up the infection.”

Despite the lack of disease, T0 remains a soundinvestment, and will be on most crops in most seasons,Christine Lilly maintains. “For the vast majority of varieties,especially the high-yielding barn-fillers that tend to be themost disease-prone, it’s definitely recommended.

“The main aim is to stop the build-up of disease andget on top of things early. This’ll provide more flexibilityaround the T1 timing –– important if it turns wet –– andreduce the need to rely on eradication at T1. Triazoles aremuch less effective in this regard than they used to be.”

A T0 will also protect the lower leaves which contribute more to yield on backward crops, making iteven more important this season, she adds. A half rate of tebuconazole or similar, plus 1 l/ha of chlorothalonil toboost protectant activity and as an anti-resistance strategy,buys an extra four weeks’ protection for about £20/ha.

At T1 the latest generation of SDHIs –– she favoursbixafen or fluxapyroxad –– plus triazole (such as Aviator

or Adexar) are the favoured options at 60-70% of full ratefor fluxapyroxad products and 80% for bixafen products,costing around £30-35/ha. “There shouldn’t be much disease if a T0 was used, but it’s what the weather doesafterwards that’s important –– septoria especially cansoon bounce back.

“It makes sense to use SDHIs at this stage –– they’reclearly better at protecting yield than anything else wehave. This was certainly evident last season –– growerswho switched in to new products saw the biggest benefits.Even in 2011 we saw some benefits in some trials.”

Where eyespot threatens, typically on early-drilled,susceptible second wheats, Christine Lilly favours three-quarter rate of first-generation SDHI boscalid plusepoxiconazole (as in Tracker). At least a half rate of prothioconazole+ tebuconazole (such as Prosaro), plus 1 l/ha chlorothalonil, could be used where fusariumthreatens, typically after maize or a second wheat following a badly infected crop, as there’s evidence this helps with early control.

Whatever the primary choice, she recommends addingat least a 40% strobilurin –– typically pyraclostrobin (as in Comet) –– to boost yellow rust control.

The same new generation SDHIs at T2 are a must, sheadvises, though growers should consider swapping toensure a change of triazole to help slow loss of sensitivityin septoria strains.

Christine Lilly recommends a full rate of bixafen orthree-quarter-rate fluxapyroxad as the yield benefits easilyrepay the average £40/ha cost. “Even in a minimalresponse year you can expect to get 1t/ha back. There’sno question over using SDHIs here –– if people insist ononly one application this is the timing to go for.” Again,pyraclostrobin should be added where either yellow orbrown rust threaten.

What about a T1.5?

An intermediate spray may be needed to keepdisease out if there’s a longer than expectedgap to T2.

Cool weather during the 2012 spring delayed thespeed of development of the leaf layer on manycrops, says David Robinson. As a result, T1 fungicides weren’t persistent enough to protect the crop through to the T2 timing.

“Fungicides will provide protection for 3.5-4weeks. Beyond that you’re potentially opening up the crop to re-infection.”

After that period, each day’s delay in a high disease-pressure year can reduce yield by 0.1t/ha,he notes. “If it stays damp, keep an eye on the calendar after applying the T1 spray. If you anticipatea longer than expected gap to T2, don’t rely on eradicant activity –– apply an intermediate half-ratetriazole to provide the additional cover you need.”

Seed-dressing needEffective protection starts with a good triazole seed dressing, which in trials has shown to increase yield by 0.5t/ha over crops grown from

undressed seed when a T1 spray was omitted.“Growers won’t see that sort of increase,

but that result shows how long the effect willlast. It can certainly build in flexibility to theearly part of a fungicide programme,” saysDavid Robinson.

T3 decisions are driven by the weather –– if a robustflag leaf spray has been applied and it stays dry theremight be a case not to spray, she notes. If disease pressureremains high, prothioconazole+ tebuconazole at half tothree-quarter rate will help suppress fusarium. n


2.0

1.5

1.0

0.5

0Trials included a range of varieties across three sites

Horningsea (Cambs)

Haywold (Yorks)

Nettleham (Lincs)

Yield advantage of SDHI over triazole +strobilurin at T2 on winter wheat (t/ha)

We know what the issues are, and havethe sprayer capacity to

deal with them.”

“

There are two sprayers in the shed atChurch Farm, Little Witchingham, nearNorwich –– a self-propelled Landquip witha 3000-litre tank, and a trailed John Deerewith a 6000-litre tank. There’s also arange of cultivation kit for both min till and deep cultivations.

The aim for Edward Jones, who farms 1600ha undervarious contract farming arrangements within a six-mileradius, is to keep things flexible. “We’ve no hard-and-fastrules about what we do and when we’ll do it. But

timeliness of applications is crucial –– we try to do everyjob to an optimum level. And we monitor carefully aswell, walking the crops regularly and inspecting soilsbefore we touch them.”

This is how he aims to bring the best out of hiswheats. There’s 490ha of Group 4 varieties across hissoils that range from sandy loam to heavy clay. “It’s allfeed to keep storage simple and all goes to local feedmills or to the port.”

Continuous wheat is grown on the heavier land, whilethe rotation takes in sugar beet, vining peas, forage maize

for an anaerobic digester, rye, oilseed rape and winter and spring barley. Land is also rented for potatoes.

“We achieve our highest yields behind the vining peas–– that’s where we consistently get over 10t/ha. I knowthere are some parts of the farm that’ll bring in 11-12t/ha.

Capacity key tocrop care


A flexible approach and arange of kit that can respond

to the changing needs of acrop and the season are howNorfolk grower Edward Jones

gets the best from his barn-filling wheats.

By Tom Allen-Stevens


Central to Edward Jones’ nutrient and cultivationstrategies is that what’s taken out must beinvested back in.

But the five-year average is 9t/ha for the first wheats and8.5t/ha for second and continuous wheats.”

Oakley and KWS Santiago make up the lion’s share of the wheat portfolio, with JB Diego grown continuouslyor as a second wheat. “We’re looking for yield, and that’swhat Oakley brings. It’s more expensive to grow but ityields consistently –– we get a solid performance out of it across all our soil types. We know what the issues are,and have the sprayer capacity to deal with them.

“Santiago is the new kid on the block, that we grew forthe first time in 2012. We didn’t have a great time with itlast year. It was a good, heavy crop, but was caught closeto harvest with the monsoon-like rain. By the time we gotthe harvester to it, it had started to brackle and go down.But it’s looking good this year and we’re hoping for thesame consistent performance we’ve had from Oakley.

“I like JB Diego for its flexibility –– it’s a good, all-round performer over various soil types and drillingwindows. We’re also trying 10ha of Relay for the first timethis year –– it looks good, but the proof of the puddingwill come when the combine goes through.”

Cultivations are matched to conditions on the day asmuch as possible. Edward Jones carefully monitors fieldsto keep a watch on any areas of compaction that needremedying. The primary cultivations kit consists of aVäderstad TopDown which is followed by a Rapid drill.There are ploughs and a power-harrow combination drill“if it all goes wrong”, and a Simba DTX is used as aback-up when deeper loosening is required.

“The challenge for us with a range of soil types isbeing in the right place at the right time with the rightpiece of kit. You have to go with the soil conditions andwhat’s right on the day. So it’s important to have flexibilityin the kit you have in the shed.”

The first step after the combine leaves the field is toget the spade out. “We’ll take a look at the condition ofthe soil first. If all’s well, then generally the TopDown goes in and it’s left to go stale.

“The DTX works well to restore conditions, especiallyfollowing root crops. There’s a bigger point with a wing,and it’ll go down to that magical 12-inch (30cm) zone,where most of our damage lies. We’ll burn off withglyphosate 3-4 days before drilling, and liven up the topwith the TopDown if it’s gone crusty.”

It’s a different approach for crops established thisspring. “Before the spring barley goes in, we’ll need torestructure, so we’ll plough and press and then go in withthe power-harrow combination drill –– conditions aresuch that min till won’t be an option. It was a completelydifferent kettle of fish last year.”

But extra care is being taken to preserve structure.“We have to be conscious with the heavier kit we usethese days that the damage is going deeper. Soil is like abank –– we can’t keep taking out and expect it to performfor us. You have to reinvest back into it.”

This philosophy drives the nutrient strategy, too.Edward Jones is keen to ensure organic matter levels aremaintained, with farmyard manure spread wherever hecan, and he incorporates as much straw as possible.

The farm is SOYL-mapped and treated accordingly forpH, phosphate and potash. “Are we saving money?

Probably not, but we’re distributing a very expensivecommodity and only putting it where it’s needed, matching it to the crop’s needs –– that’s more important,in my view.”

The nitrogen was also variably applied for the firsttime last year. “The jury’s out on whether it’s bringing areal benefit. I thought it would show up the soil typesmore, but we had very even maps. It could just be a resultof the strange season, so I’m keeping an open mind.”

This year nitrogen dressings will have to take accountof the variability of the crop, he points out. “Some cropsare looking good –– our early drilled Oakley looks fantastic, for example. But some of the Santiago and second wheats are struggling.

“It’ll be ‘business as usual’ on the healthier wheats,but where they’re looking backwards I suspect we’ll needa little-and-often approach. There’s a small root mass ––if we load it too much, we’ll lose a lot down the drain. Theimportant thing is to keep an eye on what we’re presentedwith and remain completely flexible –– this is a yearwhen you mustn’t be afraid to deviate from the norm.”

Even keelWhile most of the nitrogen is liquid, solid ammoniumnitrate is generally applied as the last dressing to avoidscorch. Trace elements are applied in front of sugar beetand Edward Jones is confident this keeps levels of mostnutrients on an even keel. “Manganese is often limiting,so we generally supplement this for the wheats. Theysoon let us know when they’re lacking –– that’s the natureof these thinner soils.”

Once crops begin to move in the spring, they’rewalked once a week with Frontier agronomist AndrewMelton. “Yellow rust is obviously a major worry, given theportfolio of varieties, but Septoria tritici has historicallycaused greater problems and 2012 was such a year,” he says.

The season starts with a robust T0. “We alwaysinclude a good rate of chlorothalonil to offer a good levelof protection through to the T1 timing. This also allowsus a degree of flexibility if there are delays within the programme.”

Here, Andrew Melton favours a boscalid+ epoxiconazole mixture. “Depending on the season we might add more triazole to help with the rust and septoria.”

SDHIs were used last year at the T2 timing. Where bixafen was used, it was in a mixture with prothio-conazole and tebuconazole. The fluxapyroxad mixtureincluded pyraclostrobin, as well as epoxiconazole.

“In the two previous years to last year there may havebeen little response to fungicides, but there was enoughevidence to indicate that SDHIs were paying for them-selves. In 2012, the extreme weather patterns ensured thiswas indeed the case.

“But it soon became apparent last year that the weather had taken a different pattern. We had to be reallyon our guard and up the ante. Edward and his teamresponded and managed to keep on top of timings and applications.”

In some places, this meant a T1.5, to top up

protection in the long gap between leaf three and flag-leafemergence. A prothioconazole+ tebuconazole mix wasapplied at T3 to keep out fusarium and stay on top offoliar diseases.

But there was no T4 or subsequent sprays. “We couldhave carried on into the night, but we took the decisionthere would have been little return on any extra investment made that late in the season,” maintainsAndrew Melton. “We’d kept rates robust and adapted the programme to the needs of the crop. If faced with asimilar season, I’d far rather go with a strong, four-sprayprogramme than add extra timings.”

So what about results? Bearing in mind the lack ofsunlight, Edward Jones is happy with the yields achievedlast year. “Specific weight held up well –– we got 72kg/hlat the start of harvest. The last 15% of crops harvesteddidn’t perform quite so well, but specific weight didn’tdrop too much –– down to 68kg/hl.

“I think this was down to being able to respond to the changing season –– we’ve two sprayers, and the John Deere can really kill some ground. So we kept on top of timings, and that paid off for us at harvest.” n

H Jones Farms, Church Farm, LittleWitchingham, near Norwich

l Staff: 3 full-time, 2 part-time,1 seasonal hire

l Combine: John Deere S690il Tractors: JD 7530 x3, JD 8530 x1l Sprayer: Landquip CV 170 3000-litre

self-propelled, JD 962i 6000-litre trailed with 32m boom

l Spreader: Bogballe M3Wl Drill: 8m Väderstad Rapid, Machio/Accord

4m power-harrow drill combination combination, 18-row Kliene precision drill

l Ploughs: Kuhn 7f, Vogel and Noot 5fl Cultivation: 3m Simba DTX 300, 6.6m

Simba Uni Press, 5m Väderstad TopDown,6m Väderstad NZ with Crosskill rolls, 6m Lemken Terradisc

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