Crop Health

Pre-emergence weed control Weed pressure in winter beans tends to be low due to the later sowing date when fewer weeds germinate. However, beans are sown at a very low…

Potato groundkeepers and crop health in 2021 Volunteer potatoes are a significant threat to crop health principally because they can act as a reservoir of disease inoculum (e.g. blight, Rhizoctonia,…

Pests Wheat bulb fly egg laying will be dropping off now.  Growers should identify potential fields at risk and consider an assessment of egg numbers in fields planned for wheat.…

Diseases Early fungicide sprays for phoma are not cost-effective in Scotland except in areas where the disease is prevalent, and although the disease is sometimes recorded in Scottish crops, especially…

Pests The numbers of aphids flying into crops will be dropping with the change to cooler weather. There is still a risk of cereal aphids picking up barley yellow dwarf…

Slug damage is common in winter oilseed rape crops and wheat will be next on the menu.

Pests in Grain Ensure grain moisture is kept below 14% and pests in store won’t be an issue. Remember that pest problems arise because they are already present in the…