North

Three pointers for weed and disease control in cereals and oilseed rape in the North this October

Crop Progress

The oilseed rape area in the north could be up by as much as 15-20% based on conversations I’ve had. The increase is based on some decent crops last season giving more confidence, and the price – with it that high it is a hard crop to ignore.

Around 90% of the crop was drilled before the August bank holiday, with a few later ones. On the whole it is looking pretty good. The hot weather in early September brought more cabbage stem flea beetle and some reports of damage but nothing widespread.

Further north in Country Durham and South Northumberland area wheat was being drilled in early September, but where the grassweed burden is much lower. Those crops are starting to emerge.

But the vast majority of the early drilled crops have only just gone in as we approach the last week of September. Winter barley and rye was also being drilled at this time.

Tom’s agronomy tips for October

1. Apply pre-emergence herbicides within 48 hours of drilling if possible

2. Consider topping up residual herbicides on early drilled wheats

3. Use SpotCheck to assess disease risk in oilseed rape

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James Howat – North Yorkshire

Q. How long have you worked for Bayer?
A. Just over two years. I initially covered south Scotland as a CTM, and then also became an account manager for Bayer’s seed treatment and Dekalb OSR & maize seed ranges. I’ve now moved south to take over Sean’s patch, while retaining the account manager responsibilities.

Q. Did you always want to work in agriculture?
A. My father is an agronomist, so agriculture has always been a part of my life, but it wasn’t what I initially drawn to. I went down to London after university to try the big city life and worked in the banking recruitment industry for two years. But I was gradually drawn back to Yorkshire and started working as a farm trader for Frontier Agriculture where I worked for seven years before making the move to Bayer.

Q. What innovation are you most excited about for the future of farming?
A. I’m excited about gene editing technologies, such as CRISPR, which could help solve food production and safety problems not just here in the UK, but the rest of the world too.

Tom Sowerby – South Yorkshire

Q. How long have you worked for Bayer?
A. I started this February, joining after three years with Corteva as part of its technical services team.

Q. Are you from a farming background?
A. Yes, I grew up on a small arable farm in North Yorkshire, and have always wanted to work in agriculture. I studied agriculture at Newcastle, graduating in 2016.

Q. How do you think farming is going to change in the next 5-10 years?
A. We’re going to see massive changes in the next 10 years. The environment is going to be the number one consideration when making decisions on farm. It’s going to be important that every section of the industry works together to create a sustainable future.

Q. What innovation / technology are you most excited about for the future of farming?
A. All the precision farming tools and systems are definitely something exciting for the future. As we can’t create more land it is important that we use land efficiently as possible, whether it be for quality or quantity. With everything becoming more digital and technologically focused it is important that agriculture embraces it.

Q. Where we would find you when you are not working?
A. Most likely playing or watching sport, whether it is cricket, golf, rugby or football. I find it is a great way to destress.

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