June
What's happening in wheat in June
Cereal crops across the country are looking healthy after fairly warm temperatures and rain in recent weeks, but it means there is the odd sign of disease in wheat crops.
T2 sprays have all been applied, and crops are holding on well. On the lightest land there were initially some early signs of drought stress, but recent rainfall should have provided the moisture required for them to reach full potential.
Disease pressure has been relatively low, but in some cases wheat crops are carrying a lot of latent Septoria. The recent rainy weather may have led to symptoms appearing and Septoria spreading through the crop. Showers just ahead of key fungicide timings have seen growers remain vigilant to the threat and fungicide programmes have generally been robust to protect yield.
Now, in the beginning of June, most if not all T2 fungicides will have been applied to wheat crops, so attention will soon turn to ear sprays. Fusarium and microdochium are now key targets due to the wet flowering period. We are also seeing yellow rust in some varieties, which will have prospered in the showery conditions of early June.
Priorities this month (location dependent):
- Time wheat T3 fungicide sprays at mid-flowering for most effective control, T3 fungicide timing is key for effective ear disease control in wheat
- Product choice and dose plays a big role in wheat ear disease control results
- Use a minimum 50% dose of PTZ when targeting ear disease complex
- Proline is the most effective product for fusarium and microdochium control in wheat
- If rust is a risk in your crop add tebuconazole or a strobilurin at T3
- Spray off bad blackgrass patches in wheat to reduce seed return