It is likely to be a low-risk year for wheat bulb fly (WBF), according to AHDB’s annual autumn survey.
The full WBF survey findings, released today (7 October 2016), show that 2016 ranks among the lowest-risk years for this pest since records began in 1984. Download the report.
With recent losses of authorisations for egg-hatch (chlorpyrifos) and deadheart (dimethoate) sprays, the latest findings will bring some welcome news to growers.
Dr Steve Ellis, who leads the survey at ADAS, said: “Monitoring began back in 1984 and only four years, including this year, have seen risk levels so low.
“Interestingly, three of these years have been in the last five. This is probably pure luck of the draw, rather than an indication of a long-term decline in WBF pressure.”
As part of the survey, soil samples are taken during September from 30 fields (split equally across eastern and north-eastern England) prone to attack from WBF and the number of WBF eggs/m² calculated.
The full dataset has confirmed findings from the provisional egg-count data, which suggested that 2016 would be a low-risk year.
