A survey of farmers and agronomists asking them their priorities for early spring work has revealed a stacked schedule and tough decisions. Crop protection manufacturer UPL carried out the survey as part of their Good Growing Club.
Unsurprisingly, applying nitrogen was the top priority for 52% of farmers. This was followed by drilling spring crops as the top priority for 32% of farmers. The results were more mixed when considering the early spring sprayer job list, with no standout.
Applying micronutrients and herbicides tended to have a greater focus than applying fungicides and plant growth regulators. It suggests a crowded to-do list, where, realistically, everything needs to be done, says Tom Wheelhouse, technical specialist at UPL.
“It’s no surprise that every respondent tank mixed at least two products; over 20% said they typically mix four,” adds Tom. “Tank mix compatibility and worries about crop scorch are cited as the main reason why they will not consider bigger mixes.”
Looking closer at T0 fungicides, three quarters regularly apply one. Azoles and strobilurins are the main chemistry, followed by the multisites folpet or Thiopron (sulphur) and plant health elicitors. This suggests that rust control is now the main focus of T0 sprays for farmers since strobilurins and older azoles like tebuconazole have little effect on septoria, says Tom.
“It is a big change since the days of chlorothalonil when most fungicide programmes began with a T0 multisite application for septoria control,” he notes.
Over 75% of farmers said the weather was the main challenge when applying a T0, with others also mentioning time constraints and correct timing as concerns. Thus, it is no surprise that almost 80% said that if their chosen fungicide had greater tank mix and application flexibility, it would help them with early disease control.
“There’s clearly a demand for greater flexibility in the fungicide products used at T0, so farmers should look closer at plant health elicitors like Iodus (laminarin).
“Once applied, the laminarin in Iodus moves through the plant, stimulating its defences. The mode of action means there is a lot more flexibility in when it is applied, because it doesn’t necessarily need to go on leaf four like a conventional T0 fungicide.
“Also, there are no known tank mix compatibility issues, allowing farmers to safely include it in mixes containing products that farmers would typically consider ‘hot’ like herbicides or PGRs.
“Iodus is perfectly suited to early spring when there is too much to do and insufficient time to do it,” declares Tom.
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