Lackham Farm - Student crop trial plots 2002/03

Trial Plot Information 2003

Plot 1 NDFM Messrs Luke, Maycock, O’Donnell, Webb
Soissons drilled 18.10.02 160 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

Plot 2 NDFM Messrs. Arnold, Flint, Freeman, Hill
Malacca drilled 18.10.02 160 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

Plot 3 NDFM Messrs. Higgins, Ellis, Grubb, Ball
Claire drilled 18.10.02 166 kg/ha – FAILED – old seed – poor germination
Now – Prestige drilled 14.3.02 175 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

Plot 4 NDA Messrs. Arthurs, Ponting, Morris
Claire drilled 18.10.02 140 kg/ha – FAILED – old seed – poor germination
Now – Prestige drilled 14.3.02 175 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

Plot 5 NDA Messrs. Oram, Bevan, Creed
Claire drilled 18.10.02 133 kg/ha – FAILED – old seed – poor germination
Now – Prestige drilled 14.3.02 175 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

Plot 6 NDFM Messrs. Beale, Ward, Bowman
Napier drilled 18.10.02 165 kg/ha – FAILED – old seed – poor germination
Now – Prestige drilled 14.3.02 175 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

Plot 7 NDA Messrs. Bumford, Barclay, Carver
Xi19 drilled 18.10.02 178 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

Plot 8 NDFM Messrs. King, Pratt, Pascoe, Yeo
Millenium drilled 18.10.02 106 kg/ha
No P or K as soil analysis showed index of 3 for both

24.11.03 Slug Pellets – Allure at 6kg / ha applied across all plots

Due to wet weather – no further action was taken to these plots in the autumn.
The following is a copy of the handout you had in the autumn. On the reverse you will have recorded your findings.

NB Prestige is a malting barley – QUALITY required

Crop plots

Agronomy Visit One. Date: 18.11. 2002

Briefing: The autumn is generally a time for assessing weed populations and control methods. Where a pre-emergence herbicide like Crystal or Avadex has not been used, it will be important to select a suitable post emergence control method, according to the weed spectrum present. Dose rate will be dependant on weed size. The object being to remove competition before the onset of winter – it should also (if it works!) eliminate the need for further applications of herbicides in the spring.

In addition there may well be some pest control to consider – ranging from rabbits (use a shot gun), to slugs which we all know about; but also frit fly, gout fly or wheat bulb fly, depending on the previous crop and prevailing weather conditions. You will need to examine the crop carefully for any damage, which in the case of the last three, will normally be apparent by the death of the central shoot. The other main pest is aphid, but these have probably all drowned by now! They are important, because of their ability to spread BYDV (virus NOT disease).

Diseases will have been controlled by the seed dressing until this point, but again, be watchful, particularly on Claire which is highly prone to mildew. You may also see some low levels of septoria on the other wheats.

You should also be able to make an early plant count at this stage to assess the success, or otherwise, of your planned populations and seed rates that were used.

Notes by JMB

Wheats 18.11.02

Meadow grass / ryegrass present
Small speedwells
Limited slug damage
Poor populations on some wheats
Plan to replant Clair plots ASAP at 190 kg/ha (not done)
Weed control on wheat plots required – maybe add aphicide for BYDV vectors
Tolerant varieties Grasp 0.8l/ha + oil + Chlorotoluron
OR Grasp as above + IPU @ 1500 g/ha
Oats – limited options – Lexus Class possible

Agronomy Visit One. Date: February 2002

Briefing: The spring is generally a time for assessing weed control success. Where a pre-emergence herbicide like Crystal or Avadex has not been used, it will be important to select a suitable post emergence control method, according to the weed spectrum present. Dose rate will be dependant on weed size. The object being to remove competition especially whese no autumn applications have been made.

There may well be some pest control to consider – not as much as at the last visit as most of the larvae from these pests will now have finished feeding or have been killed by the winter frosts. You will need to examine the crop for any damage and assess the implications.

Diseases will have been controlled by the seed dressing until mid autumn but may now be coming more active as the weather warms up. Be watchful, particularly on Claire which is highly prone to mildew. You may also see some low levels of septoria on the other wheats.

You should also make another early plant count and tiller count to assess plant populations after the winter.

Trial Plots - Result of crop walk 6.3.03

Annual Meadow Grass (3/4 leaves) and Ryegrass (2/3 leaves)
Low levels of mainly Chickweed
No real pest problems – absence of Gout Fly – common elsewhere
Plant populations on those plots drilled with new seed are good
Plots drilled with old seed require re-drilling with Prestige, Spring Barley ASAP

Action

Re-drill poorest plots with S barley at 175 kg/ha
P and K to be supplied by farm when remainder of field is treated
Wheat Plots: Spray grass weeds ASAP – Ingot 2.0 l/ha + IPU at 3.0 l/ha. **IPU may be used at the higher rate of 4.2 l/ha but under the voluntary initiative – ‘ responsible’ operators are encourages to opt for the lower rate
Oat Plot: Legally no real chemical option at tis stage, however: Ally at 30 g/ha plus Torpedo (adjuvant) at 0.1 l/ha will have a suppressive effect.
Nitrogen: 1st application to wheat at 250 kg/ha product Nitram ( 86 kg/ha nitrogen nutrient)
Nitrogen: 1st application to oats at 125 kg/ha product Nitram ( 43 kg/ha nitrogen nutrient)
Assess for fungicide and growth regulator at beginning of April

Spring Nitrogen

Was applied as follows on ( kgs/ha of Nitram – not Nitrogen - you need to work that out

	14.3.03	6.5.03
Plot 1 Soissons	250	290
Plot 2] Malacca	190	450
Plot 3 Prestige	180	211
Plot 4 Prestige	180	211
Plot 5 Prestige	180	211
Plot 6 Prestige	180	211
Plot 7 Xi19	250	290
Plot 8 Millenium	125	290

Agronomy 28.3.03 6th May 2003

	Product / target / rate	Product / rate / target
Plot 1 Soissons	Ingot – grassweeds 2.0 l /ha +Isoproturon - grassweeds 3.0 l/ha	Twist 0.5 l/ha (septoria) Opus 0.5 l/ha (disease prot) Accurate 1.5 l/ha (Mn + Cu) Adjust 1.0 l/ha (G. Reg)
jku	Ingot – grassweeds 2.0 l /ha +Isoproturon - grassweeds 3.0 l/ha	Twist 0.5 l/ha (septoria) Opus 0.5 l/ha (disease prot) Accurate 1.5 l/ha (Mn + Cu) Adjust 1.0 l/ha (G. Reg)
Plot 3 Prestige		Amnesty 1.5 l/ha (manganese) Acanto 0.3 l/ha ( net blotch) Radius 0.52 kg/ha ( rhynchosporium)
Plot 4 Prestige		Amnesty 1.5 l/ha (manganese) Acanto 0.3 l/ha ( net blotch) Radius 0.52 kg/ha ( rhynchosporium)
Plot 5 Prestige		Amnesty 1.5 l/ha (manganese) Acanto 0.3 l/ha ( net blotch) Radius 0.52 kg/ha ( rhynchosporium)
Plot 6 Prestige		Amnesty 1.5 l/ha (manganese) Acanto 0.3 l/ha ( net blotch) Radius 0.52 kg/ha ( rhynchosporium)
Plot 7 Xi19	Ingot – grassweeds 2.0 l /ha +Isoproturon - grassweeds 3.0 l/ha	Twist 0.5 l/ha (septoria) Opus 0.5 l/ha ( disease prot.) Accurate 1.5 l/ha (Mn + Cu) Adjust 1.0 l/ha (G. Reg)
Plot 8 Millenium	Ally – weeds – 30 g/ha Torpedo – enhancer – 25 ml / ha	Cycocel 2.5 l/ha (G. reg) Cyproconazole 0.6 l/ha ( disease protection) Orka 0.5 l/ha ( mildew) Accurate 1.5 l/ha ( Mn + Cu)

Weed control poor – late applications
Disease control good – no preWeed control poor – late applications
Disease control good – no pre T1 used and all crops clean until T1 which was also late

You will need to consider any further actions – i.e. one or two more disease control sprays ( wheats) – one more disease control spray (barley and oats) and any further nitrogen for quality. Etc.etc.

Prices:

wheat seed: £210 per tonne
barley seed: £265 / tonne
Oat seed: £280 / tonne
Nitram: £95 / tonne

Sprays:

Ingot: £8.72 / litre
Isoproturon £2.10 / litre
Torpedo £14.50 / litre
Ally 40p / gram
Amnesty £2.52 / litre Acanto £30.14 / litre
Cyproconazole £12.60 / litre
Unix £24.44 / kg
Allure: £1.04 / kg

Twist £16.33 / litre
Opus £20.75 / litre
Accurate £ 1.92 / litre
Adjust £ 7.70 / litre
Moddus £3.20 / litre Orka £55 / litre
Radius £24.96 / kg
Silvacur £19.88 / litre Sphere: £ 34.02 / litr

Some suggestions for:

T2	Wheat	Amigo – grain quality enhancement (Mg) 2.0 l/ha Sphere – fungicide 0.75 l/ha
T3		Silvacur 0.3 l/ha
	Malacca may need extra N – foliar on ear or prilled at late flag leaf Foliar = ‘Complex foliar feed @ 200 l/ha = £23 / ha Prilled 40-50 kg/ha Nitrogen
T2	Oats	As before on inspection – watch for crown rust
T2	Barley	Flag leaf – Unix 0.3 l/ha Twist 0.8 l/ha