Providing spring barley crops with nutrition and avoiding stress on plants is going to be essential as disease control programmes move away from chlorothalonil.
In this installment of the Crops Watch series in association with TerraChem, John Mulhare talks about feeding the plant along all stages of growth.
The crop of Planet spring barley received Incite with an aphicide at the two-to-three leaf stage and, a week before filming, received its herbicide application of Cameo Max and Kinvara.
Along with the herbicides, Cereal Aloy was applied to look after deficiencies of magnesium, manganese, copper and zinc and Uplift was also added to the tank to prevent stress and maximise nitrogen use efficiency in the dry weather.
Next application is the T1
The next application will be the T1 fungicide just before GS30. Nutrition and bio-stimulants will be provided again with this application. Normally a single application of Cereal Aloy suffices, but in the continued dry weather a second application will be of benefit to the crop.
LIQUI-PLEX Mn from Alltech – a biological and nutrient combination product – is being added as the amino acid content will help the plant’s ability to deal with stress.
Avoiding stress will be essential in the fight against ramularia. John included chlorothalonil (Bravo) in his T1 fungicide recommendation when applied on or before May 19 – the last day the product can legally be used.
- Uplift – 3L/ha;
- Cereal Aloy – 1L/ha;
- LIQUI-PLEX Mn – 1L/ha;
- Provence – 0.5L/ha;
- Amistar – 0.5L/ha;
- Bravo – 1L/ha.
Growth regulator
John comments on the use of Terpal in the video below and advises farmers to apply it earlier, rather than as the flag leaf begins to emerge.
He recommended applying the growth regulator a week to 10 days after the first fungicide application. This is also typically a week to 10 days before the T2 fungicide.
Terpal should be applied to spring barley at a rate of 0.5-0.7L/ha to strengthen straw and prevent brackling or lodging.