Beet sowing was delayed on John Mulhare’s farm this year. The TerraChem agronomist explains what happened, and what his plan is as a result, in this installment of CROPS WATCH.
Weather meant that sowing was delayed by seven days. However, John is happy that the crop went in before the end of April. The field was ploughed, sowed and rolled since AgriLand last visited.
One thing the agronomist is not happy about is a few forage rape plants peeping out of the ground. The stalks of the overwintered crop were sprayed with glyphosate, but some are looking a little too vibrant.
The weed control programme will remain the same. No economically-viable herbicide will kill any remaining forage rape plants and so a lesson has been learned. There needs to be a substantial amount of leaf for the glyphosate to work.
Once weeds appear, the sprayer will be out and will return to the field five days later.
John has the row-crop wheels on the tractor and will split his first herbicide application. He will apply just 60% of the rates listed below, but will apply them twice – five days apart.
- Debut – 30g/ha;
- Betenal maxxPro – 0.5L/ha;
- Venzar Flowable – 0.4L/ha;
- Goltix – 0.5L/ha;
- Super Rapeeze (methylated rapeseed oil) – 0.5L/ha (apply oil at full rate at each split).
John’s beet was sown and rolled before the end of April