Tillage
Teagasc is confirming a number of field work priorities for tillage farmers over the Bank Holiday weekend.
There is now evidence to the effect that the recent rains have boosted boost crop growth rates. However soil moisture deficits are still high
Teagasc is confirming that the occurrence of yellow rust in winter wheat crops is notably high this season.
Getting magnesium and manganese on to spring barley crops has been highlighted as a May Bank Holiday tillage priority.
The changeable weather of the past fortnight brought to an end one of the driest early spring tillage periods in living memory.
Foliar nitrogen is now increasingly recognised as an inherently precise fertiliser source for tillage crops.
Teagasc is confirming a slowdown in the development of many spring barley crops with soil compaction being the main culprit.
One of the key points coming out of the recent Teagasc Crops Open Day is the fact that ramularia can severely impact barley yields.
In terms of disease control, some early drilled crops of spring barley have already received their final fungicide application.
Ramularia leaf spot (RLS) is a disease that attacks barley crops late in the season: losses are linked to reductions in photosynthetic area.
Teagasc scientists have recently completed a number of trials, designed to identify how best to deal with Ramularia.
Ramularia is a common disease of winter and spring barley and up to now has been controlled and prevented by chlorothalonil.
Ramularia has the potential to reduce yield on winter barley by up to 1t/ha. On spring barley this figure ranges around 0.5-0.7t/ha.
Harvest 2017 has kicked into gear and farmers are expecting crops to ripen at least seven days earlier than last year.
