Teagasc is estimating a 60,000ha winter wheat planting area for the 2024/2025 season, and it’s a figure that could still be surpassed.
Teagasc tillage specialist, Shay Phelan explained: “There is a lot of fodder beet still to be harvested. Growers are not that keen to take beet out of the ground during periods of very mild weather.
“Temperatures are expected to reach 18°C later this week.”
Meanwhile, the forage maize harvest continues in many parts of the country.
“Growers are waiting for crops to fully mature. However, the current, overcast weather conditions are not helping this cause at all.
“Winter wheat is a very suitable follow-on crop from both fodder beet and forage maize.”
Phelan said that October is “the optimal month to drill winter wheat. However, it can be successfully established at this time of the year and into December. Later drilling dates will impact on final yields.
“One very distinct benefit of planting winter wheat later in the season is the crops reduced exposure to septoria attack the following spring.
“Ground conditions remain excellent, and while this remains the case, growers may well take the opportunity to carry on with the planting of winter crops.”
Winter wheat
Teagasc has also estimating the current planting areas for other winter cereals. The figures are as follows: winter barley, 50,000ha; winter oats, 12,000ha; winter oilseed rape, 10,000ha and winter rye, 2,000ha.
Seed availability is not an issue at the present time. There were significant stocks of seed already on farm, left over from 2023/2024. New season seed is also available is significant quantities.
“For the most part, those crops that have germinated crops are looking well, for the most part”, the Teagasc representative commented.
“Slug damage has been an issue in some parts of the country with crow damage also an issue. For some reason, crows have been extremely active over recent weeks.”
Turing to winter oilseed rape, Shay Phelan confirmed that phoma is now an issue in quite a number of crops.
“The damp and mild conditions that are impacting across the country at the present time encourage fungal growth.
“Rape crops should be sprayed accordingly. May crops will also benefit from the application of the application of a graminicide, in order to deal with the challenge of volunteer cereals.
“Current winter cereal planting rates are back to levels last seen in 2022,” he said.