Agronomists are indicating that it may be more economical to manage thin winter cereal crops with reduced input, rather than replacing it with spring cereals.
Teagasc tillage specialist, Ciaran Collins, is advising growers to use plant counts to determine management strategy for winter cereals.
“Inputs should be based on expected output. A winter wheat crop with a potential yield of 7.5t/ha will require a different approach to one with a potential yield of 10t/ha.
“When contemplating the replanting of a winter crop with spring barley, farmers should delay this decision until all other spring cereals have been planted.
“Winter wheat can produce a viable crop with 70-80 plants/m² once they are relatively evenly distributed.
“When managing a crop with sub-optimal plant numbers, growers should tailor costs to potential yield,” Collins said.
This means matching fertiliser rates to offtakes.
Winter wheat
According to Collins, a 7.5t/ha winter wheat crop requires 50kg/ha less nitrogen (N) than a 10t/ha crop. For thin crops, however, the N programme front loaded.
“Growers should apply 25kg to 30kg when growth commences. They should also consider splitting applications early in the season as demand is low,”Collins continued.
Teagasc is also recommending the application of the growth promoter chlormequat chloride (CCC) after an N application. This may help to promote tiller survival.
“But, it is crucial to correct any nutrient deficiencies, particularly manganese,” Collins stressed.
Bare patches in winter cereal crops
Significantly, the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) has confirmed that bare areas within winter crops do not require re-sowing, making them eligible for the Basic Income Support for Sustainability (BISS) and Straw Incorporation Measure (SIM).
However, if a field or significant portions of it have failed, they must either be re-sown or designated as fallow by creating a subdivision. Fallow land is ineligible for the SIM.
Where spring crops are concerned, Teagasc is encouraging tillage farmers to put a strategic plan in place.
According to the head of Teagasc’s Crops Knowledge Transfer department, Michael Hennessy, step one in the process is ensuring that sufficient seed has been procured.
“Irish merchants have done a tremendous job in securing spring barley seed from countries around Europe over recent weeks, and there may be scope to secure additional stocks as the planting season progresses.
“The weather since the start of the New Year has not been conducive to planting at all,” Hennessy added.
“There is the potential for tillage farmers to look at the option of growing the likes of forage maize on some ground. But, in reality, we are looking at spring barley being the key cereal option for growers over the coming weeks.”