Tailoring Inputs to Risk in Arable Crops
Arable crops in Scotland this season are looking better than for a very long time. A stark contrast to last season when persistent wet weather and flooding led to crop failures for winter crops and late establishment for spring ones. Establishment in the autumn after of 2023 was so compromised by wet conditions that many winter crops were ripped out, only to find that spring barley crops were also delayed by relentless wet weather. The contrast for the current season when drilling conditions in the autumn were good and soils fine is very welcome. It has also meant that spring crop drilling could start in good time. Despite dry weather there was enough residual moisture for most early and mid-drilled crops to emerge well although a few of the later drilled ones in more challenging seed beds have struggled. Although nervous of the ‘be careful what you wish for’ many are wishing for a little more rain to allow spring crops to flourish and for the potential of the winter crops to be realised.
A fly in this year’s ointment is that grain prices are low, so growers are caught in the dilemma that although yield potential seems high, returns on input investments are likely to be limited. It really highlights the need to tailor inputs to each crop’s challenges and to try and de-risk our arable systems without over reliance on plant protection products. Our arable crop walking service has been able to make savings in herbicides this year as control has been good, and in cold and scorchy conditions it has been necessary to be really cautious with sprays to spring barley crops.
Cool dry weather has limited the amount of disease in crops although yellow rust in wheat has been the exception with it popping out in varieties with previously high ratings. Walking crops regularly remains as vital as ever. Fortunately, T1 fungicides seem to have worked well. Gates are pretty much shut on winter barleys and oilseed rape, with awns starting to peep and flowers stating to drop at time of writing. The all important flag leaf sprays on wheat should include the best of the available options and ear sprays give a chance for continued leaf protect and protection against ear blights and fusariums. If the weather stays dry there is flexibility in how these are timed but when wet they really need to go on at early flowering. For spring barley crops the main risk can be ramularia but that disease thrives when crops are continuously wet so it is likely the risk will be a bit less this year and potentially some savings made on T2 inputs which largely target that pathogen.
It's never too early to start planning for next season and visiting open days this summer is a good way to see latest varieties and also to check out how the newest plant protection products work in action. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) nests within regenerative practices so having the right crop rotation and variety are core to reducing pest, weed and disease risks. Fungicide resistance remaisn a concern and 2024 taught us that we are right on the limits of managing some diseases like septoria and net blotch with available tools. Avoiding over reliance on any one active ingredient is key to reducing resistance risk.
There is a lot of interest in biopesticides and as a way of reducing reliance on existing chemistry and these need the same scrutiny as we give conventional pesticides. SRUC’s independent trial results show that we can successfully use elicitor products which switch on the crops own defenses when we apply them early in the season. But our results also show how variable these products are between varieties and between trials so, if you are working with these, pay close attention to which situations they work best on for you. Biostimulant products have nutritional benefits and some claim additional disease suppression, but again our trials show that their success varies a lot between products and between varieties and sites. Biological products, which contain microorganisms, can be trickier to integrate into fungicide programmes but are starting to find a place on cash crops like potatoes where we have newly emerging issues with fungicide resistance in blight and face the loss of the multisite fungicide mancozeb which was a low-risk option supporting other at-risk actives. There is lots to learn in this space.
5 Top Tips:
- Spray timings are not confirming to regular calendar expectations this year so check growth stages carefully for the remaining spray timings in crops.
- Look for the unexpected. Yellow rust is often the first to hop into any spray gaps.
- Ramularia risk in spring barley is likely to be low if dry weather continues.
- Visit trial open days for intel on new resilient varieties and plant protection and biopesticide options.
- Tailor what you do variety by variety and field by field.
Fiona Burnett, Professor of Applied Plant Pathology, Fiona.Burnett@sac.co.uk
Unearthed is the exclusive SAC Consulting members' monthly newsletter. Unearthed offers insights and tips from our experts on what we think is in store for farming and crofting in the coming months in order to protect and enhance your business.
Posted by Unearthed News on 12/05/2025
