Winter Wheat drilling
After a turbulent harvest with unsettled weather, it will be on most people’s minds to start drilling and get the seed in, in case the weather changes its mind yet again.
But wait…
An early drilling of wheat can lead to problems later on in the growing season.
Black-grass is a big issue for many farmers, and an early drilling of wheat can exacerbate the problem with weed control. Dormant seeds can germinate while the crop is growing, leading to high levels of herbicide use (with some resistance seen) as well as a reduced yield, take all in the crop and problems with harvest. A later drilling can also help with other weed problems, enabling better weed control.
Crops that are very forward come the spring can also be problematic, as they can be more prone to disease – leading to increased fungicide use.
Sowing rates on the later drilled crops are key, as a compensation for the reduced temperatures and tillering. Good disease resistance will also be an extra advantage when drilling late.
Early drilled crops are more at risk from BYDV attack now that we no longer have seed dressings available to us. Insecticides give reliable control, but weather conditions need to be favourable in order for them to be applied at the right timing.
Winter wheat varieties are bred and tested for latest safe sowing date, and for the majority can be as late as January or February. Now this might not be optimal, but it gives a large window for drilling. Most data for the NIAB recommended list is based on trials that were sown in October, ‘late sown’ is classed as after the 1st of November
Some varieties are more suited to a later drilling, for example, Extase or Zyatt can be drilled later and still in their ‘optimal drilling time’.
If you have a question about drilling timing, speak to our experts.
Call: 01243 755620
Email: info@bartholomews.co.uk