Thoughts on T1 - 2022

With Wheat T1 timings just around the corner, a dry, cold spring so far has made for some clean crops in the central south, with Septoria levels increasing the further you travel west.

After Spring 2021, we have to remember to not become complacent with our T1 Fungicides, plan a robust T1 to aim at protecting the plant against rust and Septoria before disease sets in; instead of a curative treatment later on.

As daily average temperatures rise and rainfall events increase, we are likely to start seeing higher disease pressure from Septoria Tritici and Yellow Rust.

Early drilled wheat crops are especially important to get protected as earlier drilled cereals tend to loose disease resistance. Varieties such as Extase, which has a 7.8 rating for Septoria still require protection and even more so if drilled before mid-October.

Applications of Benzovindiflupyr and Prothioconazole plus a multi-site such as Folpet or Vertipin will have a long persistence for the duration between T1 and T2 applications.

Eyespot shouldn’t be forgotten about this spring, Prothioconazole will control eyespot lesions up to GS32.

Our Charlton (Mid Hants) and Plumpton College (East Sussex) Wheat crop trials are all looking clean from Septoria and yellow rust, with some Septoria to be seen on the lower, older leaves, however nothing severe.

Further west at our trials site in Milton Abbas (Dorset) we have seen Septoria developing on leaf 4 in some varieties such as Champion and Skyfall. Low levels of yellow rust also being seen on Champion and Zyatt  wheat.