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In this issue... Precision pull page 54 Partnership progress page 73 On target for accurate application Climate care brings abundant benefits Crop Doctor diagnosis page 8 IPM eye for PVY page 76
Opinion
4 Talking Tilth - A word from the editor.
Volume 23 Number 5
6 Smith’s Soapbox - Views and opinions from an Essex peasant…..
April 2021
52 Tech Respect - CPM ’s machinery editor surveys the search for UK Ag’s next step.
83 Last Word - A view from the field from CPM’s technical editor.
Technical
8 Crop Doctor - Shift in the fungal fight
Many crops will have their first fungicide at the T1 timing.
12 Yellow rust - The rust race
Every season has a new chapter to the yellow rust story.
16 Real Results Pioneers - A focus on the right environment
On a North Norfolk estate, roots are the main cropping priorities.
19 Biostimulants - Metabolites hold the key
The mechanisms biostimulants employ are only just beginning to be understood.
Editor 22 Bioscience insider - Harvest more light
Tom Allen-Stevens Upregulating the production of chlorophyll can boost productivity.
Technical editor 26 Innovation Insight - Time to put the yield on?
Lucy de la Pasture There’s a new biostimulant on the market that does quite a different job.
Machinery editor
Charlotte Cunningham 28 Oilseed rape - Focus on the detail this spring
The best approach for managing OSR this spring and beyond.
Writers
Tom Allen-Stevens Rob Jones 31 Theory to Field - Living with the enemy
Cultural controls to limit cabbage stem flea beetle damage.
Charlotte Cunningham Lucy de la Pasture
34 Slug control - Slug solutions
Design and production Growers have been looking at different ways to control slugs.
Brooks Design
38 Inside traits - Matched to the management
Advertisement co-ordinator Choosing the OSR variety with the characteristics best suited to its situation.
Peter Walker
Publisher 45 Insiders View - Talking about a rye-volution
Angus McKirdy The real benefits of including hybrid rye in the rotation start to surface.
Business development manager
49 Insiders View - Judging on its Merit…
Charlotte Alexander A new Group 3 contender looks promising.
To claim two crop protection BASIS points, send an email to
linda@basis-reg.co.uk, quoting reference CP/100659/2021/g.
Machinery
To claim two NRoSO CPD points, please send your name,
NRoSO member number, date of birth and postcode to 54 Sprayers - Precision performance
angus@cpm-magazine.co.uk The need for greater precision is driving innovation in sprayer design.
*the claim ‘best read specialist arable journal’ is based
on independent reader research conducted by 60 Drones and crop monitors - Take me to the clouds above…
McCormack Media 2020 The rapid development of crop monitor and drone technology.
Editorial & advertising sales 64 New products - Sustainable agenda drives innovation
CPM Ltd, 1 Canonbury, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY3 7AG How New Holland’s latest launches will help growers future-proof their business.
Tel: (01743) 369707 E-mail: angus@cpm-magazine.co.uk
68 Machinery Masterclass - Smooth and smart
Reader registration hotline 01743 861122 The experience of Dynamic Command delivers more than a step-up in gears.
Advertising copy
Brooks Design,
24 Claremont Hill, Shrewsbury, Shropshire SY1 1RD Innovation
Tel: (01743) 244403 E-mail: fred@brooksdesign.co.uk
CPM Volume 23 No 5. Editorial, advertising and sales offices are at 73 Climate Change Champions - An abundance mindset
CPM Ltd, 1 Canonbury, Shrewsbury, SY1 9NX England. Sustainable growth can be achieved through a partnership approach.
Tel: (01743) 369707. CPM is published eleven times a year by
CPM Ltd and is available free of charge to qualifying farmers
and farm managers in the United Kingdom. Roots
In no way does CPM Ltd endorse, notarise or concur with any of the
advice, recommendations or prescriptions reported in the magazine.
If you are unsure about which recommendations to follow, please consult 76 Potatoes - Integrated approach for PVY
a professional agronomist. Always read the label. Use pesticides safely. Seed potato producers are leaving no stone unturned to slow the virus.
CPM Ltd is not responsible for loss or damage to any unsolicited
material, including photographs.
crop production magazine april 2021 3
CPM (Print) ISSN 2753-9040 CPM (Online) ISSN 2753-9059
as a result of the Countryside to spend the rest of the season soup into which we stick our
Stewardship agreement we’ve fire-fighting. But there is a crops. Current practice is to
been in. mindset that the only protectant focus on a very small number
There does appear to situation worth considering is one of pathogens – septoria, rust,
be a higher population that’s based on chemistry, and eyespot, perhaps mildew –– and
and greater diversity of that’s the notion I’m questioning. aim to eliminate them, or at least
bugs (again, apologies One noticeable change in shield crops from them. Anyone
for lack of scientific recent years has been the who’s put their soil through DNA
authority and evidence). genetics of the wheat varieties metabarcoding will know it
The bad bugs seem to be that now dominate UK crops. contains tens of thousands of
What protects less of a concern and are The disease scores available bacteria, fungi and eukaryotes,
your crops? blending more and more into from high-yielding varieties most of which we don’t have a
the general population –– there’s represent an astonishing clue what they do. I’m not saying
barely been a need for an advance and we should these mighty microbes, if given
There are a couple of pairs of insecticide in recent years. acknowledge this. Equally, those the right encouragement will
red kites which have recently One interesting aspect is that genetics are vulnerable to an suddenly leap out of the soil and
taken up residence near the much of the farm wasn’t cropped evolving pathogen population. give your septoria a spanking.
house here. last year –– the weather took its The default suggestion to protect But if we’re looking to protect
It’s not particularly unusual, and toll the previous autumn and we the genetics is, well, chemistry crops in the early spring, make
we’ve noticed the population of took the decision to put in a again. And I just wonder whether them more resilient, thrive in their
raptors around the farm, including green cover and give the land we’ve thought hard enough own environment, perhaps there
red kite and buzzard, appears to a break. Consequently, no about this. are some good guys in the
be on the increase. Meanwhile, fungicides were sprayed over In this issue of CPM, we microbial soup –– rather like the
one thing that noticeable is there much of this area and the yellow also look in some detail at beneficial insects which come to
are fewer corvids around the rust and septoria among the biosolutions (see p16). If you’re the fore when there’s a greater
house this year. There’s also a volunteers revelled in their looking for the silver-bullet diversity of bugs in the system.
distinct rise in the number of LBJs new-found freedom –– I did replacement for CTL, or any There’s no doubt the chemical
(little brown jobs). wonder what disease soup we’d fungicide for that matter, don’t toolbox is shrinking, it puts
Ornithologists at this point be setting ourselves up for, bother reading that bit. But if pressure on disease control and
will be grimacing at my lack of especially without chlorothalonil you’re looking to think differently we can lament it, even fight
knowledge. I’ll admit freely that to set us right. about how you care for your against it if we choose. Or we
I’m no bird enthusiast and pick up Surprisingly, even our most crops, you may find it a can think differently and look
what little nuggets of info I have forward Skyfall doesn’t seem to fascinating read. towards a host of new and
from the real experts who visit the have suffered this year. Of The difficulty is the plethora of different tools. We’ll know when
farm, or from articles of interest course, it’s a low disease year products out there. Even those we’ve got it right because the
that float past. Nor do I monitor so far, as the Crop Doctors that have some shred of science equivalent of a pair of red kites
numbers, so anything said about discovered during their behind them, once put through will fly over, and everything will
birds on this page lacks both histle-stop, virtual tour of English trials, have results that are often feel in balance.
authority and scientific credibility trial sites at the end of March inconclusive. But you do wonder
–– it’s just anecdotal ramblings. (see article on p8). There are whether we’re trying to fit a round
What interests me, though, is all the caveats about lulling peg into a square hole, and
Tom Allen-Stevens has a
that if there has been a shift in the ourselves into a sense of false maybe we should be looking at
170ha arable farm in Oxon
bird population, what’s brought it security. But I’ve one nagging the hole, or even the peg in an
– home to hundreds of
about? Over the past five years, question –– has the routine T0 entirely different way. Is a system
birds, millions of insects
we’ve consciously changed the spray had its day? of field trials and margin over
and goodness knows how
management of the fields close I’m not suggesting we should inputs, developed over decades
many microbes.
to the house. One 2ha field has move away from keeping crops to evaluate chemistry, the right
been put into arable reversion. in a protectant situation –– clearly way to evaluate biosolutions, tom@cpm-magazine.co.uk
There’s more grass margin, wild the worst form of agronomy is to or even modern genetics? @tomallenstevens
bird cover and less inputs used let disease get out of control and Then there’s the microbial
cheap and cheerful I have varied the nitrogen production tools are widely
chlorothalonil to provide an early from 200kgN/ha in the unaffected used.
season bit of protection against areas to 100kgN/ha where the A compromise might be to
septoria. We are growing damage is more pronounced. ban glyphosate and neonics
Extase and Crusoe this The conundrum here is that but also to ban imports where
year which have a fairly OSR is such as deceiving crop they have been used as part of
good disease resistance to the eye. Many is the time I’ve the production. My problem
profile so hopefully we had stunningly good-looking with this is that banning
can hang out for a T1 crops fail to impress at harvest glyphosate and propyzamide is
spray without the T0. No doubt whereas others, that have not going to make blackgrass
Leading a race no the weather will have the last looked hardly worth bothering magically go away. Additionally,
laugh when it comes to septoria with in the spring, have I can’t see these sorts of import
one else is in pressure but at the moment achieved surprisingly good controls happening judging by
things seem to have turned dry yields. It’s a maddening crop to the current lack of appetite
again after a wet winter. second-guess. amongst regulators, retailers
April usually sees the sprayers Generally crops look well on As we load the sprayer tank and consumers to avoid
back out in earnest on arable this farm which seems to be with cans of this and bottles imported food stuffs that have
farms after the winter break the general mood across the of that thereby bumping up neonics as part of the recipe.
with herbidices, growth country. We do have some the growing costs on the So while as an industry we
regulators, trace elements increasingly apparent stunting spreadsheets, I’m feeling a bit must always be up for exploring
and fungicides all rivalling in the oilseed rape due to CSFB behind the curve as the trend non-chemical alternatives
each other for space in the larvae in the growing point, but seems on the fashionable farms to controlling weeds, pests
spray tank. it’s not worth fretting about as to be growing crops with less and diseases we need to be
I’m not a fan of T0 fungicides there’s not much we can do and less pesticides. To be clear careful we are not headed up
especially now we’ve lost about it. I’m very interested in using less a cul-de-sac that has declining
inputs on this farm but I’m a domestic production and a
bit sceptical how easy it is huge increase in imports at
to do without significantly the end of it.
compromising yield. As a country it’s great to
What’s more, in this drive to think of the UK as a world
use less pesticides we need leader in new thinking in how
to be careful what political we grow crops. But to be a
messages we are sending out leader in anything you need
as an industry. If we convince to make sure you are in the
regulators there are readily right race. Sending our
available non-chemical means Olympians to Tokyo with
of controlling weeds then they new ground-breaking training
might get the impression we techniques might look very
can do without them which in world beating but that will be
turn could lead to more bans very short lived if they return
of key pesticides. with no medals.
There are two schools of
thought here. One might argue
that if we banned the likes of
glyphosate and propyzamide
then necessity would become Guy Smith grows 500ha of
the mother of invention whereby combinable crops on the north
non-chemical alternatives east Essex coast, namely
would emerge. The other St. Osyth Marsh –– officially the
driest spot in the British Isles.
school of thought recognises
Despite spurious claims from
what has happened with the others that their farms are
likes of neonics and GM. While actually drier, he points out
UK production has faltered that his farm is in the Guinness
without this technology our Book of Records, whereas
markets have been gifted others aren’t. End of.
through imports to those parts @essexpeasant
of the world where these crop
6 crop production magazine april 2021
Shift in the fungal fight
You need
“
nerves of steel to the
point of foolishness not
to treat.
”
Technical
Crop Doctor The trial site at Hinton Waldrist, Oxon.
As crops put on spring showing on leaves may be masking latent chlorothalonil this season, that takes the
growth, many will have their infection, however. Bayer has been pressure off T0 sprays, due to go on after
monitoring crops across the UK and Ireland Easter. I’m struggling to find any yellow rust,
first fungicide at the T1 with its Rapid Disease Detection (RDD) but we’re treating as we see it, and may
timing. CPM joins the Crop service that analyses leaf samples for the consider a strobilurin protectant on
presence of pathogen DNA, undetectable susceptible varieties.”
Doctors on a virtual tour on the leaf surface. “We’re finding septoria David stresses the point that a variety with
as they consider the in most varieties including Extase,” a high septoria score sown early will behave
notes Gareth. like one that’s more susceptible. “Then
implications. But he’s spotted yellow rust in just one of there’s RGT Wolverine, sown early for its
the 37 varieties at the site –– KWS Kinetic. BYDV resistance. It has a septoria rating of
By Tom Allen-Stevens “It was really active at the beginning of 5.3, but makes Barrel look like Theodore in
March but appears to have stopped in its comparison.”
tracks,” he reports. He’s planning a T1 application of Ascra
Every year, Crop Doctors Jonathan Blake Jonathan visited the site, separate from (bixafen+ fluopyram+ prothioconazole),
of ADAS and SRUC’s Prof Fiona Burnett Gareth, on 29 March. “Septoria is there in particularly where crops received no T0
have taken a whistle-stop tour of four nearly all varieties, even those that should fungicide. The higher SDHI loading than
trial sites in Herefordshire, Lincs, Yorks be resistant –– Graham for example is a long his previous standard –– Elatus Era
and Oxon to get a unique snapshot of way from clean. Conditions recently (benzovindiflupyr+ prothioconazole) plus
disease across England. With the country haven’t been conducive for yellow rust,” CTL –– is warranted, he notes, without the
still in lockdown, it was a virtual tour that he confirms. multisite and lack of pre-T1 protection.
took place on 30 March, during which the Both Jonathan and Gareth found eyespot “One aspect to note, however, is growth
picture on pathogens became clear. on Extase but “had to search for it”. regulation –– crops that don’t get a T0
Jonathan also found mildew on AHDB fungicide in many cases still need an early
The Callow “complex” Recommended List candidate variety RGT chlormequat plus Moddus (trinexapac-ethyl),
The fertile soil of Bayer’s trial site at Callow, Rashid, a disease that Gareth notes has that we’re putting on with trace elements
Herefordshire, drilled 30 Sept, has taken a been the “biggest disease issue by far” and/or herbicide,” adds David.
pounding through the winter, with above for crops in the area over winter.
average rainfall in October, December “Mildew’s an added complication,”
and January, reports commercial technical comments Fiona. “It doesn’t surprise me that
manager Gareth Bubb. we’re seeing the disease early on, with many
“The plots had been looking pretty sorry varieties susceptible. Is it the new yellow
for themselves, although growth is now (29 rust? Although it appears there’s not a
March) picking up, with leaf four emerging. worrying level of disease, having all the main
KWS Extase especially is picking up pace, ones present at that stage builds a complex
although KWS Barrel is still flat to the floor picture.”
and way behind. Skyscraper is looking dirty, Local AICC agronomist David Lines notes
Theodore noticeably cleaner and Costello that 80-90% of the varieties he looks after Yellow rust spotted earlier in Kinetic at Callow
not too bad for disease.” have high disease scores for septoria. “The appears to have stopped in its tracks.
The relatively low level of septoria message has finally got through, and with no
8 crop production magazine april 2021
Crop Doctor
National septoria snapshot – March 2021 week three
Wolverine, drilled early in Herefordshire for its
BYDV resistance, is showing a heavy loading
of septoria.
and it’s bubbling away, but nothing’s
Source: Bayer Rapid Disease Detection monitoring; newest leaf layer sampled and analysed for Septoria tritici DNA during third week showing on the leaves, even in Graham,
of March, 2021; Samples are taken from single commercial fields and are not representative of the whole country; Drilling dates that’s probably among the dirtiest,” he adds.
indicated, variety disease resistance ratings shown in brackets. Note: Testing on newest leaves as CPM went to press has started to
pick up latent septoria in the tested varieties. Jonathan notes that Cawood is often the
lowest pressure site of the four visited on the
Crop Doctor tour. “The interesting aspect this
Rust rush in the Wash includes Graham and Skyscraper, but there’s
year is that the site was drilled earlier than it
Over in S Lincs, the trials at Long Sutton none in our KWS Parkin, LG Prince, LG
has been in the past.”
1.5 miles from the coast, drilled at the end Astronomer or KWS Dawsum. Interestingly
The RDD scores reflect the varieties’
of October, spent some of the winter the more backward Graham has had it
genetic resistance to septoria, adds Fiona.
underwater. Bayer CTM Darren Adkins notes worse than better established crops. I’ve
“This is a nice example of where a T0 spray
that the yield variance in treated trials for all found no septoria, apart from in some lush
can be avoided allowing a more ‘normal’
38 varieties in 2020 was just 1.8 t/ha. “But Astronomer.
approach for the T1.
that masked a huge variation in untreated “But after a cold, wet winter, we’re looking
“It’s a simpler profile of disease you’re
yields, which was all down to yellow rust and to preserve every tiller we have and if I see
facing, so the dose applied at T1 could
▲
how early in the season it came in,” he notes. any disease, I’ll spray so I can sleep better
“This year, the plots are playing catch-up. at night. My main quandary is what to do
Strangely, there was no yellow rust early on, at T1, with some crops mauled in after Is Leaf three there yet?
but this came in from 22 March, spotted on potatoes.”
Graham, Skyfall, KWS Zyatt, Shabras, Gravity, Jonathan agrees with the strategy to treat The correct timing for the T1 fungicide
Kinetic, Insitor, Skyscraper, KWS Firefly and as and when yellow rust is identified. “It’s not spray is when leaf three has fully emerged,
Wolverine. It’s currently less active, although been a brilliantly favourable season for the and the only way to tell is to cut open the
any April showers will build its presence disease, but we should be mindful that it’s plant and count back the leaves.
rapidly.” there and it can flare up. At T1, the choice That’s what Jonathan did at Callow with
Fiona notes this list includes some varieties of products is good. It’s the timing and this Extase wheat plant. The flag leaf here
that should have adult plant resistance to intervals between treatments that’s key.” is still wrapped around the embryonic ear,
yellow rust. “This is the difficulty with sowing Fiona also notes it’s not the with leaves two and three to the left, not yet
later, that you can’t rely on adult resistance to highest-pressure year for disease so in the open. So in this case, it’s leaf four
kick in. If you see the disease on a variety far. “I’d stick with effective chemistry that’s 50% emerged (as of 29 March).
that should overcome it, you need nerves of –– SDHI plus azole with folpet if needed
steel to the point of foolishness not to treat.” –– adjusting dose as necessary.”
Jonathan visited the site on 26 March and
adds Gleam and Barrel to the list with yellow All clean at Cawood
rust. “Only on very safe varieties can you rest The Bayer trials site at Cawood, N Yorks,
assured, but even then you should keep an has in the past been a hotspot for disease,
eye out for the disease –– it’s one that if you particularly yellow rust. This year however,
let the fire burn and don’t control it, you’ll end despite being drilled relatively early on
up with problems.” 2 Oct, it’s quite different reports CTM
Host farmer David Hoyles joins the James Howat.
meeting live from the field itself, and scans “There’s very low disease pressure.
his phone around to reveal plots that are Growth stages are all over the place with
“uneven but recovering, with quite a bit of Barrel not moving at all and Extase furthest
growth put on this last week”. along. There’s old septoria in the bottom
He’s been treating yellow rust as and when leaves and the odd bit of yellow rust, but it’s
he’s seen it across his 200ha of wheat with a dried up.
pre-T0 dose of tebuconazole. “So far that “RDD results indicate septoria is there
crop production magazine april 2021 9
Crop Doctor
sequence you’d cheer for.” clay. He has Gravity, Skyscraper, Extase,
It also creates the perfect establishment KWS Siskin, Firefly, RGT Saki and high
for net blotch, Jonathon adds. “In those protein wheat MV Fredericia in the ground.
cases I’ve seen crops stuffed with the “We’ve not found much yellow rust in
disease. You need a robust dose of anything apart from Firefly, while there’s
prothioconazole-based chemistry to septoria in the lower leaves of everything,”
deal with it,” he says. he reports, although following a tip-off from
Ben, checked again and also found yellow
Oxon recovery rust in Skyscraper and Gravity.
In Oxon, the Bayer site at Hinton Waldrist He’s taking three approaches with the
was drilled on 19 October with 39 varieties T0 spray –– those drilled in Sept have
and two blends, reports CTM Ben Giles. already received a dose of folpet with
Yellow rust, found here in Zyatt at Long Sutton, is “Considering it was a cataclysmically awful tebuconazole added where yellow rust is
being treated as and when it’s spotted. seedbed, I’m impressed with how well it’s found. October-drilled wheats will only get a
looking. treatment where there’s rust. “Some of our
certainly be cut, although I’d stick with an “Skyscraper, the highest yielding variety of later drilled wheats have just received a
▲
SDHI/azole application. Folpet would be 2020 in both treated and untreated plots, is herbicide and need to recover, so we’ll wait
useful to reduce the risk of resistance, and looking pretty grubby this year with septoria with them until the T1 timing.”
the T1 timing is the obvious point in the in its base and yellow rust on its leaves. Ben notes some residual herbicide
programme for it.” There’s a fair amount of yellow rust all round, applications have caused yellowing,
Although the barley plots at Cawood have with Kinetic the worst and Skyfall giving it a especially where heavy rain has followed.
not been inspected, Fiona’s recently visited run for its money, as is Zyatt,” he reports. “In some cases, heavy applications to
SRUC’s site south of Edinburgh. “We’re “There’s septoria in Extase, but it’s control blackgrass have given crops a
finding high levels of rhynchosporium –– a chalk and cheese compared with serious spanking, but they’ve tended to work
lot of winter barley varieties have scores of Skyscraper. Theodore’s cleaner, while well. Some barley crops have suffered a
5 or 6 for the disease, which isn’t strong,” RL candidates such as Mayflower also look smack, too.”
she notes. impressive at the moment.” Brown rust has been a problem this year
“Some growers are growing two spring Colin Woodward joins the meeting, in Colin’s barleys, especially Sept-drilled
barleys back-to-back to overcome farming at Great Tew further north on soils hybrids Bazooka and Kingsbarn. “Crops
grassweed problems, but that’s not a that range from light sandstone to heavy coming out of the winter on heavy land areCrop Doctor
suffering with wet feet,” he says. “But I’ve not could benefit. There’s a lot of interest in though. “It’s the first year without CTL and
seen any mildew in wheat or barley this year these products, but we’ve yet to see robust we’ve had a couple of quiet seasons on the
–– I think the frost has taken it out. I haven’t data and there’s still a lot to learn.” disease front. We’ve probably forgotten the
seen eyespot, but there’s a high potential for A straight prothioconazole with folpet value it brought to fungicide programmes, so
it, so I’ll be using prothioconazole at T1 as would be her “lowest offering” at T1, but it’s worth ensuring there’s enough insurance
a precaution.” Colin decides he’d rather spend money in what’s applied at T1. The danger is that
He’s also planning a trial with Iodus on an SDHI than folpet. we put in place strategies that underestimate
(laminarin), the new elicitor from UPL, and is Jonathan sounds a note of caution, the risk,” he concludes. ■
wondering about skipping the T1 SDHI in
some situations. Univoq brings new mode of action to T2 programmes
“The key aspect about elicitors is that they
are not a fungicide replacement,” notes Inatreq, the new fungicide active from Corteva performance. “Its major strength is its robust
Fiona. “They prime the plant which helps its Agriscience, has finally received approval for control of septoria.
natural defence against disease. You have to sale and use in the UK. Univoq offers curative “The Inatreq active molecule works
consider whether the crop is already primed and protectant control of all septoria strains, differently than every other cereal fungicide
if there’s already disease present, although says the manufacturer. available to farmers in the UK,” he adds. Used
you could argue the later-emerged leaves The product contains fenpicoxamid and at the T2 timing, it delivers a good length of
prothioconazole and will be available for sale in protection, maintaining green leaf area, while
the UK in time for wheat T2 (flag leaf) fungicide UK trials have also shown control of yellow
applications. The first new target site active and brown rust in line with existing market
ingredient for septoria control registered in the standards.
UK for 15 years, its iQ-4 formulation is Containing 50g/l of fenpicoxamid and
designed to ensure Univoq sticks to and 100g/l of prothioconazole, the maximum label
spreads across the leaf. rate of Univoq is 2 l/ha with an advised rate of
Tests show the new target site for septoria 1.1-1.5 l/ha depending on disease pressure
has no cross-resistance to existing cereal and location. It’s cleared for use on wheat
fungicide chemistries. Corteva’s Mike Ashworth (including durum and spelt), rye and triticale
Skyscraper, last year’s top performer in the says Univoq has flexible application but not barley.
Hinton trials, is looking pretty grubby. characteristics and consistent, broad-spectrum“ UKCPVS
received higher than
expected reports of
disease in some
varieties.
”
Technical
Yellow rust The rust race
Every season has a new particular interest. This helps identify the “The most susceptible variety in the
chapter to the yellow rust risks associated with the change in the test that’s currently on the AHDB
yellow rust population, explains Amelia Recommended List (RL) was Skyfall, which
story. CPM finds out the Hubbard, reporting the results of the 2020 was only exceeded by Robigus and
lastest twists in the tale as UKCPVS –– jointly funded by AHDB and Reflection. Lower levels of infection with
Defra’s Animal and Plant Health Agency Hereford-type isolate (19/010) were seen
the UKCVPS reported the (APHA). for the majority of varieties, with some RL
results of its surveillance varieties reacting to just one of the five
Under the spotlight isolates tested.
last season. Since 2019, some varieties have been “In these adult plant trials Gleam was
under the spotlight after unexpectedly high noticeably more susceptible in the trial
By Lucy de la Pasture levels of yellow rust were found in some inoculated with 19/038 and KWS Firefly
fields but not in others of the same variety. was susceptible to all isolates, in particular
UKCPVS discovered that more yellow rust isolate 19/215. This may help explain an
Yellow rust has become unpredictable at isolates were carrying virulence for Yr8, outbreak on KWS Firefly reported during
best since the incursion of the Warrior Kranich and Crusoe and two of these, the 2020 season,” she explains.
▲
race in 2011. The genetic diversity now found in KWS Zyatt in 2019, showed a
present in the population means every novel virulence pattern –– being avirulent
season there’s a possibility of an on Yr1 and Yr9 but virulent on Yr8 which
unexpected unpicking of resistance is similar to the Hereford race, explains
in varieties rated highly against the Amelia.
disease. These two ’interesting’ isolates were
Each year in March the UKCVPS reports put forward to be tested in adult plant
the results of the survey’s monitoring from trials, along with another three isolates
the previous cropping year. It throws light exhibiting pathotypes that warranted
on the resistance genes being attacked further investigation.
and those that are standing firm and “KWS Zyatt was susceptible to all
highlights new pathotypes which have five isolates but was most susceptible
novel combinations of virulence and to isolate 19/215 with 40% of the plot
avirulence for a differential set of wheat area showing infection. This pathotype
varieties. (Yr1,2,4,6,7,9,17,25,32,Re,Sp,Ro,So,Wa,Ca,
Amelia Hubbard says two thirds of the varieties
Adult plant trials and variety seedling St,Kr,Ap,Cr) was included because it showed
tested in adult plant trials showed good
tests are then carried out using the yellow additional virulence to Kranich, Apache and
resistance to all the isolates tested.
rust isolates with virulence profiles of Crusoe in the differential set,” she explains.
12 crop production magazine april 2021Yellow rust
Adult plant trial isolates, 2020 Gleam. While these two population was dominated by
varieties topped the list, pathogens in the Red 27 and
samples from KWS Zyatt, Red 23 groups but in 2019 there
RGT Gravity, Skyfall and KWS wasn’t a particular pathotype
Kinetic were also common. Very that dominated the population,
late season samples included although Red 24 was the
ones from KWS Extase (rated 9 most common.
for yellow rust on the RL). For 2020, her preliminary
“30 isolates were tested from results show that the Red group
the samples and we saw a still dominates, with Red 37 and
decrease in the frequency of Red 28 each making up 17%
Source: UKCVPS, 2021 virulence for Yr8 than in the of the population and Red 27
Adult plant trial results, 2020 previous year, with levels representing 10% of the
returning to a similar level to the population tested, explains
years before the spike in 2019.” Amelia.
“The new pathotypes
New rust race found were all present at low
The changes in population and frequencies and were sent in
virulence seen in the field in from different parts of the UK,
2019, particularly in KWS Zyatt with no isolates detected from
and Dunston, raised questions the Purple or Blue groups in
about whether a new race of 2020,” she adds.
yellow rust had evolved but Amelia also conducted
genotyping data still isn’t further tests on five samples of
Source: UKCVPS, 2021 available to confirm this. yellow rust which were taken
There had been 24 different from KWS Siskin and two
“KWS Extase (rated 9 for susceptible to all five isolates, pathotypes tested, ten of which samples from Costello –– both
▲
yellow rust on the RL) exhibited she adds. were unique. This was a big varieties rated 9 for yellow rust
good levels of resistance to In 2020 the survey team were increase on the variation seen resistance on the RL.
the five isolates, though busy, says Amelia, with 306 the previous year, when 14 “After 25 days some
showed 15% infection in plots samples of yellow rust sent into pathotypes were present, of sporulation was evident on both
inoculated with 19/215. It wasn’t UKCPVS from 88 varieties in which three were unique. KWS Siskin and Costello with
alone in putting up a good 25 counties and April seeing Genotyping data is also a few of the isolates. The
performance, with fellow RL double the number of awaited for the 2020 isolates, sporulation on KWS Siskin
members and candidate samples received than in the though Amelia has preliminary was particularly poor, with
varieties also showing good same month in 2019. assessed the pathotypes by their very unhappy pustules and
levels of adult plant resistance,” “UKCPVS received higher phenotypes to place them in their chlorotic/necrotic leaves.
she adds. than expected reports of most probable genetic groups. “This wouldn’t be classed as
In seedling tests 18 RL and disease in some varieties. This indicates that the Red group susceptibility in seedling tests
RL-candidates were resistant to The most commonly reported was dominant in both 2018 but is something that has been
all five isolates and nine of the varieties in the first half of the and 2019, but there was an noted and two of the isolates
RL and RL- candidates were season were KWS Firefly and interesting difference. In 2018 the originally sampled from KWS Siskin
20/050 and 20/191 have been
Variety samples in 2020 selected for 2021 adult plant
trials,” she notes.
KWS Firefly also warranted
some further investigations as it’s
a variety that has previously been
found to be resistant in seedling
virulence tests.
“We conducted mini tests
using 2020 KWS Firefly isolates
and found good infection levels
in separate tests using 19/119
and its re-isolate 20/506, which
indicated it may be susceptible
to these at the seedling stage.
It’s possible that this variety
could be environmentally
sensitive, but we need to carry
out further work to confirm
Source: UKCVPS, 2021
these results.” ■
14 crop production magazine april 2021Yellow rust Agronomic factors affecting yellow rust 2020 was a season with yellow rust popping to yellow rust –– where it occurs in plants upin places where it wouldn’t normally be without adult plant resistance to the disease. expected, says ADAS senior scientist, Jonathan That means later planted wheat is more at risk Blake. As well as the genetic changes in the from yellow rust infection in the spring than yellow rust population, he highlights that both crops planted at earlier timings and much of the weather and sowing date also had a part the wheat fell into that category last year.” to play in the high incidence of the disease One of the stand-out points about yellow rust last spring. control is the importance of fungicide timing on A review of the agronomic factors affecting a disease that’s comparatively fast-moving yellow rust carried out in 2007 looked at 4475 compared with septoria, highlights Jonathan. wheat crops over a 15-year period, says “Yellow rust can have a latent period as Jonathan. “The analysis showed a clear link short as 10 days, which in practice means good between the number of frosts below -50C over control can be achieved on leaf three at T1 Minding this gap between T1 and T2 is the winter and the prevalence of yellow rust and on the flag leaf at T2, but leaf two is less particularly important in susceptible varieties, in crops, with 6-10 hard frosts reducing the protected. Because the latent period is shorter says Jonathan Blake. disease considerably.” than septoria, the yellow rust has time to cycle According to Met Office data, there were five in between the sprays.” learn about yellow rust and, in particular, how fewer frosts than average (30-year mean) in Dec Minding this gap between T1 and T2 is the sporulation, infection efficiency and latent 2019 and eight less in both Jan and Feb 2020, particularly important in susceptible varieties, period may vary between races. which would correlate with an increased risk of such as Skyfall, KWS Kinetic, KWS Kerrin, KWS “As we move more towards an IPM strategy, yellow rust. It was also very wet in the period Zyatt, Gleam, Shabras, SY Insitor and RGT we have to understand the relationship between from late autumn to early spring and as a result Wolverine, he says. the pathogen and host better so that we can very few winter wheat crops were sown, with “These may warrant an early fungicide to make more informed fungicide decisions. the few that were going in very late. control yellow rust inoculum and possibly a We also don’t know when adult plant resistance “Research shows there’s a very clear link spray at GS37 to cover leaf two.” will kick in so it’s always prudent to address the between the age of a plant and its susceptibility Jonathan believes that there’s still a lot to symptoms present in the field.”
Real “We’re
doing everything
we can to build the
Results shoots and the leaves
above ground that put
Pioneers the roots down
below.
”
A focus on the
right environment
parsnips. 220ha of winter wheat, 170ha “The cropping itself, however, is totally
On a North Norfolk estate, of winter and spring barley and 80ha of different. The rotation revolves around
where roots are the main spring peas currently complete the what we can comfortably irrigate, which
cropping picture. is available across 95% of the estate.
cropping priorities across Toby’s always taken a measured and Sometimes we also irrigate spring barley
drought-prone soils, how managed approach to changes he makes and peas. The challenge we have is soil
to cropping, informed through on-farm trials. with an organic matter below 2%. We won’t
does the fungicide policy “You have to test the changes you make on turn that round overnight, but we’re doing
on the wheats fit in? your own farm and your own soils. That’s everything we can to build the shoots and
especially important when you’re not familiar the leaves above ground that put the roots
CPM finds out. with the history.” down below.”
Cover crops form the main route to
By Tom Allen-Stevens Testing and monitoring building soil organic matter. A mix of vetch,
He took up the job at The Wicken in October rye, turnips, forage rape, radish and crimson
2018, and was previously farm manager at clover is grazed from October to February
Swinbrook in the Cotswolds, where CPM last under an arrangement with a neighbouring
Set in 950ha of North Norfolk near
caught up with him in Sept 2017. While shepherd. In front of potatoes there’s linseed,
Swaffham, the aim at The Wicken is to
much has changed, testing and monitoring buckwheat, phacelia, brown mustard, radish,
blend the estate’s rural assets so they
through on-farm trials is a key discipline vetch and clover.
work in harmony –– both for a thriving
Toby’s brought with him. “Along with increasing the soil organic
environment and for its cropping
From the start, he’s also been one of the matter, the cover crops are doing two other
enterprises.
50 BASF Real Results farmers carrying out important jobs in front of the potatoes:
“My job is to ensure there are sustainable
tramline trials with the latest fungicide mobilising phosphate and improving the
farming activities that provide the thriving
chemistry and putting the results through a soil structure at depth. So we’re looking
▲
biodiversity the estate needs,” says farm
fair degree of scientific scrutiny to ensure
manager Toby Hogsbjerg.
a result that’s ‘real’ (see panel on p17).
Everything meshes in together, he notes,
So what else has Toby brought with
with the biodiversity generated from around
him from the Cotswolds? “Managing
100ha in Countryside Stewardship or other
drought-prone soils is a key aspect of
environmental management also benefiting
farming at The Wicken. The soil type is very
the root crops. And it’s these that form the
different –– at Swinbrook they are shallow
main cropping enterprises on soil types that
over brash, while here they are light. But in
vary from blowing sand to sandy clay loam. At The Wicken, the farming activities must
both cases, using cover crops and grazing
110ha of sugar beet, 80ha of potatoes and a provide the thriving biodiversity the estate needs.
with sheep really helps.
further 80ha of land let out for onions and
16 crop production magazine april 2021Real Results Pioneers
A Real Result for green leaf area produces a comfortable margin
The sandy loam of Five Hills, the field 22 March 25 June
where the Real Results trial took
place last year, was never really
going to deliver a yield-topping
performance, no matter what
chemistry was used, and weather
challenges last year also conspired
against it. But the results have
been nonetheless a considerable
eye-opener for Toby. The xarvio Powerzone map (left) highlights the patchy soil variation in the trial, which created a challenge for trial
“Success on these soils is all precision.
down to establishment, which can
be a challenge after roots in any components to assess differences. was to increase yield by 1.05t/ha, cost purely from its physiological
season. Here the crop followed The underlying variation in the field relative to the Ascra treatment, which benefits –– it’s not just a great
oilseed rape, but established in late means there were no significant was a significant difference at the product on septoria,” notes Hugo.
September, like most of the wheats, differences between treatments, 90% confidence level, according to It’s been a reassurance for Toby,
we used a plough/power harrow according to ADAS. However, the ADAS. This result was achieved too. “We always aim to go with
combination and didn’t protect the grab samples suggest a much higher despite the low level of precision in appropriate treatments and spray
crop from the heat and drought that total biomass achieved in the area the trial, due to the strong underlying for what we see in front of us. On
followed in the spring and summer treated with Revystar, relative to the variation in yield, which ranged from land that droughts out, you have to
–– the trial just turned to dust.” Ascra treatment. 4-11t/ha. know if you’re going to get your
KWS Firefly, the variety used, “This complements our wider “Delivering a yield benefit of over money back when you spend on
fared comparatively well in the dataset demonstrating an 1t/ha in a very low disease year premium fungicides. The trial shows
challenging autumn conditions, he improvement in HAD (Healthy Area demonstrates Revystar brings a Revystar achieved that, despite very
notes. The level of disease was Duration) in both high and low significant margin over fungicide challenging conditions last year.”
assessed on 12 June at GS65 by disease scenarios, and across
ADAS and again on 10 July. multiple strengths of variety,”
Extremely low levels were found, The BASF standard treatment delivered a significant yield improvement of
continues Hugo. “With an increased
although there was a consistent more than 1t/ha over the competitor programme.
market focus on retaining green leaf
trend for highest percentage green across the whole canopy, Revystar
leaf area (GLA) in the areas treated provides a proven opportunity to
with Revystar XE at the standard build yield.”
rate. The trial results appear to confirm
“The soil type in that part of the this. The average measured yield of
field is very variable, and as you the farm standard treatment was
walked through it you could pick out 6.16t/ha, according to yield map
the differences in GLA between data. The modelled effect of the
treatments with the naked eye,” standard rate Revystar treatment
confirms Toby. “There wasn’t much
disease for the Revystar to tackle, The Wicken 2020 Real Results trials – Five Hills
but clearly it delivered in terms of
physiological effects.” BASF standard BASF low Competitor
He’s joined by local BASF T0 (09 April) Bravo 500 (1 l/ha) + tebuconazole (0.2 l/ha)
agronomy manager Hugo Pryce to T1 (24 Apr) Elatus Era (0.75 l/ha) + Cyflamid (0.2 l/ha) + Bravo 500 (1 l/ha)
assess results. “When we flew over T2 (20 May) Revystar XE (1 l/ha) Revystar XE (0.8 l/ha) Ascra (1.2 l/ha)
the field with the drone, that also + folpet (1 l/ha)
helped us pick out the differences T3 (16 June) tebuconazole (0.5 l/ha)
between treatments. We know that Calculated yield (t/ha) 7.21 6.88 6.16
Xemium does increase water use Diff req’d for 90% confidence ±1.04 ±1.11
efficiency and the combination with Thousand grain weight (g) 51.5 50.7 50.6
Revysol has helped during that dry Grab sample analysis results
time,” he says. Grains/ear 45.1 43.5 37.4
Grab samples were collected Total biomass (t/ha) 10.31 8.05 7.04
from the trial on 24 July, shortly Variety – KWS Firefly @300 seeds/m2 drilled on 20 Sept; Previous crop – oilseed rape; the yield shown is for the treatment strips only,
excluding wheelings and calculated using ADAS Agronomics. In this trial the yield difference would need to exceed 1.04-1.11t/ha for
before harvest. 15 whole crop
statistical significance at the 90% confidence level.
samples of 50 tillers each were Bravo 500 contains chlorothalonil; Elatus Era – benzovindiflupyr+ prothioconazole; Cyflamid – cyflufenamid; Revystar XE – fluxapyroxad+
taken from each treatment and mefentrifluconazole; Ascra – bixafen+ fluopyram+ prothioconazole.
separated into straw, grain and chaff
crop production magazine april 2021 17Real Results Pioneers
The Real Results Circle
BASF’s Real Results Circle farmer-led trials are their knowledge and conduct on-farm trials.
now in their fifth year. The initiative is focused on By coming together to face challenges as one,
working with 50 farmers to conduct field-scale we can find out what really works and shape
trials on their own farms using their own kit and the future of UK agriculture.
management systems. The trials are all assessed To keep in touch with the progress of
using ADAS’ Agronomics tool which delivers these growers and the trials, go to
statistical confidence to tramline, or field-wide www.basfrealresults.co.uk or scan the QR code
treatment comparisons –– an important part of to visit the all-new, cereal fungicide virtual trial,
Real Results. offering a 360° map to compare plots.
In this series we follow the journey, thinking and
results from farmers involved
in the programme. The
features also look at some
A yield benefit from Revystar of over 1t/ha in-depth related topics, such
in a very low disease year demonstrates its as SDHI performance and
physiological benefits, points out Hugo Pryce. data capture and use.
We want farmers to share
increasingly at how we can choose
▲
species and encourage rooting at depth.”
Toby’s already noticing the difference on We had a problem with mildew last year undecided this year, looking ahead, he’s
the surface with soil that doesn’t cap as following the wet winter and delayed drilling. also planning to make more use of disease
much as previously. He’s gradually cutting “After that, you need a crop you can support systems to inform his fungicide
cultivations, with the main tillage tool being manage flexibly, treating what you see in applications. Toby’s using a weather station
a 4.4m Horsch Terrano, fitted with a front of you. Our focus later in the spring is and for the second year is also running a
Duodrill to establish the cover crops. on blight control in potatoes –– we simply trial with xarvio Field Manager. This is a
This is pulled through shortly after harvest don’t have the capacity to firefight a fungal disease support platform that uses local
with legs set at a depth of 150-200mm, issue in the wheats.” weather data and cropping information to
and the seed distributed in front of the Varietal resistance is increasingly the tool deliver recommendations, based on
packer roller. of choice here, with Theodore coming in as calculated risk of disease prevalence.
The cover remains in place until Jan or a mainstay wheat for its strong disease “Last year, we did a variable rate
Feb when land preparation gets underway scores. Grown as a seed crop, alongside application trial on our barley using
for the root crops. Cereal crop establishment SY Insitor and KWS Kerrin, Skyscraper and management zones set up within xarvio,”
poses more of a challenge, however, KWS Kinetic have been dropped from the he explains. “This varied the rate of both
especially during the past two seasons. “We wheat portfolio. fungicides and PGRs at T1 and T2. The
received 562mm of rain between Sept 2020 principle worked well and picked out the
and Jan 2021. The biggest issue we have is Staple choice differences across our variable crops. But
getting the crop established after roots and “Chlorothalonil used to be the staple choice unfortunately, the field was combined wrong,
then getting it away in spring before the land to start off the fungicide programme. Now so we don’t have the results to verify what
dries out.” we largely rely on genetics to keep the crop we saw.
This puts a very different perspective on clean. I’m hoping Theodore, with its high “We’re planning to repeat the trial this
disease control from what Toby managed in score for yellow rust as well as for season, but we’re also learning more about
the Cotswolds. “You don’t get the septoria septoria, will help. It’s certainly clean at the how Field Manager can help us target better
pressure, although there’s more of a job moment, although crops are only just getting our fungicide applications and tailor them
keeping yellow rust out early in the season. going after a cold spring,” reports Toby. more reliably to risk. It’s good to get an
This change of emphasis in the early insight on how the models it works on help
season fungicide programme means that you decide whether you stick or twist as the
only where yellow rust is spotted will a wheat season progresses.”
crop get a T0 fungicide, and he recognises Toby sees these tools as part of the
this puts more emphasis on the T1 fabric of crop management that allows him
application. “Last year we used Adexar to focus on the priorities of the estate at The
(epoxiconazole+ fluxapyroxad) at T1 Wicken. “Root crops will always remain the
followed by Reystar XE across much of main cropping priority, while the farming has
the wheat crop. This year we have some to complement the farm’s environmental
left-over Adexar that we’ll use at T1, although assets. That means key aspects for cereal
that won’t be an option going forward. Elatus crops are getting them established well and
Along with increasing the soil organic matter, the Era (benzovindiflupyr+ prothioconazole) is looking after the soils. So you treat what’s
cover crops mobilise phosphate and improve the the other farm standard application we used in front of you and use the best of the
soil structure at depth. last year due to rust pressure.” technology and tools available to deliver
While the choice of T1 chemistry is still the best results,” he concludes. ■
18 crop production magazine april 2021“ Metabolites
show what is actually
happening in the
plant.
”
Metabolites hold
the keyTechnical
Biostimulants
Biostimulants have been Omnia, that’s investigating the relationship everything else springs. There’s a ‘central
of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria dogma’ –– a chain that goes from the
used on crops for decades but (PGPR) and maize using metabolomics. genome through the transcriptome to the
the mechanisms they employ Most biostimulant studies look at proteome, and then to the metabolome.
physiological and phenotypic measurements At each stage, you get closer to the
are only just beginning to be and agronomic observations and draw phenotype or what’s actually happening
understood. CPM finds out conclusions on how well a product is to the organism.”
working based on this information. Practically the field of metabolomics can
how studying metabolites is Metabolomics offers a different perspective. be a challenging one as changes in the
helping elucidate biostimulant metabolism can happen very quickly.
Biochemical reactions Over the years, it’s become easier as
modes of action – a “Metabolomics applies different sciences the instruments relied upon –– mass
knowledge which could to try to understand the metabolism of a spectrometers –– have become more
system. It looks at the metabolites, which are capable, with the capacity to analyse
make them a precision tool involved in different biochemical reactions hundreds of thousands of molecules at
in the future. and this helps us suggest the possible any one time, explains Karl.
mechanisms that explain how a biostimulant “Instead of looking at one metabolite at
By Lucy de la Pasture product may be acting on the metabolism a time, we can now look at most of them.
of plants. There are always limitations, you don’t
Fidele describes the metabolome as necessarily pick up everything so there are
▲
Few would argue that biostimulants show the ‘chemical space and language of
promise and that’s reflected by the rapid metabolism’, which carries the imprint of
growth of the industry. But with various genetic and environmental factors and is
degrees of scientific rigour underpinning more sensitive to disturbances to the
the c300 products currently available in metabolic flux than either the transcriptome
the UK and variable performance in the (mRNA) or proteome (proteins).
field, using them successfully can be “In other words, genes and mRNA
somewhat hit or miss. provide information on the potential of what
Part of the problem is the limited can happen, enzymes show what could
fundamental research into their modes happen, but metabolites show what is
of action, says Dr Fidele Tugizimana, actually happening in the plant –– at both
biochemist at the University of a cellular and molecular level,” he says.
Johannesburg and for the Omnia Group, Dr Karl Burgess, senior lecturer in
the biggest fertilizer producing company in biological mass spectrometry at University of
South Africa. He’s working together with the Edinburgh, adds that the genome doesn’t
change. “That’s the beauty of the genome Fidele Tugizimana describes the metabolome
University of Edinburgh on a project, jointly
and it gives the whole potential of an as the ‘chemical space and language of
funded by Innovate UK/Department for
organism, so it’s a baseline from which metabolism.’
International Development (DFID) and
crop production magazine april 2021 19You can also read
