Cover crop after failed winter wheat

[CORK]

I have some field portions where winter wheat has failed due to slugs.

The land has been sprayed with Tower herbicide (Chlorotoluron, Pendimethalin & DFF)

I would like to put a cover crop (preferably Phacelia) in the bare areas to keep the soil in good nick until next autumn.
I would plan to disc it, sow and roll in late spring when the ground warms up.

Has anyone done this successfully? I’m concerned that the herbicide will still knock out the Phacelia.

 

[Wigeon]

Not sure how helpful it is, but last yr put some in after failed rape- both headlands and whole fields. Rape had had astrokerb, so moved it shallow twice. Didn't drill till early may, and it came great. Mix of phacelia, millet, oats, vetch, berseem clover and buckwheat I think.

Given that was after jan astrokerb, my guess is youd be fine after your pre-em.

 

[Brisel]

How deep do you plan to cultivate? That will dilute the residual considerably. When were the herbicides applied? DFF will be the most persistent though I have had phacelia volunteers survive 125 g/ha DFF in a wheat crop applied pre em after spring oats preceded by a cover crop. Though they were very stunted and taken out by a contact Broadway Star the following spring aimed at wild oats and sterile brome

 

[CORK]

How deep do you plan to cultivate? That will dilute the residual considerably. When were the herbicides applied? DFF will be the most persistent though I have had phacelia volunteers survive 125 g/ha DFF in a wheat crop applied pre em after spring oats preceded by a cover crop. Though they were very stunted and taken out by a contact Broadway Star the following spring aimed at wild oats and sterile brome

The herbicide would have been applied in November. Plenty of rain since which should help.

I was hoping to just disc 2-3” deep in late April or May. Hopefully the time interval should help.
I’d rather have roots in the ground to prevent it slumping.

 

[Brisel]

US study on pesticide half life for PDM and others
CTU 4-16 weeks in soil
DFF half life 224-624 days! See the bottom of page 4 of the link

 

[CORK]

US study on pesticide half life for PDM and others
CTU 4-16 weeks in soil
DFF half life 224-624 days! See the bottom of page 4 of the link

Wow DFF hangs around!! I did see on the agchem label that DFF levels can accumulate over successive years.

I think I’ll plant a little trial patch in the spring and see how it establishes (or doesn’t...)

 

[Brisel]

In regularly get tell tale bleaching in the cotyledons of brassicas sown after cereals that had DFF, though it grows away from it. I've never seen crop effects in cover crops direct drilled afterwards but then I've not had a non DFF treated control plot to compare them against.

 

[Conflats]

I have some field portions where winter wheat has failed due to slugs.

The land has been sprayed with Tower herbicide (Chlorotoluron, Pendimethalin & DFF)

I would like to put a cover crop (preferably Phacelia) in the bare areas to keep the soil in good nick until next autumn.
I would plan to disc it, sow and roll in late spring when the ground warms up.

Has anyone done this successfully? I’m concerned that the herbicide will still knock out the Phacelia.

Go with as diverse a plant species mix as you can, things like sunflower (use wild Bird seed) vetches, clovers, even old maize seed, phacleia is good also.

Know of a few places where cover summers has brought land on tremendously in terms of improved structure

 

[CORK]

Go with as diverse a plant species mix as you can, things like sunflower (use wild Bird seed) vetches, clovers, even old maize seed, phacleia is good also.

Know of a few places where cover summers has brought land on tremendously in terms of improved structure

The soil was tested last year for YEN (it yielded 5tn/Ha of WOSR). I noticed a very positive CO2 burst figure which should indicate good levels of soil micro fauna.

Given that the slugs ate almost every single seed and plant across 10Ha, I think I know what the fauna was..........

Slug hollowing was occurring within 3 days of sowing. Come back Deter, all is forgiven....