Have you learnt how to control slugs ?

[britt]

We are told this year that cereals are facing a plague of aphids and that BYDV risk is the highest in years.
Would you be tempted to spray an insecticide? Even the kindest one possible? Spray infield but not around headlands? Or just accept the risk?

I have used less and less in recent years but being told not to use this autumn would be a mistake

We have the same dilemma here.
Given the wheat price it's a bigger gamble.

 

[yellow belly]

We have the same dilemma here.
Given the wheat price it's a bigger gamble.

What gamble
if your experience from October emerged crops unsprayed is no bydv then not spraying is not a gamble
especially when those who have looked for aphids find none the wheat follows non cereal breaks and this Summer has been a low aphid year

if I found aphids every week since emergence i would consider spraying next March if they are still around because the winter has not controlled them

the warm weather also helps the beneficials find any aphids

 

[britt]

One of the monitoring stations had recorded record levels for early November, which is what prompted my agronomists decision, and he did find one.
However, after much searching a week after the recommendation (and not sprayed) I only managed to find one juvenile aphid, so I assume the predators have eaten rest. So I only sprayed for aphids on the bits where I topped up the herbicide.

 

[Wombat]

Well I worked out how to keep the slugs well fed, give them a vetch and oats cover crop to feed on. They really love it, next year will be a cheap cover crop I think

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

I've only sprayed the barley and a couple of fields not far down the regen route.

Where i did spray barley i left outside of field unsprayed .

Wheats on fields 2 years into cover cropping, DD, regen, etc. unsprayed and will remain so

 

[ajd132]

I've only sprayed the barley and a couple of fields not far down the regen route.

Where i did spray barley i left outside of field unsprayed .

Wheats on fields 2 years into cover cropping, DD, regen, etc. unsprayed and will remain so

The outside is the only place we do sometimes find evidence of bydv

 

[ollie989898]

Slugs can attack a field whether you have OSR or brassicas in the rotation or not in my experience. Never seen them behind maize though, I know not why.

The most important thing is properly burying seed and putting that seed into good seed/soil contact. Rolling really helps. As does the control of volunteers and properly spreading trash.

I used to look under stones and trash. If there were slugs around they would hiding around there. Some seasons where it was wetter and cooler, I would use more pellets than other times. Slower crop emergence and growth obviously magnifies the risk and of course there is a psychological element as well as you fear more for a crop that look to be up against it.

Had issues with slugs earing grass several times in the past, too. Also they can nibble on maize a bit when it is young.


Very few issues in spring crops- warmer conditions and crops just get up and go better I guess.

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

The outside is the only place we do sometimes find evidence of bydv

If it is just in a small area then i suppose that's a fair trade off.

I'm trying to tread a path between the agronomy companies' official advice and the sandal wearing evangelists.

 

[ajd132]

If it is just in a small area then i suppose that's a fair trade off.

I'm trying to tread a path between the agronomy companies' official advice and the sandal wearing evangelists.

So am I! They are both as bad as each other on my opinion. Agron companies slapping stuff on whatever and the sandal wearers saying things which they haven’t actually achieved.

 

[ollie989898]

If you don't think BYDV is a risk, then don't apply the insecticide.

 

[l'ordinary bonville]

If you don't think BYDV is a risk, then don't apply the insecticide.

Great advice

Thank you

 

[yellow belly]

If you don't think BYDV is a risk, then don't apply the insecticide.

i don’t

plenty of people use insecticide on wheat planted mid October which will never have and economiclay damageing level of bydv

round heat the weather will control them if there are any

 

[britt]

Having sprayed some for aphids this year, which is apparently the highest risk year for many due to the mild weather and high catches at monitoring stations, and not other, it will be a good test as to whether the predators on notill land which has not had insecticide for a number of years can control them or not. We'll see in spring if we have the yellow rings or not.