OSR to spray or not to spray

[richard hammond]

Get going with the weed control and get the N and S on pronto. The rest of it is open to debate.

I would probably only spray the thin patches for weeds but depends on how bad the good parts of the fields are.

I agree spray the weeds and N+S then shut the gate.

 

[SilliamWhale]

A cynic would say that this is done on purpose not for the benefit of the farmer, but to allow them to sell higher margin products at the expense of the farmer. We had enough distributor agronomists over enough farms to see that they all do this, and some agronomists are much worse than others.

.

What would the non cynical view be?

 

[Zippy768]

No fungicide yet
I think agro wants to use pgrs as we’ve had flat rape in the passed but we used to put feet on early and now don’t bother.

Fields that don’t look as good as this will get more fert

How did you get on with flat osr?

 

[jack6480]

How did you get on with flat osr?

combine driver loved it

 

[Zippy768]

combine driver loved it

Retrievable?

 

[jack6480]

Yield was as I think it shed before it got to the combine

 

[DrWazzock]

No fungicide at all???

Correct. There are dead leaves sure enough but you get those over winter. The new growth looks clean enough to me, so it will get no fungicide.

I am growing a semi dwarf low biomass variety this year. It's certainly living up (or down) to its name so far! So I don't need the regulation effect of the fungicides either. It's so easy to blow a £1000 on a few litres of fungicide.

Sold the swather so combining direct with a crap bed. Won't handle tall crops.

 

[DrWazzock]

Some years I have had bumper OSR crops with little spend. Other years it's had the kitchen sink and been rubbish.

Other than early weed control, some boron, the fertilisers and some foliar N at pod fill, I find the rest of the chemical inputs of dubious value. I don't find exceeding 160 kgN achieves much either, other than risks flattening it. Insecticides do more harm than good and I just won't spray a flowering crop with them any more regardless of what anybody says, beans as well for that matter. It's just wrong. Makes my heart sink to even contemplate it.

Wheat, on the other hand, would be a wipe out without fungicide here, barley could probably manage without some years.

So easy to rack up £k spend.