Post harvest cultivations

[Landrover]

We have a small area of a larger field that is in Triticale the rest is wheat, and the Triticale has some ergot in it, the whole field was due to go into spelt this autumn and we would probably weather dependent just topdown then sow it but having found ergot should we plough it or will that make no difference to the ergot situation, not something we ever have had to deal with here so any help appreciated, the small part of the field is Triticale in place of a 2nd wheat rest of field is a first wheat after potatoes

 

[Flat 10]

Good question. Gut instinct is that if you plough the ergot down they won’t be able to germinate and sporulate (? I think ) so might lessen risk in spelt. Is spelt a high risk grain?

 

[Phil P]

Taken from Wikipedia -

Infested fields need to be deep plowed; ergot cannot germinate if buried more than one inch in soil and therefore will not release its spores into the air. Rotating crops using non-susceptible plants helps reduce infestations since ergot spores only live one year. Crop rotation and deep tillage, such as deep moldboard ploughing, are important components in managing ergot,

 

[Oat]

Plough or bury to at least 5cm. Ideally, a non-cereal crop would best as the next crop, but in your situation this does not sound possible.

As you have found ergot the triticale, it may also be present in grassweeds in the same field, so careful management of these in the next crop will be important, especially blackgrass which is a good host.

 

[Pieces_of_Eight]

How far do the spores travel?

 

[Landrover]

Plough or bury to at least 5cm. Ideally, a non-cereal crop would best as the next crop, but in your situation this does not sound possible.

As you have found ergot the triticale, it may also be present in grassweeds in the same field, so careful management of these in the next crop will be important, especially blackgrass which is a good host.

Unfortunately we have a contracted acreage of spelt to grow so it has to go in to that field, we don't have blackgrass to deal with fortunately just a bit of sterile brome, I think it's been a combination of the weather this year, farm saved Triticale seed and grass margins ! Plough will be coming out ! Spelt seed will be dressed and treated tho

 

[Oat]

Unfortunately we have a contracted acreage of spelt to grow so it has to go in to that field, we don't have blackgrass to deal with fortunately just a bit of sterile brome, I think it's been a combination of the weather this year, farm saved Triticale seed and grass margins ! Plough will be coming out ! Spelt seed will be dressed and treated tho

it sounds as though you are planning to do all you can do to minimize the risk