With crop development moving ahead rapidly after one of the warmest winters on record, plant breeders Nickerson have just released a ‘Winter Wheat Development Guide’ to focus on spring management of the company’s varieties - particularly early season lodging and disease management.

“Crops are way forward of where they normally are at this time of year, and weather conditions have favoured the growth of both crops and diseases. Crops sown before mid-October have responded to the mild conditions by producing a lot of vegetative growth.  A number of diseases are associated with this excessive growth - mainly Septoria tritici, mildew and brown rust - with eyespot also beginning to appear,” warns Lee Robinson, Nickerson’s arable marketing manager.

The guide gives advice on assessing the lodging risk and considers varietal lodging resistance, nitrogen timing and plant growth regulators.  It gives a summary chart of apical development patterns of all leading Nickerson varieties.  The guide also sets out points to consider when planning an early season disease control strategy with sections on key diseases, genetic resistance and fungicide choice and timing.  It includes a summary table of disease resistance ratings for Nickerson wheat varieties.

“Earlier sown, thick crops will clearly require careful management to avoid lodging later in the season and to prevent disease spreading on to the new growth.  This guide gives wheat growers a concise yet comprehensive summary to assist them in prioritising their inputs,” adds Mr Robinson.

Copies of the guide are available from the Marketing department at: direct@nickerson.co.uk.