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First and Second Wheat Husbandry
Date added: 02/09/04 |
* Optimum drill dates vary by up to 5 weeks
* Herbicide spend on second wheats greater
* Pre-emergence use double in second wheats
Optimum drilling dates for first and second winter wheats could be as far apart
as five weeks, according to new information from ProCam’s 4cast predictive
agronomy system.
Comparisons of yields against drilling date over the last five years throughout
the country shows the highest yields for first wheat achieved from crops drilled
in the first week of September but for second wheats the best date is the first
week of October.
Yield drop off for first wheat was 0.2t/ha each week after the 12 September
optimum drilling date with and yield of 8.7t/ha compared with 7.7t/ha for crops
sown on 22 October.
Sowing second wheats early - at the optimum drilling date for first wheat for
example - could lose you 0.5t/ha as there is a significant yield deficit before
the optimum date of 2 October.
“Across the board, first wheats yielded 0.98 tonne more than second wheats
over the five year period and herbicide spend was about £2/ha more for
second wheats at £47.70/ha compared with £45.80/ha for first wheats,”
ProCam technical director Dr. David Ellerton explains.
In particular, the need for pre-emergence weed control practically doubles
with second wheats as opposed to firsts with 32% of growers using preemergence herbicides on second wheats compared with 15% for firsts, he
says.
“The results point to the fact that the agronomic requirements for optimum
yield in second wheats are greater than many people realise and this must be
acknowledged. It is this sort of fine-tuning that can make all the difference
between profit and loss and will be increasingly important.”
The most profitable rotation is still 50:50 Winter Wheat and OSR, but if you
can’t do this and have to grow successive wheats, paying attention to drill
dates and herbicide management will always pay dividends, Dr. Ellerton
concludes. |
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