Interfarm UK Ltd has two new growth regulators, Vivax and Spatial Plus, both containing chlormequat and ethephon. “Vivax and Spatial Plus can be used early or late to reduce lodging in winter wheat, winter barley and spring barley. The best timing is at flag leaf just visible (GS 37), so they will normally fit as the second spray in a two-spray programme, which is likely to be the name of the game this season for winter-sown cereals,” says Simon Bishop from Interfarm UK Ltd.
Simon points out that there are quite a few forward cereal crops at the moment. “Winter crops were drilled in good conditions, established well in the autumn and they have moved through the growth stages to reach the spring ahead of normal. There has been little cold winter weather or frosts to check them this winter. Advanced winter wheat and winter barley that have reached stem extension will need two growth regulators this year, in order to keep them standing and to reduce the risk of lodging,” he says.
Simon explains that plant growth regulators are vital tools to reduce lodging in cereals, which can be a serious problem in some years and in some varieties. “Lodging not only reduces yield and quality through the mechanical process, but also makes harvesting more difficult and costly and increases drying costs. Milling wheats are hit hardest as lodging badly affects Hagberg Falling Number, ruining quality. It is important to keep crops standing. Looking at the latest HGCA variety list, 41% of winter wheat varieties listed are over 85 cm in height, with favourites such as Evolution and Invicta being 88 cm tall. JB Diego is listed as being 87cm along with Panorama, Britannia, Zulu, Monterey, Twister, Alchemy and Horatio. In winter barley 89% of the varieties are over 85 cm tall, with Volume being 100 cm and Meridian 103 cm! Flagon is 98 cm and has a 5 rating for resistance to lodging. ADAS estimates that every 3 to 4 years widespread lodging occurs in 10-15% of cereals, causing serious economic effects. Yield loss in severely lodged areas can be 25%.”
In Vivax and Spatial Plus we have a combination of actives, chlormequat that reduces cell elongation and so reduces height and ethephon which affects cell division, shortening and strengthening the stem, says Simon
Simon reminds growers that Cerone (ethepon) has the flexibility of being used between GS 32 to GS 37, but is reliably the most effective growth regulator at GS37. “This is why it is usually used as the second spray. It can be recommended in winter wheat, winter barley, winter rye and triticale to maximise stem strength and help prevent lodging. Best response is obtained when crops are actively growing.”
