New recommendation helps growers dodge showers
CEREAL growers concerned whether they'll be able to dodge spring rain showers sufficiently to protect all their wheat area against disease on time stand to gain from a new low water volume best use recommendation for a recently-launched fungicide spray.
New fungicide Cherokee combines high doses of established triazole fungicides cyproconazole and propiconazole with the anti-resistance ingredient chlorothalonil, found in Bravo. Launched in March, it has given comparable disease control and yield to mixes of newer triazoles with Bravo in trials. Yet because it hasn't had the high development costs of new active ingredients it offers excellent value for money, manufacturer Syngenta points out.
Now, following work by Syngenta's application team, the company backs Cherokee use in water volumes of 100 litres per hectare.
This will mean fewer sprayer fill ups are required when treating a farm's wheat area, compared with a 200 litres per hectare spray volume, says the company's Matt Pickard. So growers will be able to make better use of available spray windows during catchy April and May weather - by treating more of their wheat area on time. That could translate into financial savings of as much as £300 per hectare, he adds.
"Protecting a wheat crop's top three leaves on time is now arguably more important than ever with tough grain prices," says Mr Pickard," because they contribute the greatest to yield.
"Unfortunately the important T1 and T2 spray timings required for this usually coincide with showery April and May weather.
"Therefore, the reduction in sprayer fill-ups with 100 l/ha spray volume could be a big benefit when it comes to protecting all a farm's wheat area especially as growers are now more stretched as they try to operate with fewer staff but more land."
Based on a typical 24 metre, 2,500 litre farm sprayer operating at 12 km per hour, Mr Pickard calculates that an extra 23 hectares per day could be treated by applying Cherokee in 100 l/ha, compared with 200 l/ha, when using 10 litre Cherokee cans.
"Put another way, at a contractor spraying cost of £10 per hectare, that extra 23 hectares could equate to a saving of £230 per day.
"It's been calculated that every day that fungicide application is delayed at the flag leaf timing can cost up to 0.07 t/ha in lost yield. That's equivalent to £3.85 with wheat at £55/t - or a potential further saving of £88 per day by treating those extra 23 hectares. In other words, a total saving of £300 per day - just by reducing spray water volume," he adds.
Additionally, Mr Pickard says Cherokee has also been tested through the company's Amistar nozzles, and Syngenta is supporting its use through these nozzles this year.
Designed for use at 100 l/ha spray volumes, Amistar nozzles have previously been shown to place more spray on the plant and improve disease control, and, with the low drift properties of their 3 star LERAP rating, they enable users to increase the number of spraying opportunities compared to standard flat fan nozzles, he adds.
"Lower water volume application and specialist nozzles are all part of our Product Plus initiative aimed at simplifying product use and helping growers get more back from every £1 spent.
"For Septoria-prone wheat varieties or in high risk situations we're suggesting a dose of 1.5 l/ha of Cherokee. For more resistant varieties, then 1.25 l/ha may be appropriate," Mr Pickard adds.
To further help capitalise on available spray windows, he says Cherokee is also rainfast in one hour.
