Growers with cereals yet to be sown can use a manganese seed dressing to give them a head start, according to Dalgety's Colin Lloyd.
"Manganese is one of the most important trace elements," he says, "as it is involved in formation of chlorophyll - the key pigment in photosynthesis - and various other enzyme processes within the plant.
"Making manganese available at germination benefits the crop greatly," says Mr Lloyd, "even in soils that are known to have adequate levels. More importantly for this time of year and this season, it increases root production to allow the best possible establishment of the crop.
"Don't confuse a seed treatment with spring foliar sprays. Using a seed treatment won't completely negate the need for spring foliar applications - an assessment will have to be made nearer the time."
Independent trials indicate the value of manganese as a seed dressing in both winter wheat and barley. When measured eight weeks after sowing, root fresh weight had increased by almost one-fifth over the untreated examples, demonstrating a strong response to the treatment.
"We're looking at significant numbers of late-drilled cereals this year," says Mr Lloyd, "either because people have decided to delay until soil moisture returns to more favourable levels, or because early-drilled crops have failed and the decision has been made to redrill.
"In both cases, rapid establishment will be essential. Specifying a manganese dressing will be the best thing you can do for the crop," he contends.
