Growers face second year of high lodging risks

FOR the second year running winter cereal growers could be staring down the barrel of high lodging pressures this season unless proven control measures are adopted, a leading expert is warning - with potential losses of £300/ha.

And with growers tempted to make the most of better grain prices by pushing harder for yield, new research showing the plant growth regulator (PGR) Moddus can better protect crop output at higher nitrogen doses has come just in time, says another.

According to ADAS senior research consultant Dr Peter Berry, good establishment and the mild winter have left crops exposed to both root and stem lodging risks this season. These have arisen due to limited space for root spread and anchorage within high plant populations. Also, a likelihood that stems in the dense canopies will grow tall and weak as they compete for light.

"If anything, risks are a bit worse than last year," Dr Berry emphasises, "because farmers established crops earlier. On average a lodged patch reduces yield by 25%."

Even at a lowly £75/t grain price, Dr Berry calculates that yield losses alone from lodging could wipe £150/ha off wheat income. But current wheat prices are over £90/t. Additionally, the extra time it takes to harvest a lodged crop plus higher drying costs could cost £60/ha. While quality losses in milling wheat could cost another £90/ha. "Hagbergs can drop by 20 to 30 seconds per day in a lodged crop," he points out.

"Historically, the farming industry has perceived lodging as stem lodging. Often it's root lodging." In answer, Dr Berry has researched ways to tackle both stem and root lodging risks.

For root lodging, he says remedial action includes applying PGRs, reducing nitrogen dose to reign back on crop growth, and rolling crops before growth stage 30 to consolidate soils. For stem lodging, he advocates applying PGRs and delaying nitrogen application. "The effects of PGRs are additive. If you have two PGRs they could improve lodging resistance by as much as three points. Moddus and chlormequat is a good mix."

Syngenta lodging expert Jason Tatnell agrees that growers need to be aware of this season's root and stem lodging pressures. Last year, he says a lot of PGR was used as insurance to keep cereal crops standing. With equivalent risks this season, he urges growers to repeat their successful PGR programmes again.

"Losses from lodging can wreck efficient crop production, so with this season's pressures I'd question whether it's wise to try a new programme. Of the PGR options, we know Moddus is a good foundation because it is proven and targets all three causes of lodging - poor rooting, weak stems or excessive crop height.

"Linked to this, we have conducted extensive research over the last 10 years to classify wheat varieties according to which of these areas they are most likely to lodge in.

"By combining this variety profiling information with seasonal risks, and the ability of Moddus to target all three lodging causes, growers can direct PGR use to individual crop 'pressure points' that need protecting the most.

"Also, with this year's higher grain prices, growers could understandably be tempted to increase fertiliser dose to boost yield and extract more value from their cereals. In these circumstances proven lodging management becomes even more crucial.

"With Moddus, we have the data to show that it gave a clear yield boost through controlling lodging when the fertiliser dose was increased.

"While wheat yield dropped by 1.3 t/ha when the nitrogen dose was increased from 200 to 240 kg/ha but no PGR applied, where Moddus was used, yield increased by almost a tonne."