In most seasons wheat crops are either lush and forward, or backward and in need of pushing; this year we have both, according to Bob Mills, Technical Manager at Frontier. "Whatever the crop state, I’m advising an early split PGR application at T0 and T1, and to apply the first dose by the end of March at the latest," he says.
"At planting last autumn, seed rates were increased almost across the board and this coupled with a mild autumn meant crops were very forward going into the winter," he adds. "However, unlike many springs the very cold, hard winter will have knocked back crop development and will have left both forward and backward plants with less root mass than I would like to see."
Crops particularly vulnerable are those which have been sitting in wet soils, those which were drilled late and those growing on light soils. "Rooting will be a key requirement for these crops if they are going to have the root mass to support the water and nutrient uptake required to deliver yield," he notes.
"My preference for this early T0 timing would be 0.3-0.4l/ha of Canopy + the water conditioner X-Change because Canopy works well at cooler temperatures and it stimulates root mass. At T1 I would recommend 1.5l/ha of Chlormequat + 0.6l/ha of Canopy; but the Canopy dose could be reduced in less needy crops."
BASF’s PGR Manager Sarah Mountford-Smith adds some theory to the rooting and tillering claims: "Both of the active ingredients in Canopy stimulate root growth in young cereal plants; lab work has shown that the rooting effect from the prohexadione-calcium active (in Canopy) on root growth is particularly pronounced," she explains.
"The trials on Winter Wheat highlighted that application of Canopy increases root dry matter by up to 27% over the untreated. The alternative treatment showed some beneficial root effect (+7.5%), but only at a rate double that of the average rate of use in the UK. Trials have also shown early Canopy treatments enhance tillering, allowing effective management of the crop to achieve the optimal number of ears/m2."
Mr. Mills goes on to say that stimulation and manipulation are the name of the game this season; "Unless root mass is increased cereal crops will not perform and will lack the vigour that they need to defend against disease and deliver yield, and given the low margin potential this season, every contribution to plant health and development will be essential."
For more information about Canopy, please log on to www.pgrplus.basf.com. Watch the video on Canopy and earn 2 BASIS points and 1 NRoSo point.
