‘Good yield potential' for cereals
Winter barley
Winter barley has good yield potential with good shoot numbers this season. Earlier-maturing barley varieties such as Joyau and Integral are at or near the 'awn' emergence stage.
Other varieties will reach this stage within the next few days. Recent favourable growing conditions have helped crop recovery following the final application of plant growth regulators.
Disease pressure remains low overall. However, some mildew has been reported, especially in fields where there was a long interval from the first fungicide. Ramularia will be the target of the final fungicide in the next 10 days.
Spring barley
Spring barley has had an excellent start to the season with excellent establishment and good growth in recent days. Early sown crops are well into tillering and weed control is the priority as weed size increases.
It is very hard to make a case for insecticide use for barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) this year given the March sowing dates and rapid growth of crops.
Winter wheat
Most crops now have leaf 3 fully emerged with leaf 2 at the 50-75% emerged stage. This is depending on the variety and sowing date.
Many crops have already received a leaf 3 fungicide while the remainder will receive it this week.
Winter oats
Crops have greened up well in the last few days after the recent rains. Most are generally clean, but there are some reports of mildew in Isabel. Most crops are between growth stage (GS) 32 and 37 at the moment, although some late sown crops are still at GS 32.
Catch crops
Funding of up to a maximum of €9,160 per farm is available to tillage farmers to plant catch crops who farm in priority areas for action under the Farming for Water EIP.
There are multiple benefits to catch crops. But the key environmental benefits are reducing nitrate leaching, soil erosion, and phosphorus run-off.
Crops open day
The 2025 Teagasc crops open day is planned for Wednesday, June 25 at the Teagasc Crops Research Centre in Oak Park, Carlow.
This year's event will cover the latest research on all the main tillage crops and horticultural field crops.
It will also include a major machinery demonstration, with a particular focus on sprayers and the technology available for more accurate applications.
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