Vegetable Agronomy Open Days
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Vegetable Farmer Open Day Report by Mark Sanderson |
Whole crop agronomy on show
Syngenta's new UK Vegetable Agronomy Demonstration site in East Anglia is an industry first and a valuable resource for vegetable growers concerned at the contraction in dedicated field based R&D for their crops. Bruce McKenzie of Syngenta reported the demonstration site, hosted by PGRO, is unique in bringing together crop protection, variety and fertiliser application expertise in one place. The site contains demonstration plots of Syngenta broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, Brussels sprouts, lettuce, onion and leek varieties, along with their respective crop protection programmes.
Brussels sprout growers had the chance to see two new innovations from Syngenta Seeds. For many growers it was a first look at the new clubroot resistant Brussels sprout variety, Crispus, offering mid-season maturity and claiming exceptional button quality. Mike Molyneux of Syngenta Seeds reported the clubroot resistance has proved exceptionally resilient in trials, showing to a line where the varieties were sown.
"We are already seeing excellent yields with resistant varieties, such as Crispus, where conventional varieties can be a complete failure. It gives growers far greater security that consistently profitable yields can be achieved." Mr Molyneux highlighted the clubroot resistant trait is set to become an increasingly significant part of the Syngenta Seeds brassica portfolio over the coming years. Excitingly, early trials indicate infection levels of the clubroot pathogen in the soil actually fall when resistant varieties are grown, providing a more robust long-term solution.
"We are conscious that, with different and evolving strains of the clubroot pathogen, growers need to adopt good rotational and cultural controls, such as fertiliser inputs, to minimise the potential risk. The Vegetable Demonstration Site provides the ideal opportunity to showcase both the varieties and the whole crop agronomy options," he added.
Syngenta Seeds brassica specialist, James Gray, demonstrated plots of the quick growing Gustus, the company's earliest maturing variety giving a bold and good flavoured early supply, with well spaced sprouts ideal for mechanical harvesting. Typically coming in three to four weeks earlier than Abacus, it's proving a valuable option for UK growers to oust the early season imports from Morocco and South Africa, he reports.
Mike Molyneux added that, over the summer, varieties of Savoy and green cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli would be added to the Vegetable Demonstration Site, including the early maturing green cabbage, Greenland, with an 85 day growing cycle and avoiding unsightly elongation frequently seen with other early cabbage varieties. Also new for 2010 is the broccoli variety Bay Meadows, along with a broccoli variety RBR323 out of the Syngenta trials programme, selected to provide exceptionally clean heads for reduced harvesting labour costs and extended shelf life, along with attractive visual traits for consumers.
Onions set for new agronomy
Onion plots on the site have focused on varieties and whole crop agronomy programmes for long-term storage - possibly the most demanding sector of the market for bulb quality. Storage onion varieties on show included Wellington and Napoleon, along with the recently introduced and highly popular early variety, Vision.
Bulb quality will be protected over the season by fungicide programmes containing Fubol Gold and Olympus, which have both gained approval in recent seasons. Fubol Gold's strength is against the major disease, threat, Downy Mildew, while Olympus' strength is against Botrytis and Cladosporium that can also be very damaging to green leaf and quality according to Syngenta Field Technical Manager, Jon Ogborn. In trials and field experience Olympus has also proven to have good effect on Downy Mildew, although this will be boosted in the programme with the addition of mancozeb, he added.
The flexibility of the programme also allows for the use of Switch (available under a SOLA) on onions later in the season if Botrytris pressure is high. Switch will also be used to protect the lettuce crops from Botrytis and Sclerotinia. Switch is proving especially valuable to vegetable growers as a broad spectrum non-strobilurin or triazole option.
The site's fungicide programmes for all crops have been designed to be commercially realistic, but also demonstrate some of the latest agronomy solutions from Syngenta, added Mr Ogborn.
Thrip control in leeks
To counter the ever increasing threat posed by thrips in leeks, the crops on the site will also receive new Agrimec at the start of the insecticide programme. Available for the first time in 2010 with a new SOLA, Mr Ogborn says Agrimec will bring the valuable addition of a new mode of action to alternate with Tracer. It has performed well in Warwick HRI trials and the translaminar movement of Agrimec should give faster knockdown. Best results will come from application as soon as thrips are seen before leaf damage impedes uptake of the chemical.
Mr Ogborn highlighted the site will give us the chance to show new herbicide options at the earliest opportunity once approved," he said. Early trials with a new broad-spectrum herbicide, Dual Gold, in onions and leeks have looked promising in terms of crop safety and control of important weeds such as mayweed, nettle and groundsel, along with grasses. The product also looks promising for brassicas and mixture partners are being evaluated in 2010, he added.
Top rated fungicide
Amistar Top is the highest rated fungicide for brassica crops, according to views of independent agronomists and growers reported at the Open Day. Compiled by independent consultant, Chris Ursell, the review of opinions on fungicide efficacy highlighted Amistar Top gave very good control on key diseases Ringspot, Powdery Mildew, Alternaria and Phoma, along with good effects on White Blister and Light Leaf Spot, as well as effects on Downy Mildew.
For carrots, Amistar Top also came out clearly ahead on points, with the highest scored rating for performance on Powdery mildew, Alternaria and Cercospora, with good results on Sclerotinia.
Crop nutrition to kick start growth
Soil tests have revealed around 70% of UK fields are low on the essential trace element boron, which could compromise effective calcium uptake and crop yields, according to Yara Speciality Area Manager, Tom Decamp. He advises boron is especially important for production of quality leafy brassica vegetable crops, and should be considered in top dressing applications.
Mr Decamp reported that, with the late start to the season and slow early growth this year, it was considered important to get crops off to a good start and keep them growing quickly. His recommendation was for a Complex Partner fertiliser across all the trial ground, at a rate to supply 120kg/ha of N, 110kg of P2O5 and 180kg of K2O. The sulphate of potash based compound fertiliser also contains 8% sulphur - supplying 200kg/ha - which is crucial on the site's light sandy soil. "It's important to get the S & N balance right, to ensure good uptake of the nitrogen," he advised.
Top dressing recommended on the brassica crops would be either the company's Calcium Nitrate Tropicote or Nitrabor, supplying 80kg/ha of N in the first top dressing as soon as crops are fully established, then a further 50kg/ha according to growth rates. Mr Decamp highlights the Nitrabor fertiliser also supplies 0.3% boron, for healthy leaf growth and useful suppression of club root in susceptible varieties on infected soils. The allium crops would receive Tropicote, with one application on the onions and two on the leeks.
Crops on the site will all receive YaraVita Mantrac 500 for manganese and Magflo 300 for magnesium, and be tested for subclinical micronutrient deficiency at various growth stages that would be corrected with further foliar applications where necessary.
Further visits and in-season agronomy reports are planned for the site, along with another full open day on 7 September.
For further information visit: www.syngenta-crop.co.uk
