Carry out tissue testing now to tie in foliar nutrition with fungicide T timings to reduce the need to travel twice.
Chris Bond, nutritional specialist at FMC, explains by utilising tissue testing growers will be able to understand what is limiting their crops and remedy this with foliar nutrition alongside fungicide applications.
“Given the late season the need to reduce activity is ever more important. Therefore, timing tissue testing ready to apply nutrition at T0/T1 could be vital this year,” says Chris.
He explains following the wet winter, crops will be lacking in a wide range of nutrients and tissue testing is the most accurate way to see what these are before they have any negative impact on the crop.
“As crops are beginning to grow in the warmer spring weather, any deficiencies could be damaging to crop health and ultimately limiting yield and quality,” Chris says.
“Magnesium, nitrogen and sulphur are the most obvious nutrients that will have leached over the winter, but zinc will also be a big consideration this spring as it’s commonly locked up in wet and cold soil conditions.
“For example, last year 65% of the crops we tested were deficient in zinc and I predict this will be the same if not more this year.”
Chris adds that it is important to check the tank mix compatibility of foliar nutrition products before mixing with fungicides.
“Our foliar nutrition products are physically compatible with a wide range of agrochemicals, but for detailed information check our website or contact the technical helpline,” he says.
Chris adds that this advice should be followed throughout the season, tissue sampling before every T timing to make sure nutrition isn’t limiting the crops growth and development during the course of the season.
“By applying foliar nutrition at key spray timings, growers can bypass any issues that may arise by getting vital nutrients into the crop to maximise their potential, while reducing travelling,” concludes Mr Bond.
