Disease is a key watch out for spring barley crops this year

For those growers who have been able to establish spring barley in good time, the ongoing wet weather is now placing these crops under greater disease pressure. 

With the ongoing challenges around the 2024 season, the need to maintain the yield and quality of established spring barley crops has never been so important. 

Rhynchosporium and net blotch are well established as the key wet weather diseases in barley, and reports of developing symptoms in earlier drilled crops is now being widely reported. 

Cultural risk factors

While the weather will undoubtedly increase the risk of wet weather diseases in many spring barley crops this year, it is worth being aware of additional cultural factors that also come into play too. Sowing date, variety choice and rotation are some of the key elements to consider here. 

• Any earlier drilled crops are expected to be at increased risk of disease. With some crops being sown before Christmas in areas where growers could get on and many only going in now, the range of drilling dates nationally is huge. 
• Rotation has big implications for disease risk, as growing consecutive barley crops increases the risk of inoculum carryover, particularly important for Rhynchosporium and net blotch. 
• Knowing a variety's resistance to the different diseases can help you to tailor your fungicide programmes accordingly and help achieve the full potential from the genetics.

SYNGENTA are recommending that all growers review their fungicide programme with a BASIS qualified advisor to ensure it is still appropriate for their individual situation.

Introducing MIRAVIS® PLUS 

The recent registration of the cereal fungicide MIRAVIS® PLUS in the UK is a real game-changer for growers and agronomists in the fight against disease.

Incorporating ADEPIDYN® technology, MIRAVIS® PLUS delivers a step change in the control of Septoria in wheat. In barley, MIRAVIS® controls all the key diseases of Ramularia, Rhynchosporium, and net blotch powering ahead of alternative chemistry.

MIRAVIS® PLUS has now also been added to the approved list of Agrochemicals accepted by the BBPA (British Beer and Pub Association) allowing it to be used now in malting barley crops for harvest 2024.

Taking disease control to a new level 

Targeted as a T2 fungicide, MIRAVIS PLUS has demonstrated its high efficacy on key diseases and can be applied across a range of cereal crops and across wide application windows.

MIRAVIS® PLUS is supplied in a convenient co-pack with Era® (prothioconazole) which is also active against Fusarium, boosts rust control and contributes to Septoria resistance management in wheat - as well as being the perfect partner for use on barley crops. 

Why not secure your spring barley yields this year and use the leading cereal fungicide product?

For more information on MIRAVIS PLUS please click here!