Caring for wheat in April
In April, wheat will transition from the tillering phase to the stem elongation phase.
WHEAT FERTILIZATION IN APRIL
At this stage, crops should have sprouted well and developed a strong root system, which will be crucial for their future development. A strong root system is one that has many branches, many hairs, and, last but not least, has penetrated to a depth equal to the above-ground parts of the plant. Phosphorus is well known to everyone as a key element for wheat roots, but besides it, another essential but often underestimated element is zinc. It participates in the processes of nitrogen processing and exchange, chlorophyll biosynthesis, and root hair formation. Root hairs perform the main task of the root, namely providing the above-ground organs with nutrients and water. Therefore, their development must be stimulated by adding zinc, which you can find in Valagro's product - EDTA Zinc. The product helps increase the protein content in seeds, stimulates nitrogen metabolism in the plant, strengthens cells, and allows for uniform ripening. The overall effect is an increase in the class and the plant as a whole, and thus higher quality and quantity of yield. In heavy and clayey soils, root formation is further impeded, so in such areas it is extremely important to monitor the condition of the crop and, in the case of short and weak roots, to take measures to ensure that the crop is fully nourished.
Wheat tillering is the period during which it absorbs most of the nutrients available to it, channels energy into plant growth, ear formation and movement, and prepares the plant for flowering.
At this stage, most producers have already applied the main nitrogen or NPK fertilizer, but in order to ensure complete nutrition for the crop, it is necessary to provide it with micronutrients as well. For this purpose, we can offer you Valago's EDTA Mix product at a dose of 100 g/da, which contains magnesium, manganese, iron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and boron. Combined with the biostimulator Megafol at a dose of 150-200 ml/da, it ensures that all the basic needs of wheat are met so that the plant can concentrate on producing a higher quality and higher yield. Here we can share a little secret with you, namely that applying phosphorus during tillering increases the hectoliter and, accordingly, the yield. So take advantage of every opportunity to fertilize the crop when you enter the field, because it will undoubtedly reward you later!
If you are looking for a quick and easy solution, you can always turn to everyone's favorite—Codafol Maximus, which contains nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, manganese, zinc, boron, and amino acids. It is quickly absorbed and provides an invigorating, anti-stress effect, increasing the quality and quantity of production. Codafol Maximus can be applied at any stage and to any crop, and will always be welcome!
Another important factor in the development of autumn crops is the need for fast nitrogen for good growth and setting of wheat, as well as bolting in rapeseed.
In the absence of rainfall and low night temperatures, which block the root supply of nitrogen, there is only one solution - Codafol N33 at a dose of 200 ml/da.
One of the most commonly overlooked and underestimated factors in crop development is the water used in their treatment. Water sources that maintain very low water temperatures are often used, which directly affects its pH. In addition, products that are not always fully compatible are often mixed in sprayer tanks, and even if there is no visible deterioration of the mixture, some elements may block others and compromise the action of the products. Therefore, in such cases, we advise our customers to use a water conditioner that will optimize the action of the products and balance the acidity of the water.
Such products are Tamponic and Exchange. They optimize the action of the products in the tank mixture, reduce surface tension, and help the working solution penetrate the plant cell, while also helping the droplet adhere to the leaf.
WEEDS IN WHEAT IN APRIL
With the warming of the weather and the development of crops, weed growth also intensifies. At this stage, chickweed, chamomile, field bindweed, common ragweed, palamida, starwort, and in some places wild oats, couch grass, and others have sprouted. Large temperature fluctuations can in some cases stop certain weeds, but chemical control is key in the long term. Their great species diversity is reduced to basic groups, against which general control measures are applied. Thus, to eliminate cereal weeds, we recommend Foxtrot 69EB, which is a highly selective systemic and contact product, effective against wild oats, foxtail, field bindweed, common chickweed, species of goosefoot, millet, and others. Broadleaf weeds can be controlled with Tripali, a new and highly effective broad-spectrum herbicide developed to provide a universal solution for controlling broadleaf weeds in cereal crops.
WHEAT DISEASES IN APRIL
The growing season for wheat began very dry, with an autumn without rainfall and high temperatures for the period, a winter with almost no snow, and the beginning of spring with high temperatures alternating with frosts, with temperatures dropping to -5 degrees in some places. These varied climatic conditions predisposed the emergence of diseases in cereal crops, including septoria, powdery mildew, root/stem rot, snow mold, and net blotch (dreschler).
Snow mold, which is a prerequisite for the development of fusarium wilt in the class at a later stage
The current climatic conditions may create conditions for the mass development of diseases, which is why we recommend two fungicide treatments – one at the beginning of stem elongation and a second when the flag leaf appears, in order to keep the crop in optimal phytosanitary condition. For the first treatment, we recommend Domnik 250 EB – a systemic triazole fungicide with preventive and curative action to combat major diseases, and for the second treatment – Mirador Forte 160EC and Allegro. Mirador Forte is a two-component systemic fungicide with protective, curative, and systemic action for the control of diseases in wheat, barley, and oilseed rape. One component of the product is from the triazole group (tebuconazole), which has protective, systemic, and curative action, and the other is from the strobilurin group (azoxystrobin), which protects with contact-penetrating and translaminar action. The combination of these two components provides comprehensive and complete protection of the crop at this key moment.
WHEAT PESTS IN APRIL
During this period, the following pests may be found in the fields: wheat weevils, wheat aphids, leaf aphids, wheat flies, and harmful wheat bugs.
Photo of oat aphids in wheat. In the event of a severe infestation, the leaves turn yellow and then brown. Economic threshold (ET) 10 pcs/plant.
Our agronomists have already discovered infestations of cereal aphids in several places, and under the current climatic conditions, this could lead to mass reproduction. They gnaw narrow, long strips parallel to the central vein of the leaves, and in cases of severe damage, the leaves turn completely white and dry out, leaving the wheat without the plant mass necessary for photosynthesis. They can be easily controlled with Sumicidin/Sum Alpha, which has a rapid knockdown effect and protects the crop through three mechanisms: direct destruction on contact, repellent/repelling action on insects, and an anti-feeding mechanism that suppresses the appetite of pests. The product is bee-friendly and has a broad spectrum of activity against leaf-eating and sucking insects.
It is important to monitor for the presence of harmful grain bugs, which appear in late March and early April at temperatures above 8-9 degrees Celsius. During the warm hours of the day, the bugs suck sap from the leaves, the lower part of the stem, and the side shoots, causing some of the leaves to dry out. During the spinning phase, the damage they cause is even more dangerous because they suck sap from the upper part of the unripe ears, causing the ears to turn white and the damage to be known as "partial white ear." In such situations, the ears remain unfilled, without grain, the spindle becomes distorted, and the awns curl. These insects have already been spotted in the Sofia, Blagoevgrad, and Gabrovo regions, where our colleagues helped producers successfully combat Sumicidin and protect their crops.
For more information and advice, please contact your regional sales representative-agronomist at Bulagro.
