Crop Updates: 26 September 2024
Our regular round up of the issues affecting crops around Scotland, summarises how crops are developing and what weather and other issues are affecting them. The update provides information on the progress with key field work activities as well as news on the pest, weed and disease problems being noted in crops. The health issues being seen in crops are a key part of the topical update and lets growers and agronomists adjust management practices appropriately.
26 September 2024
General Comments
New crop is emerging well in moist conditions, with slugs being the main issue being commented on in field reports. Occasional reports of flea beetle damage in oilseed rape but in crops now large enough to withstand some damage. Chocolate spot is endemic in beans but completely normal for this time of year. No foliar or other diseases yet in the winter barley crops that were drilled and are emerging now.
Regional Comments
ORKNEY
Five days of dry weather saw a significant portion of the spring barley combined and baled during the last week. Yields of both grain and straw are back on last year due to the below average summer weather. Of the barley left to combine and straw left to bale, fingers are crossed that a settled weather pattern develops before the ground conditions lead to a muddy mess. Most of the store cattle have now left the island and grass availability and ground firmness are declining by the day.
CAITHNESS
Waited all summer for it to arrive and we got to autumn and summer appeared. Excellent spell of weather has seen the bulk of the Spring Barley in the area harvested. Some oats completed but still quite a lot to go. Most of the straw has been baled up and yields have “pleasantly surprised”. Potato harvesting is also underway in some great conditions.
ABERDEENSHIRE
After a glorious week of sunshine normal service has resumed, with dull, damp and sometimes rainy days. Most growers have finished but there are still pockets to complete and some straw to bale. Reports are generally favourable in terms of yields for spring barley and winter wheat, but the harvest moisture content has been higher than some would have liked, with steam rising from the drier. Moisture contents during the dry sunny days were between 15–18%, with the last fields cut in damper weather in region of 18–20% with a few reported cases above 20% as the desire to get finished took hold. Winter crops are getting sown at pace now as well, with a lot of winter barley crops having been sown and starting to emerge, with grass weed control getting applied. Winter wheat is also getting sown now, but the window of opportunity is more flexible, albeit memories of last year are still fresh and growers are keen to get everything sown by early October. Oilseed rape crops are beginning to look well established with good ground coverage, and big enough to cope with a bit of flea beetle & slug damage. The tattie harvest is also in full flow.
BANFF & BUCHAN
The last 10 days has seen fantastic progress with harvest and overall most growers have been pleasantly surprised. Yields and quality seem to be there, and straw yields are better than feared. Prices could perhaps be a bit better however, and crops are being cut at higher moistures than recent years, with only a few days seeing moisture meters down at 16-17%. This is exacerbated by slow movement of grain off-farm so driers and fans will be busy this year. Cutting days have also been shorter with fogs and haars causing problems in some areas and while most growers are almost there, there are still some with quite a bit to cut. The better spell of weather has kick-started oilseed rape crops with some now at the four true leaf stage – past the danger point for slugs. The later harvest has affected autumn sowing, with winter barleys still being sown, and winter wheats also being drilled. Pellets are being applied with the moist soils ideal for slugs this autumn. In addition, cover crops are also being sown, many for EFA purposes. Potato lifting continues at pace and while some days have been unsuitable for combining there have been very few that have been too wet for harvesting potatoes. Cattle are being taken inside and with a distinctly autumn feel to the air this week grass growth has slowed up.
KINCARDINESHIRE
A better spell of weather over the last few weeks has allowed harvest to progress well in the south of the area with a lot of growers finished or well on the way to getting finished. In the west of the area there is still a bit of work to do. Yields have been mixed. Winter barley was generally disappointing and around 2-3t/ha back on an average year. Oilseed rape again was mixed with some growers achieving near the 5t/ha and some at 2.5t/ha or less. Winter wheat again is a mixed bag and very dependent on when it was sown. Yields are ranging from 6t/ha to 10t/ha. Spring barley has done very well, many crops over the 7.5t/ha and lots of straw as well. Autumn cultivations are well on with growers keen to get crops established in case there is a break in the weather like the last few years. Field conditions are generally very good and crops are establishing well. Potato harvest is in full swing with good yields and quality reported.
FIFE
A busy week of harvesting on the week of the 16 September brought most folks' cereal harvest to a close. A few late fields of spring barley and oats remain to be cut, and a few fields of straw are still to be baled. Spring crops seem to have yielded above average with most making malting quality. Winter cereal yields were disappointing. Harvest 2025 winter barleys, wheat and oats have started to be sown, with folk trying to get everything sown while the weather holds. Less hectares of WOSR seem to have been sown in Fife this year, however, those fields that have been sown have established well with only a low incidence of flea beetle damage. Most crops are managing to establish without the use of an insecticide application.
ANGUS
Combining is all but complete now with spring crops having fared much better than winter crops as might have been expected with the rainfall figures over the winter. Winter oilseed rape crops range from complete ground cover down to cotyledon stage for a few later sown fields. Volunteer cereals are or have been taken out of direct drilled fields and flea beetle has been found in some areas, usually on the most vulnerable fields. Winter cereals are being sown into near perfect conditions and many are using the subsoiler to rectify compaction issues caused by the extremely wet winter.
PERTHSHIRE
Harvest is largely complete although there are fields of spring barley and oats remaining to be cut in some upland areas. Potato harvest is now well underway and getting into full swing, often with wheat being planted soon after the potatoes are out. Winter cereals are being planted, often slightly earlier than usual after last year's experience, but into good seedbeds. These cereals are emerging quickly as the ground is still warm, but slug pressure remains high on susceptible fields.
STIRLINGSHIRE
Harvest is very near complete in the Stirling area, just a few crops of beans and spring oats to go. Ground has been worked in the last two weeks for winter barley wheat and oats. Only the earliest winter wheat is through the ground and that is at the first leaf stage sown after oilseed rape. Winter oilseed rape is looking well, some slug damage about but the earliest is at its 6th–7th true leaf. The later sown stuff is not quite so good but has established well. The good weather has allowed some of the final cuts of silage to be made.
BORDERS
The spell of dry and sunny weather came just in time and harvest of cereals is almost complete with a high proportion of straw also baled. Spring barley quality seems good with low nitrogen, screenings and few skinning issues. Wheat yields very variable with 2nd wheat performing poorly. A lot of crop is already back in the ground with oilseed rape from cotyledon to 7 rough leaves and early sown wheat and barley already emerged. Potato harvest started in the last 10 days, lifting conditions.
LANARKSHIRE
A nice spell of weather last week gave most farmers within the district a chance to finish off their harvest. Therefore, it’s safe to say harvest in Lanarkshire is nearly complete (minus the odd farmer still to bale one or two fields). Farmers have also been pleasantly surprised by recent spring barley yields. Although they are maybe not on par with previous years, they are still better than what was predicted.
AYRSHIRE
Another week of warm sunny weather has really helped with spring barley combining. Those that were sown very late are still to go but, overall, a large proportion is now combined and straw baled. Yields are variable but a lot are sitting at around 3t/acre. Some straw is short but as with the grain the yields are variable, and some are pleasantly surprised by their yield of straw. The warm weather has helped to dry up waterlogged fields and extended the grazing season for cattle a bit longer than was expected at the beginning of the month. Third and 4th cuts of silage have been done, with many a lot lighter than was hoped for.
Posted by SAC Consulting on 08/10/2024
