Expert advice

The increase in intensity of agrotechnical treatments conducted at plantations requires agricultural manufacturers to look for new solutions that would optimally permit the utilisation of each 'entry' of a field. One of the most frequently used optimisation treatments for plant protection products is their joint utilisation in mixes, referred to as 'tank mixes', permitting the execution of two or more treatments per run.

Mineral fertilisation executed before sowing or after sowing of crops is the basic agrotechnical treatment, and nobody needs to be reminded of its necessity. The utilised fertilisers contain mainly nitrogen (N), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), sulphur (S) and magnesium (Mg) in forms characterised by high bioavailability for the plants. These fertilisers, however, do not provide the plants with bioavailable forms of micronutrients and do not permit quick and interventional application at points in time crucial for the plants: during intense growth, to limit the negative influence of stress factors or under conditions of noticed shortages.

As of January 1st, 2014., the rules of integrated plant protection come into effect in Poland, assuming rational fusion of chemical and non-chemical methods of protection in the control of agriphages. One of the more important changes is the introduction of the duty to conduct a register of plant protection products used at plantations.

Agricultural production is an indispensable component of the landscape and one of the basic branches of the economy. The total area of land used for farming in Poland is approx. 15 million hectares – almost half of the area of our country. Observed specialisation and development of farming do not remain without influence on the nature surrounding us.

The effectiveness of fungicide treatment is influenced by many factors, of which one doubtless is the temperature at the time of application and for a short while afterwards. Hence, in case of any selected substance, one can differentiate between three very important temperature thresholds indicating the possibility of its use and influencing the effectiveness of treatment.

The basic rules of storage of plant protection products are determined legally, and they were determined, among others, in the Polish act on plant protection products and the ordinances issued with respect to it, and the cross-compliance standards and requirements. Failure to observe them brings about a risk of sanctions, however, the result of improper storage of plant protection products, beside the risk of financial penalties and possible environmental hazards, one also runs the risk of a reduction of the quality of the products themselves.

The agricultural technology for winter rape in autumn is very complicated – one needs to constantly monitor the plantation looking for agriphages – weed, vermin and diseases. Even if one may control weed with a soil treatment, then illnesses and vermin are something that rape growers have to control all autumn.

Crops were from the very beginning accompanied by unwanted plants – or weed. Their pressure and their species largely depend on crop rotation, the type of soil and the utilised herbicidal treatments. In all crops, one can differentiate between weeds that are easy to control and difficult to eliminate, the control of which often requires a specific strategy of action. One of the weeds that is very difficult to control during the growth of the crop is couch grass (or the common couch).

The extended rape harvest, due to the unstable and particularly unfavourable weather conditions, is slowly coming to a close in Poland. Estimating the crop is just one of the few tasks currently waiting for the farmers.

This year's summer is nothing particularly pleasing for farmers, and the conditions for the harvest of cereals and winter rape are very disadvantageous. In many regions of the country, over the course of just a few days, over 100 mm per sq m of land fell. Intense rainfall prevents entry to fields over the next few days.

The main diseases of the potato necessarily include alternariosis and potato blight, which constitute a threat to every plantation. In the production of potatoes, if one made mistakes in terms of fungicidal protection, the losses of the crop may even amount to 70%, hence it is necessary to assume the right strategy against the causal agents of these diseases.

The current weather situation definitely hinders all kinds of treatments using plant protection products. During the day, temperatures reach several degrees Celsius, dropping slightly below zero in the night; in addition, strong winds increase the feeling of coldness. Temperature drops have hindered the development of crops and weeds.

Most probably, nobody needs to be reminded of the necessity of execution of herbicidal treatments. Weeds are one of the main agriphages that greatly limit the crop and the 'visual effect' of one's plantation.

The early part of spring is the last moment to perform herbicidal treatments on winter rape – some plantations require the control of dicots, with monocots left over after winter being a greater problem.

In agricultural farms, in practice, one is able to use one of two kinds of material for sowing – the primary sowing material purchased from a producer, with a relevant level of qualification, and, what follows, of a known mass of a thousand seeds, a known ability to sprout, purity, and, very frequently, with a clear recommendation as to the sowing norm. A second, separate group is own sowing material – without qualification certificates, meaning, without predetermined quality parameters.

The material used for the sowing on a farm should be characterised by high quality – good purity and good sprouting ability according to standards for the individual species and varieties. One needs to remember, however, that even the best sowing material must be treated before sowing so that the sprouting and growth potential would not be reduced by pathogens.

The achievement of high winter crop yields is an interplay of many factors, one of which being seed treatment. A correctly selected treatment product protects the sprouting and developing plant against many diseases, even those carried along with the sowing material.

Both winter as well as summer rape are very sensitive to shattering of the pods. This stems primarily from their morphological properties – the pods are genetically programmed to shatter towards the end of their maturing period. The losses in rape seeds related directly to the shattering of the pods are estimated to usually be 5-10%, but in case of a prolonged harvest this volume may increase.

The time of the harvest is coming quickly, and in case of rape one could say that this is the 'home stretch' ahead of a high crop yield of an appropriate quality. Only one or two treatments left on winter rape plantations.

Sowing of winter rape is under way in many regions of the country, even in those, where the optimum agricultural period has not yet been reached. The hastened sowing is aimed at making use of the water reserves following the recent rainfalls. Availability of water in the soil will not only be advantageous to the winter rape and hasten its emergence, but it will also stimulate the sprouting of weed seeds.

Some of the main diseases found at potato plantations include alternariosis and potato blight. Under favourable conditions, they are very common, and their economic importance is high.

In many regions of Poland, the thermal and humidity conditions are suitable for the raising and development of summer cereal plantations. Depending on the time of sowing and the availability of water in the soil right afterwards, they are in the phase of one to three leaves. Frequently in literature one may stumble upon the information that following the third leaf, the phase of tillering of summer cereals begins already.

The technology of point sowing of the sugar beet assumes a low density of the plants per square metre, spacing rows every 45 cm and a separation between plants in a row of up to 18 cm – these are ideal conditions for weed sprouting and growth.

The decisive majority of winter rape plantations have already solved the problem of dicots in the autumn using pre-emergence or post-emergence treatments. Most plant protection products, despite the present unfavourable weather conditions, are working satisfactorily, hence, there is no need to perform corrective treatments in the spring.  

One of the basic components of proper crop farming is the execution of effective weed control. In practice, one can choose between an autumn and a spring herbicidal treatment – the choice of time depends on the preferences of the farmer and/ or the weather conditions.