Tag Archives: PGRO

PRGO to hold pea and bean crop protection course

PGRO will hold its next course on Pea & Bean Crop Protection at its will be held at its Research Station at Thornhaugh near Peterborough on 6 February 2018.

The one day course provides agronomists, consultants, growers and crop managers with the latest updates in crop protection for both vining and combining peas, as well as winter and spring field beans. Major pests, diseases, disorders and weed control strategies, will be covered with the aim that participants can correctly identify pests, diseases and disorders following the training. They will also appreciate the regional and national significance, be aware of herbicide options (including the strengths and weaknesses of different herbicides), and be able incorporate control measures into integrated pest management programmes.

The course is recognised by BASIS and costs £205.00 per person (including VAT). The fees cover lunch, refreshments and literature. Applications should be made by 30th January latest. Interested parties should contact Sue Bingham (sue@pgro.org) for booking details as numbers are strictly limited.

Photo Caption: The course covers all major pests and diseases of peas and beans.

Photo Credit: Wikimedia

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PGRO offers rapid clubroot test

PGRO is now offering commercial growers an early indication of clubroot risk to brassica crops including vegetables and oilseed rape.

“PGRO is offering a rapid molecular test for the detection and quantification of the brassica clubroot pathogen Plasmodiophora brassicae in the soil that can be used as a risk assessment tool by growers,” says Roger Vickers, PGRO’s Chief Executive. “The test is proving invaluable to close rotation intensive vegetable producers as well as to growers of oilseed rape – which is the most commonly grown brassica crop in the UK.

“Clubroot infection can cause significant, or even complete, crop losses when infection is severe, and is exacerbated by close rotations. Plasmodiophora brassicae can persist in soils for at least 15 years so cannot be managed practically by extending rotations.”

Dr Lea Herold, PGRO Plant Pathologist explains that the test, which was first launched last summer, determines the number of pathogen resting spores per gram of soil. “The higher the numbers of spores per gram soil the higher the risk of disease development,” she says. “Growers receive a risk indicator for their soil, with the level of risk defined on a 1-3 scale (slight, moderate or severe) according to infection levels identified as set out in AHDB Horticulture Project CP 099a.”

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Growers urged to help stop spread of foot rot in peas

Historically in the UK, foot rot in pea crops has been caused by Fusarium spp. and Didymella pinodella but now another fungus is meaning it is even more important to control the spread of this destructive disease.

Dr Lea Wiesel, plant pathologist with the Processors and Growers Research Organisation (PGRO), says, “Now another very destructive pathogen, Aphanomyces euteiches, has been adding to the foot-rot complex. This is a soil-borne oomycete that produces long-lasting resting spores that can survive in soils for more than 10 years, and even low numbers of resting spores can have devastating effects on yields. Once a field is infected, it can’t be used for pea cropping for at least a decade.”

To help growers, PGRO has developed a new laboratory test to assess risk levels for the disease in soils, so that growers can make informed decisions about cropping. A 2kg soil sample taken in a W pattern across the field should be collected, and the cost of each test is £149. Dr Wiesel advises that samples are sent 12-18 months before planned planting in order for cropping plans to be revised if necessary.

Photo Caption: Dr Lea Wiesel

Photo Credit: PRGO

The post Growers urged to help stop spread of foot rot in peas appeared first on Hort News on 17 July 2016.

PGRO underlines benefits of pulse crops

PGRO has used the start of the UK pea harvest to underline the benefits of pulses in crop rotations.

“As the pea harvest gets under way, with bean harvest to follow, this is a good time to underline the numerous benefits from growing pulses,” said Roger Vickers, PGRO Chief Executive. “Some have a clear financial value, while others are equally valuable but have less measurable monetary benefits.”

These include the fixation of approximately 250kgs of N/ha. While significant amounts of this are used by the crop itself, the residue from a crop of beans is typically 50–75 kilos N/ha, worth around £60. Unlike any residual nitrogen from other non-leguminous crops, which is derived from paid-for N applied to the previous crop, this N is completely free.

PGRO also stresses that, ‘Spring-grown pulses in particular open up an extended window for cultural and stale seedbed techniques in the fight against blackgrass and other pernicious weeds. Pulses also widen the choice of chemistry available for blackgrass control, giving the grower an improved approach to the problem.’

Other benefits in the PGRO ‘top ten’ include spreading of farm workloads, slug control, soil health and compliance with CAP rules.

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