Earlier sowing urged

Press, 9 May 1980, Page 8

Earlier sowing urged

Some eyes were raised at a seminar on improving wheat yields at Darfield last week after a scientist with the Ministry of Agriculture’s seed testing stat tion at Palmerston North, Mr J. G. Hampton, suggested that the optimum time for sowing autumn wheat was late' April to early May. Mr M. J. Batey, a farm advisory officer with the Ministry at Darfield, also repeated this in his recommendations for growing high yielding crops in central Canterbury, especially in drier areas without irrigation, but both men suggested that there would be a need to watch out for

aphids and that spraying might have to be done to overcome barley yellow dwarf virus spread by the aphids.

. A farmer listener sought proof that early sowing would result in higher yields and recalled earlier advice that sowing should be delayed until early June to avoid trouble with barley yellow dwarf virus that proved a problem some years ago.

The response was that although an eye would need to be kept on aphids and the associated virus problem, the evidence was that earlier sowing result: ed in better establishment.

with the crop going into the winter in a better position, and better yields. It was also suggested that an eye would have to be kept bn the possibility of wheat being frosted when it came into flower earlier.

However, Mr D. W. Mulholland said that they had sown Karamu at the beginning of April and it came into ear not much earlier than when sown in August. But with Hilgendorf in their area he said that it did not seem to do any good if it was sown befor June. Earlier sowing, he said, meant that less seed could be used.