Mid-Canterbury crop walks

Press, 25 October 1985, Page 23

Mid-Canterbury crop walks

Farmers can prevent substantial crop loss by simply walking through paddocks once a week checking for disease and pests, said an Ashburton M.A.F. adviser, Mr Bryan Inch. He pointed out trials at Winchmore Irrigation Research Station showed that even in a dry season disease and pest control have a significant effect on boosting crop yields and decreasing screenings. He believes the importance of late sprays and irrigation is often underestimated. For each extra day the flag leaf is kept clean and during gijainfill

(December/January) barley yields can increase by 200 to 250 kilograms per hectare and -wheat by 250 to 350 kg/ha, said Mr Inch. Because it believes information on weed control and timely action are critical, the Ashburton M.A.F. office has organised another series of Mid Canterbury crop walks. The informal crop walks are an extension to those held in September. Venues are: October 29, Dick Johnson, Westerfield; October 30, Mervyn Gray, Eiffelton; October 31, Peter Stewart, Lyndhurst and November 1, Don Petrie, Pendarves.