PGRO Pulse Crop Bulletin

Bruchid beetle control Becky Ward, PGRO senior technical officer, advises: Many winter beans have pods on the bottom nodes and may have had a first insecticide application for bruchid control. Second sprays should be applied seven to ten days after the first. In spring beans, where pods are exposed on the bottom nodes and temperatures reach 20C for two consecutive days, crops which are being grown for export human consumption or seed should be sprayed to control bruchid beetles. Temperatures are currently forecast to remain below 20C in most areas for the next few days, but some areas of the south and south-east may reach 20C.

Pea moth Pea moth thresholds were caught in traps in some areas towards the end of last week. Spray applications are forecast based on a threshold trap catch date of 4 June. For specific information about spray dates for your area call the PGRO pea moth telephone service on 01780 783099.

Winter bean diseases
Some winter bean crops had chocolate spot earlier in the season due to frost damage allowing the disease to infect plants. Overall, however, disease pressure in many winter bean crops has been relatively low due to dry weather. Recent rain may cause increased levels of chocolate spot and Ascochyta and second spray applications may be due in crops when the opportunity arises. Second fungicide applications should be made at 21 to 28 days after the first. Further information about products for disease control is available on PGRO Technical Updates (167 and 173).

Spring bean diseases Downy mildew infection in some spring bean crops has been severe and these crops should be sprayed at early flowering where the disease is present on 25% of plants.  For further information about the disease and the risk in your area go to www.cropmonitor.co.uk

Silver-Y moth in vining peas
Silver Y moths are being caught in low numbers in traps. A threshold is reached when a cumulative total of 50 moths has been reached by the time the peas have reached the first pod stage (gs 204). When the threshold has been reached, a single spray of a pyrethroid insecticide, approved for pea moth control, should be applied 10 14 days later to vining peas. This application will control both large and small caterpillars, which fall off the plants before the crop is harvested.

For further information, please contact Sue Bingham (01780 782585 sue@pgro.org) in the first instance – she will put you in touch with the relevant member of the PGRO team.

PGRO is the non statutory levy body which promotes and carries out research and development in peas and beans. PGRO growing guides and recommended lists of varieties are the national references for growers. The PGRO publishes ‘The Pulse Magazine’ quarterly, the ‘Pulse Agronomy Guide’ annually, issues bulletins during the growing season, provides education and training courses, and runs grower / agronomist meetings around the UK.