Crop Action Article - Managing take-all in second wheat

Take-all is arguably the most significant constraint on the number of cereal crops grown within a rotation. By reducing root function, it reduces the efficiency with which crop inputs and water are captured and/or utilised reducing grain yield and quality. Average yield losses of 5-20% are common, however more than 50% of the crop can be lost when disease is severe. Rotational position, sowing date, variety, seed treatment and nutrient management are all known to affect severity of take-all in wheat.  For more information on take-all click here. An ADAS trial this season investigated the interaction between varieties and seed treatments against this damaging disease. (KWS and CERTIS commissioned trial).

Harvested on the 4^th August. Yield was increased in all four varieties (KWS Palladium, KWS Dawsum, KWS Zyatt and KWS Extase) where the Latitude seed treatment was added, ranging from an increase of 0.9t/ha to 1.8t/ha. Where latitude was added, all four varieties achieved a very similar yield, ranging from 7.0t/ha to 7.8t/ha.  Without seed treatment yields were between 5.2t/ha and 6.5t/ha. Clearly there were also some significant varietal differences, Extase appeared to be most affected by take-all with the lowest untreated yield (5.2t/ha) and yield response of 1.8t/ha to seed treatment. Palladium was the least affected, however this still showed a yield response to Latitude of 0.9t/ha. 

This indicates that the impact of take-all can be reduced by selecting varieties suited to second wheat situations and adding Latitude seed treatment to minimise damage.

Table 1: Yield corrected to 85% dry matter (t/ha) for each variety, seed treatment combination.