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Cost Benefit Studies Show Consistent
Annual Take-All Seed Treatment Value
July, 2007 - Independent trials have shown a positive financial benefit from second wheat take-all seed treatment in every one of the past six years, according to the latest Latitude cost:benefit studies.
Based on yield responses from annual AICC trials conducted in Yorkshire by the East Riding Crop Consultancy since 2001 and HGCA-recorded eastern UK ex-farm feed wheat prices, the studies reveal a £36/ha average margin over treatment costs with the specialist take-all fungicide.
The net financial benefit of the seed treatment varied from over £80/ha in the highest take-all year of 2001 to £5/ha in 2006 where yield responses were at their lowest. What is more, the treatment added more than £20/ha to the bottom line in five years out of the six (Table).
Table: Latitude Take-all Treatment Margins (2001-2006)
| Year |
Trial Response
(t/ha) * |
HGCA Average Price
(£/t feed wheat) ** |
Margin over Latitude Cost
(£/ha) *** |
| 2001 |
1.41 |
72.40 |
82.71 |
| 2002 |
0.76 |
59.40 |
25.78 |
| 2003 |
0.62 |
84.70 |
32.88 |
| 2004 |
0.69 |
63.10 |
24.33 |
| 2005 |
1.00 |
65.40 |
45.76 |
| 2006 |
0.29 |
83.90 |
4.96 |
| Mean |
0.79 |
71.48 |
36.07 |
* Average response from Association of Independent Crop Consultants’ (AICC) trials.
** Annual Eastern UK price ex-farm (Market Data Centre, www.hgca.com)
*** Latitude at £19.40/ha from typical seed rate of 250 seeds/m2 and 50 g tgw
“Even last season when take-all didn’t really show its teeth on the site, ERCC recorded a 0.29 t/ha response to Latitude treatment, worth over £24/tonne at the prevailing feed wheat price,” points out study co-ordinator, David Leaper of Monsanto. “Take away the £19.40 cost of the treatment at a typical sowing rate and that still left a valuable margin.
“This clearly shows that treating second wheats with Latitude is likely to pay dividends whatever the actual severity of take-all,” he stresses. “Especially so at today’s wheat prices.
“Indeed, at the £100/tonne-plus you can currently lock into for November 2008 a response of just 0.2 t/ha will still leave you better off, while a relatively modest 0.5 t/ha will deliver an extra margin of more than £30/ha.”
As well as the yield benefits, of course, David Leaper insists second wheat growers can expect typical bushel weight improvements of 1-5 kg/hl from the take-all seed treatment. And they will also be able to bring drilling forward by as much as two weeks and reduce
the impact of drought and other root stresses on crop performance.
“However valuable routine Latitude seed treatment may be, for the greatest success with second wheats it needs to be combined with a number of other elements of improved agronomy,” he advises.
“To start with you should be growing only varieties that perform particularly well as second wheats; varieties which either you have found to perform well in the slot or have been found to excel in Recommended List second wheat trials.
“Take full advantage of the opportunity seed treatment gives you to drill them without delay immediately after your first wheats too. Together with good seedbed preparation, this will ensure you get them off to the best possible start.
“Finally, do make sure you treat your second wheats well in terms of spring nitrogen, fungicides and PGRs,” David Leaper adds. “While they may have been an uncertain proposition with wheat at £60/tonne or less, doing them right will undoubtedly pay dividends now prices are back up over the £100 mark.”
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