Spring Focus: Protecting Yield Potential

As spring arrives, focus turns firmly to maintaining disease protection of advanced winter cereals at T1 and oilseed rape crops, especially with yield potential looking high across many areas of the country, along with warming temperatures.

April also marks the crucial establishment for other spring-drilled crops like potatoes, sugar beet and maize, as well as active growth of grassland pastures.

Following mild and warmer temperatures throughout March, weed pressure is already building across fields, so planning effective early post-emergence herbicide applications could be vital for crops such as maize, potatoes, pulses and field vegetables. Grassland weed control should also be targeted before weeds get away from their ideal size to control effectively. 🎯

Protection of cereal crops at T1 is a critical timing for Septoria and rusts, with the latter especially important this year following the breakdown of the Yr15 Yellow rust resistance gene in many wheat varieties, along with conducive climatic conditions for early disease pressure and development this spring.

For more information on Clayton products and how we can support your spring programmes, please contact Jessie Boden or take a look at our product summary for 2026 below…