Experts: pest control should be a priority in Latvia’s agriculture

«Winter and supper crops are currently developing quickly under influence from heat and moisture. This is good. Still, we have to carefully monitor leaf diseases and spread of different pests,» emphasize specialists of Latvian Rural Advisory and Training Centre.

LLKC Crops Department manager Oskars Balodis: «The previous cold weather benefited summer crops. Unfortunately, leaf diseases appeared in barley and wheat. We have to limit the spread as soon as possible.»
 

Vegetation in Kurzeme is behind with winter crops. This is especially true for rape fields – crops sown early have stopped blooming, but fields sown with a two-week delay are still yellow. Winter wheat variety Fredis are already in the ear. Soon this process will begin for Skagens and Edvins. They made it through winter fine in general, but there are some empty patches here and there.
 

In Latgale, when compared with previous years, all winter crops are short. ‘Depending on the variation, winter crops have entered the stage of development of flag leaves. Winter rape has entered the stage of blooming. Development is progressing well,’ experts say.
 

Agriculture specialists say the most common diseases noted among crops are mildew and yellow leaf spot. «It is good that there have been no signs of rape beetles so far,» explains LLKC Liepaja office agriculture consultant Vita Cielava.
 

Experts say summer rape is in good shape. «Meanwhile, field beans are suffering from weevil attacks. Fields that have not been sprayed with insecticide suffer from ruine

BNN

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