Complete: Spray Application Review: Desk study

Main Objectives

Research into optimum spray application methods for controlling weeds, pests and diseases for sugar beet has been very limited in the UK and there is scope for improving grower knowledge in this area.

A first step will be to review the information available from a wide range of sources, particularly published scientific literature, to establish what is currently known and where the major gaps are.

As there is likely to be little data specific to sugar beet in the public domain, it will be important to extrapolate from other crops wherever possible.  The key to doing this successfully will be understanding the main weed, disease and pest control challenges for sugar beet growers, and identifying where similar challenges have been addressed in other crops.

The review will focus on conventional application techniques (i.e. whole field boom spraying) but any information relating to novel application techniques or alternative control methods will be noted.