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Spring barley

Influence of Albit on spring barley was examined in 34 field trials in 15 regions of Russia (Krasnodar and Primorye krais, Vladimir, Voronezh, Kirov, Kurgan, Kursk, Lipetsk, Bryansk, Oryol, Penza, Ryazan, Sratov, Tula and Yaroslavl oblasts). Trials were performed in 1997-2004 on the following barley varieties: Zazerskiy-85, Odesskiy-100, Vizit, Primorskiy 89, Preriya, Odesskiy-115, Suzdalets, Donetskiy-4, Nutans-642, Donetskiy-8, Zaozerskiy-85, Bios-1, Omskiy-90, Krinichnyy, Rubikon, and Abava by All-Russia Institute of Leguminous and Groat Crops, All-Russia Institute of Plant Protection, Far East Institute of Plant Protection, Soil Institute, Kurgan Institute of Grain Growing, Central Institute of Agrochemical Service, Lipetsk State Sort Testing Station, Ryazan State Agricultural Academy, Vladimir, Voronezh, Kirov, Kurgan, Kursk, Lipetsk, Penza, Primorye, Saratov, Tula, Yaroslavl Regional Plant Protection Stations, Karachaevo Plant Protection Station of Bryansk oblast, Chapaev cattle farm OSC, and Kushchevskoe agricultural cooperative farm of Krasnodar krai.

According to results of the trials, treatment with Albit increased yield of spring barley averagely by 3.9 centners/hectare (18.2%). In Voronezh oblast Albit increased yield of spring barley averagely by 1.9 centners/hectare, in Krasnodar krai by 9.4, in Kurgan oblast by 4.2, in Kursk oblast by 5.2, in Lipetsk oblast by 5.1, in Oryol oblast by 3.3, in Penza oblast by 3.4, in Primorye krai by 4.3, in Ryazan oblast by 3.9, in Saratov oblast by 3.1, in Tula oblast by 5.8, in Yaroslavl oblast by 1.9. Each litre of Albit (retail price is 88-100 USD) provides additionally 41 centners of spring barley on average.

Albit demonstrated high Biological Efficiency (BE) against the following diseases of barley: averagely 89.9% against powdery mildew, 69.7% against root rots, 60.4% against net blotch (helminthosporiose), 68.6% against stem rust, 65.2% against spot blotch, 52.7% against smut diseases, 50.0% against brown rust, 45.0% against Septoria leaf spot. Fungicidal activity of Albit is detected at the disease prevalence (P) level of 1-90% and disease development (R) of 2-39%. Albit is officially registered in Russia as a fungicide against root rots, against net and spot blotches of barley.

Besides yield increase and disease control, Albit increases germination ability, accelerates germination and changes of phenological stages, increases stem length, stem density, total and productive tillering, ear length, number of seeds in ear and weight of seeds, decreases ear emptiness.

General Application recommendations of Albit for barley correspond to that for spring wheat. First, it is recommended to perform presowing treatment (application rate is 30-40 ml/tonne). The higher rate (40 ml) is used when applied Albit is mixed together with chemical pesticides. Cost of presowing treatment of one tonne of barley is 66-88 roubles (2.64-3.52 USD). Generally, presowing seed treatment with Albit is carried out in combination with halved dose of chemical protectant. Albit effectively relieves stress influence of chemical protectant, that considerably increases protectant’s efficiency and yield increase. Also, such treatment considerably (up to 12 days) accelerates change of phenological stages and ripeness (Fig. 10).

To obtain maximum efficiency of Albit, it is recommended to supplement presowing seed treatment with foliar spraying (in EC stages 20-39). It increases efficiency of presowing treatment by 40-50%, notably increases drought resistance of plants, improves tillering and setting of additional seeds in ear, accelerates change of phenological stages and ripeness. For such treatment Albit might be used in mixture wuth herbicides, fungicides, insecticides or liquid fertilizers. Treatment of one hectare of barley costs 66-88 roubles (2.64-3.52 USD). Foliar spraying might be used without preceding presowing seed treatment.

As is known, application of herbicides is virtually obligatory to control weeds. However, barley is very sensitive to stress influence of herbicides. It is the reason why in multiple cases (especially under drought conditions) application of herbicides on barley does not lead to yield increase over untreated control. Use of effective antidotes, such as Albit, might be solution of this problem. Investigations of All-Russia Institute of Plant Protection clearly demonstrated that addition of Albit to herbicides increases spring barley yield by 1.1-1.3 centners/hectare due to relieve of stress effect.

Also, it is effective to combine Albit with insecticides against pests. For example, according to data of Pushkinskoe collective farm (2005), application of Albit together with insecticide based on lambda-cyhalothrin against flea beetles decreases total losses caused by diseases and pests averagely by 32% over control (insecticide alone).

Application of Albit on beer barley often raises a question about possible influence of this bioformulation on protein content in yield (analogously to wheat). Till now, there were no cases of protein content excess over critical brewing threshold of 10%. Obviously, different reaction of barley and wheat to Albit treatment (regarding to protein content) depends on genetically determined features of these cultures. In farms of Voronezh, Lipetsk and Bryansk oblasts Albit has been already effectively used for foliar spraying of beer barley for several years. You can always get necessary information about results and peculiarities of Albit application from dealers in listed regions.

In the conducted field trials on barley economical or biological effectiveness of Albit was not inferior to that of formulations based on difenoconazole, cyproconazole, Pseudomonas aureofaciens and its metabolites, diniconazole, propiconazole, tebuconazole, living Pseudomonas fluorescence, and triterpene acids.