Crops are off to a soggy start at the Doble family farm in Somerset, after yet another wet winter which saw annual rainfall exceed the farm’s 10-year average.

Last year, marked the second consecutive year in the past decade to reach more than 1,000mm of rainfall (see graph below).

A total of 1,053mm of rain fell in 2024 and 1,082mm in 2023 – that’s about 200mm more than average.

See also: Fungicide tips for variable wheat this spring

Mark Doble, who runs the business alongside his wife and son, notes crops are a long way behind – even compared to last year.

“Early October-drilled crops are looking thin and patchy as crops drowned in the rain.

“The November-planted wheat that was ploughed is showing more promise as this managed to escape the deluges of rain,” he says.

“Overall, crops are certainly not looking as good as this time last year.

“The oilseed rape is really struggling and we are having to rip up one field of winter linseed, which will be replaced with maize.”

Kick-starting crops

With 80ha of Beowolf and Solitaire winter wheat destined for the seed market in the ground, the focus lies in timely spring applications to kick-start crops into action.

The plan is to use a phosphate and calcium-based biostimulant at the T0 timing to increase biomass both above and below ground.

Mark hopes this will stimulate the shallow root systems that have sat in cold, wet soils over winter and drive nutrient uptake.

The product known as Calfite, from Unium Bioscience, boosts phosphorus use efficiency and helps deliver calcium through the leaf into the plant.

It also promotes secondary metabolism to produce amino acids – the building blocks of proteins – and folate, which plays a role in chlorophyll production.

Mark Doble © MAG/Emma Gillbard

Two applications of plant growth regulator chlormequat will also be applied at T0 and T1 to further tillering and root establishment.

A host of micronutrients, including manganese, magnesium, copper and zinc, will be applied alongside the standard T1 fungicide.

A second biostimulant known as T6P (Trehalose-6-phosphate), from Unium Bioscience, will be used at the T3 timing.

This is a natural signalling molecule that regulates plant growth and manages stress responses. It also balances carbohydrate concentration in the plant, linking carbon assimilation and growth.

Mark hopes the later-season application of T6P will help optimise the relocation of carbon into yield and reduce stress risk, alongside a magnesium spray to promote photosynthesis.

Nitrogen

“After such a wet winter, soil nitrogen levels will be low. Our sand land soils are very hungry so we will apply a standard total fertiliser rate of 230-240kg N/ha for winter wheat.

“First, will be a dressing of NKS, followed by two splits of granular fertiliser,” he says.

However, with weather conditions still cold and wet, Mark is patiently waiting for temperatures to warm up before making the first fertiliser application. “Timing is everything,” he says.

For oilseed rape, getting on with a herbicide spray and an early dose of fertiliser as soon as conditions allow is a top priority.

“Conditions were so wet last autumn, we didn’t want to risk applying the weed killer and stress the crop unnecessarily.”

Looking ahead

Despite last year’s harvest results down on the farm’s five-year average, Mark says crops recovered reasonably well from the wet conditions.

He puts the lower-than-average yields down to the lack of sunshine more so than the wet winter conditions, so is remaining hopeful for the season ahead.