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Safely remove shoots in beets
Manually removing bolts in beet fields is an important measure to prevent beet weeds. However, the danger here is exposure to plant protection products due to the early attack of leaf fungus. Keep this in mind and take the appropriate measures.
The importance of timely removal of bolts should be obvious. One shooter can produce 4.500 vital seeds. Even after 10 years, weed beets can emerge from these seeds. In a subsequent beet cultivation, weed beets are difficult to control and compete with normal beets. In addition, weed beets propagate all diseases and pests of sugar beets.
Clearing shoots is usually done between late June and early August. Until a few years ago, spraying was rarely done against leaf fungi in that period, but due to the (significantly) higher leaf fungus pressure, the spraying time has been brought forward. The chance that shooters will be manually removed in a plot that has already been sprayed against fungal leaf diseases has therefore increased considerably. This means that exposure to plant protection products has increased.
Safety precautions
In order to guarantee maximum personal safety, it is therefore highly recommended to carry out bolts before the first spraying against leaf fungi. If this does not work, it is best to wait until at least 14 days after spraying. Does the crop have to be walked a little longer within two weeks after spraying? Then wear protective clothing such as long pants, long-sleeved outerwear and gloves.
Also read it article in which Jakob Bartelds (arable farmer in Tweede Exloërmond and chairman of LTN Noord) talks about the approach on his farm. “Just err on the side of caution and keep the skin covered when walking through the crop shortly after spraying.”
