The Rothamsted Virus Yellows model has been triggered, authorising the use of Cruiser SB in sugar beet this season.
In January, Defra approved an emergency temporary authorisation for the use of the neonicotinoid pesticide treatment on this year’s sugar beet crop due to the risk to the crop from yellows viruses.
This is the third year that farmers have been granted authorisation for Cruiser SB (thiamethoxam), which can only be used if the independent Rothamsted Virus Yellows model predicts a virus incidence of 63% or above.
The Rothamsted forecast, published this week (1 March), is predicting a national virus yellows infection of 67.5% for 30 March 2023.
‘Necessary treatment’
Reacting to the news, British Sugar’s agriculture director Dan Green said: “This seed treatment is necessary to protect the UK sugar beet crop and farmer livelihoods from the very high Virus Yellows forecast for 2023. The emergency authorisation contains strict controls to protect wildlife, including restrictions on using the treatment near any flowering crops.
“The British beet industry continues to invest in finding alternative solutions through our ‘Virus Yellows Pathway’. With NFU Sugar and the British Beet Research Organisation, we are looking at grower practices, seed breeding programmes and precision breeding through gene editing as a long-term solution to tackle this disease.”
