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While mid-May's cooler weather saw lower early aphid counts in sugar beet crops, late-drilled crops are likely to present an easy target for aphid colonisation and challenges for insecticide targeting

A root crops update from Hutchinsons agronomist, Daryll Shailes

Industry gains emergency authorisation for an additional aphid spray for non-Cruiser SB treated crops

The 2023/24 sugar beet campaign was completed on April 19

Heavy rainfall has disrupted seedbeds which could potentially stall sugar beet

Beet growers could face a virus epidemic on the scale of 2020, with aphids expected to be flying into new crops as they emerge

Sugar beet growers granted access to Cruiser SB following emergency authorisation

The sugar beet had stretched more than 100m along the roadside

It follows months of negotiations between the two parties

NFU Sugar Board's chair Michael Sly said he was 'astounded' British Sugar had opted for arbitration and that the strength of feeling amongst beet growers was in no doubt