Most of this week was taken up by this years Open Day which was earlier than normal because of the emphasis on column stocks. As usual we had a superb turnout with attendees being able to view a wide range of trials, many of which where at their best this week.
However on a negative note it is worth noting that despite having a weekly spray programme for downy mildew on the stocks and maintaining a favourable environment by ventilating the sides of the tunnel, DM was still present in our trials. This serves to demonstrate that the new aggressive strain of DM seen last year is still with us and it would seem that twice weekly sprays of the most appropriate fungicides are still required to keep the crop clean during high risk periods.
