November 2025: Managing Forward Crops and Locking in Yield Potential

a photo of an empty green field with some brown grass and trees in the background, 20 meters from it is also an area where there's soil that has been plowed. Signs or holes on farm fields like wheat fields to give you more context about vegetation. There is focus placed at one point within each farmland area. We can see both areas next to each other for easy clarity comparison.

November 11, 2025 By Sarah Ferrie, De Sangosse UK

November 2025: Managing Forward Crops and Locking in Yield Potential

Favourable autumn drilling conditions and above average soil temperatures have driven rapid and even establishment across many early-sown winter wheat crops this season. Continued soil warmth, adequate rainfall and residual soil nitrogen have supported sustained growth and tillering well into November.

While crops have got off to the perfect start, this accelerated development has created a unique agronomic challenge – high nutrient demand, extended weed germination, and increasing early disease and virus pressure.

As crops continue to grow at pace, the focus now must shift from establishment to maintaining physiological balance and protecting the yield potential that has been built during this critical foundation phase.

“This season has set up strong crops with real promise,” notes Rob Suckling, Commercial Technical Manager at De Sangosse. “But with that comes a much higher draw on trace elements, and a need to manage lush, fast-growing canopies carefully if we’re to carry this potential into the spring.”

A photo of a Rob Suckling the Technical Commercial Manager for De Sangosse in a dark blue jacket and black trousers, crouching on the grass near an empty field to check the quality of the crop with his hands. He is wearing wellington boots. In front of him, there are some green grain sprouts. The sky behind him shows overcast clouds. It is springtime in england.

The Foundation Period: When Potential is Set

From emergence through to the point where soil temperatures drop below 5°C, the crop is in what is known as the Foundation Period — the physiological window when tiller number, root structure and nutrient use efficiency are determined. Any nutrient shortfall or stress during this time reduces tiller retention and limits the plant’s capacity to respond to future fertiliser inputs.

“Once soil temperatures fall and the crop enters dormancy, yield potential is effectively locked in,” Rob explains. “You can protect it, but you can’t rebuild it. That’s why nutrition, weed control and canopy management now are so critical.”

"Nutrient management at this stage is about efficiency and stability to ensure the plant’s metabolism remains balanced so growth, energy transfer and nitrogen assimilation can continue effectively until dormancy.

An aerial view of wheat fields with crops showing signs of stripes and spots, indicating a potential pest or disease infestation, from a top-down perspective.

Mild Autumns Drive High Nutrient Demand

The mild, open conditions seen this season have kept root systems active and nutrient uptake rates high. With soil nitrogen still available from mineralisation and carryover after a dry spring, crops are drawing heavily on reserves to build biomass.

“Crops are not short of nitrogen this year – but they will be hungry for the cofactors that make nitrogen work efficiently,” says Rob. “Magnesium, manganese, zinc and sulphur are all central to nitrogen metabolism and protein synthesis. If one of them runs short, growth efficiency drops and the crop becomes more vulnerable to stress.”

Crops are not short of nitrogen this year – but they will be hungry for the cofactors that make nitrogen work efficiently,” says Rob. “Magnesium, manganese, zinc and sulphur are all central to nitrogen metabolism and protein synthesis
– Rob Suckling, Commercial Technical Manager at De Sangosse

This is drone footage of a tractor spraying clouds of pesticide. An imaginative spring scene, aerial view of a green field with blossoming trees and a blue sky, bright colors. the tractor is in the center, spraying. The contrast between nature's vibrancy and the equipment is striking. This aerial drone shot, with a wide-angle lens, captures a sense of the vastness and beauty of rural life, contrasted agaist the practicality of agrarian technology.

Nutritional Balance and Early Disease Pressure

Rapid canopy growth combined with mild, damp conditions has created an ideal environment for early septoria and mildew activity. High nitrate uptake can push soft, sappy growth, making leaves thinner and more susceptible to infection.

Where magnesium, manganese and sulphur levels are suboptimal, chlorophyll formation, enzyme activation and protein synthesis are impaired – weakening both photosynthetic efficiency and structural defences.

“We’re already seeing disease in dense, early drilled crops,” Rob observes. “You can’t justify an autumn fungicide in most situations, so the focus has to be on strengthening the plant physiologically. Balanced trace element nutrition is the best way to do that.”

This image shows insect pheromones on crop leaves, close-up of pinkish-white trichomes digging at the leaf with a black background. The insect type indicates better crop defense. there is an insect in the upper right corner, resembling an infestation of some sort. Agricultural awareness of pests is the theme.

Virus Pressure: Reinforcing Natural Defence

The extended mild spell has also prolonged aphid activity, heightening concern over BYDV transmission. While vector control options are limited, supporting plant integrity through nutrition can enhance tolerance and resilience.

Healthy well-balanced plants have stronger epidermal tissues, faster cell repair and improved enzymatic activity – all of which help slow virus progression and reduce secondary stress effects.

Manganese supports lignification and enzymatic defence.
Zinc regulates auxin production, encouraging compact, resilient growth.
Magnesium drives energy transfer and cell membrane stability.

A close up photo of hands holding an ear of grass, the background is in front of them is green farmland with brown soil and a large field behind it. The hand on left has some dirt from picking up the grass, the other palm holds several small pieces of leaf that have been pulled off of single blade each strip of cut lawn being held by one straight white human arm and thumb. We are inspecting the nutrition of the crop.

Trace Elements That Define the Foundation Period

Nutrient	Function	Common Limiting Conditions
Manganese (Mn)	Enzyme activation, chlorophyll formation, disease resistance	High pH, unconsolidated or OM-rich soils
Magnesium (Mg)	Central to chlorophyll and energy transfer	Light, sandy or low organic matter soils
Zinc (Zn)	Auxin production, root initiation, enzyme function	High pH or high phosphate soils
Sulphur (S)	Amino acid and protein synthesis	Deficiency often widespread due to low deposition

Foliar Solutions to Maintain Balance

Manzi – Responsive Support for Developing Crops

Manzi delivers manganese, magnesium and zinc in nitrate form, ensuring rapid uptake and mobility within the plant.

“The nitrate carrier in Manzi delivers an almost immediate physiological response,” says Rob. “It drives quick uptake through the leaf and translocation to new areas of growth – exactly what’s needed to maintain momentum in fast-developing crops. The additional zinc supports root and shoot health, enzyme activity and auxin production, and because of its formulation, Manzi mixes easily with phosphate-based feeds, helping growers build balanced early nutrition programmes.”

Recommended for:

Crops early to mid-tillering and actively growing
Alkaline or compacted soils where micronutrient uptake is restricted

Apply 1.5 L/ha from GS 12 to maintain trace element balance and support efficient nitrogen use through the Foundation Period.

The nitrate carrier in Manzi delivers an almost immediate physiological response. It drives quick uptake through the leaf and translocation to new areas of growth – exactly what’s needed to maintain momentum in fast-developing crops.
– Rob Suckling, Commercial Technical Manager at De Sangosse

Man-Mag Humate – Balancing Forward, Nutrient-Hungry Crops

For forward, nutrient-hungry crops, Man-Mag Humate (MMH) provides manganese, magnesium and sulphur in a biologically active humate complex.

This combination supports nitrogen assimilation and protein synthesis, helping to support healthy biomass production and sustain growth balance.

“The humate complex enhances efficiency and soil biological interaction,” Rob explains. “It’s ideal where lush canopies are at risk of imbalance – it keeps growth steady and nitrogen working harder.

Use Man-Mag Humate where:

Early-drilled crops show high biomass or visible manganese stress
Light or sandy soils with low sulphur indices

Apply 1.5 L/ha from GS13 where crops are rapidly building biomass or soil conditions restrict nutrient availability.

A visual depiction of investigating the crop's potential due to nutrition by showing close-up of a hand in red gloves holding grass and dirt, on top of a green lawn with grass. The person wears black pants, boots, and a long-sleeve shirt from behind. The hands shown to the camera hold a small piece of earth covered by a short-cut, square grass clump with visible roots.

Locking in Potential Before Winter

This autumn has provided the perfect launchpad for high-yielding crops. The challenge now is to sustain that momentum — keeping growth balanced, protecting against nutrient stress, and maintaining a clean, healthy canopy.

Get in touch

If you are ready to hear more about carrying the potential of this seasons strong crops into the spring, then we want you to get in touch with us.

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