16 October. Another quiet week and drilling has progressed well in most areas. Phoma control scheduled for early November if at all. Cereals patchy emergence but picking up after recent rain.

Winter Oilseed Rape

South East: 3 True leaf – 6+ true leaves – bulk of crops are now around 4-6 true leaves. Most advanced and thickest crops have had Caramba applied this week for PGR effects.
Fertiliser: most min-tilled crops have had 30 kg/ha N applied to seedbeds.
Phoma: still none seen.
Turnip Sawfly: moderate levels of larvae now being found in Modesto/Cruiser treated crops that have not had any pyrethroid applied, though damage is not severe yet.
Weed control: significant flush of blackgrass in a few fields with history of blackgrass or where was poor control in previous cereal, with emergence coinciding with crop emergence – in general though, emergence to date has been minimal in many fields.

South West: some of the biggest mid autumn rape for several years. Crops with 9 leaves are not uncommon. It is satisfying not to have to think about ripping up rape this year. Severe manganese deficiency observed and confirmed by analysis on deficient soil types – appears to be worsened by rapid autumn growth.
Phoma: absolutely none seen.  Unless a massive amount flares up over the next 2 weeks this is likely to be a one spray (or less?) season.
Leaf miner : widespread but not of concern.
Turnip Sawfly: no larvae seen as yet.
Weed control: very high levels of blackgrass on known infected sites confounding reports of high dormancy.  I am convinced that dormancy is a localised phenomenon with huge national variability.  Aramo 1l/ha with water conditioner in hard water areas has been used as first up treatment in all these situations.

Eastern Counties. Now had between 13 mm and 30 mm of rain and on most sites rape has grown rapidly, largest plants have seven leaves, are a very good colour and the most forward and best established fields have complete canopy cover. Heavy land which has had lower rainfall is still struggling to fully establish in patches.
Fertiliser: all N now applied where recommended, the most forward fields have not needed an autumn N.
Phoma: none seen. Planning one phoma spray this season early November by which time we would expect to see phoma spotting.
Leaf Miner: damage has been confined to older leaves and we are now seeing few fresh mines. Rape has now grown away rapidly (it is the early most advanced rape which had been most affected) and the damage is insignificant. We have not treated for this pest.
Weed control: generally little broad leaved weed emergence but all fields have been treated with a metazachlor based product + /- quinmeric  +/- Centium. We will have to treat charlock. A lot of weed beet have emerged in some fields. It is still a bit early to apply Kerb mixes which are likely to be applied from the end of the month for best effect. 


East Midlands. Nearly all crops now have full field cover with only the odd late drilled crop still a bit patchy – some seed still just germinating. Forward crops at 6+ leaves, most crops at 4-5 leaves and only late crops at cotyledon to 2 leaves.
Slugs : just odd leaf showing damage and with many crops at 5 leaves risk is almost over apart from later crops or late emerging cloddy areas.
Leaf miners: some damage but at low levels.
Pigeons: some large flocks about – on stubbles at moment but when these disappear then rape will be at risk – with some on rape already.
Phoma: crops all clear, even Catana seen 14 Oct. Hopefully one spray end October/early November could well be enough this year.
Weed control: where blackgrass now moving getting Aramo to take them out before roots get too deep – Kerb may well have to be delayed if soil temps too high or soil moisture too low.

West Midlands. All crops emerged with earliest crops now at 8 true leaf but lots of crops still quite small. Will consider applying Prosaro to the most forward crops for PGR effect. Nitrogen has been applied to late sown crops.
Phoma: first signs.
Slugs: early sown crops now beyond having any problems with slugs, slug damage on some fields where no pellets applied
Leaf miners: evident in some crops and worry on late sown smaller plants.
Weed control : as expected Centium now being taken up and some crop yellowing being seen (not too bad as yet!!).


North East. Most crops are very even and have 4-5 leaves, but there are a few at 7-9 leaves, and patches in some fields where plants are still emerging. All worries about drought stressed plants are forgotten now, as conditions are now ideal for some very rapid growth. Where going over smaller crops with herbicide will include 0.4L Nutri-Phite PGA.
Phoma: none seen. The  plan is to protect plants when disease is seen and have 5 leaves. During the dry spell there has been no risk, but crops need to be monitored now for infection.
Leaf miner: crops are growing quickly now and it appears that the leaf miners have had their short spell of causing damage and as expected there will be no long term  effects.
Weed control: there are some areas with a lot of grassweed appearing now.

Winter Wheat.

South East. Peter Cowlrick reports that emergence of crops sown into dry seedbeds ahead of last weeks rain is still very variable with dual growth stages in many fields, ranging from emerging to GS 13-21 – at least all seeds sat in previously dry soil appear to be emerging ok.
Slugs: with damp soils now beginning to apply 50-75% dose metaldehyde  to high risk fields after oilseed rape. However where seedbeds are fine and firm then hoping to avoid any pellet use at all this year.
Weed Control: significant flush of meadow grass beginning to show now in many fields at 1-2 leaves. ½ rate Crystal or Liberator applied when crop between 2-3 leaves is key to gaining good control, ideally mixed with 1500-2000gms Chlortoluron (tolerant varieties).

South West. Stephen Harrison reports that early/mid September drilled Grafton and Claire at 3 leaves to early tillering.  Rain over last weekend has encouraged chitting and emergence in later sowings. Where drilling has recently taken place after grass or maize some very good seedbeds have been created. Land is travelling well and opportunities taken to apply P and K fertiliser in ideal conditions.
Aphids: a few winged aphids seen.
Slugs: some activity in cloddy areas.
Weed Control: blackgrass now emerging and at around 1 leaf stage.  Earlier applications of Crystal/Dff now taking effect, seedling showing typical pink discoloration now moisture is present.

East Midlands. Martin Eudall reports very few crops fully emerged and those only at 1-2 leaf. Many crops with variable emergence with some parts of field at GS 21 and other parts just putting out initial roots (usually cloddier areas which have only just wetted up). Lot of crops at seed just chitting.
Some moisture under clods but soils damp rather than wet – tilth struggles to stick together. In some soils dry soil below damp layer. Just 15 mm rain has hardly wetted the soil.
Slugs: some seed hollowing found in a couple of cloddy patches but nothing extensive. Slime trails on seedbeds after rape where wheat not emerged indicate could be some leaf damage as crop emerges.
Weed control: only very low levels of blackgrass with none showing on some fields but moisture may get it going. The later it comes through the more it could mean spring sprays if poor weather in November. Many pre emergence herbicides on but a few delaying until they see the crop.

West Midlands. Bryce Rham reports that 90% of wheat in the ground, some second wheat and wheat after potatoes, maize and beans still to drill.
21mm rain from last Tuesday has disappeared from topsoil. But most seed has now chitted and should emerge over the next 7 days.
Aphids: visible on quite a few crops.
Slugs: some damage to crops on heavier parts of fields where emergence is slow and evidence of dead slugs where pellets applied. Some issues of hollowing and grazing on min till second wheats where not rolled
Weed Control: volunteer oilseed rape emerged through Crystal/Graduate, some now at 6 true leaf. Having to treat 600 acres of very early drilled wheat with Pixie at 0.5l/ha. 50% of crops sprayed.
Product comment: Crystal/Graduate- for the first time since started using this mix it has let me down primarily on volunteer oilseed rape control (all applied pre em of crop). Some meadow grass has also got through.

Eastern Counties. Brendan Butterworth reports that 85% of first wheats have been drilled and 65% second wheats have been drilled. Majority at GS 1.3-1.4, but patchy emergence. The recent rains have given sufficient moisture to soften the soil and enable drilling to proceed.  The majority of the drilling will be completed by the end of this week says Jamie Mackay.
Mildew: a few pustules on Claire at growth stage 1.3.
Slugs: low activity due to dry conditions especially where land has been ploughed.
Gout fly: eggs seen on wheat plants with 3 leaves.
Weed control: majority of blackgrass treatments are being applied peri-emergence due lack of drilling depth and soil cover. Mecoprop + DFF for volunteer bean control.

North East. Phillip Tuplin reports that since the rain most first wheat crops have emerged except on heavier areas which were very dry and they needed the second rain incident before they were wetted through to seed depth. Most advanced areas are at GS 12-13. Very few second wheats emerging yet.
Had a much needed 24 mm rainfall locally over last 7 days, and some parts of the region had significantly more. This has been enough to get everyone drilling the fields that were too dry to work sensibly, and the end result is excellent. The amount of rain , unusually, has been ideal and with good dry days conditions have allowed spray operations to be kept up to date as well.
Slugs: easily found where rape stubbles have been ploughed and sown, but very little crop damage been seen so far. In what were very dry seedbeds it looks like the crops is going to emerge before the slugs come up to ground level.
Weed control : it is too early to assess the effectiveness of the pre-emergence herbicides, but so far fields are quite clean with at least one exception, where there are dense patches already appearing despite a full rate of Liberator + 80ml DFF applied straight after drilling into an excellent seedbed.

Winter Barley.

South east:  all drilled – earliest sown crops now at 2 leaves.
South west: winter barley has developed very quickly and first residuals are now being applied.  September drilled crops now tillering.
Eastern region: Crops range from dry seed – GS 1.3. 90% drilled
East midlands: first crops just at 1 leaf and look well with good emergence. Later crops just starting to emerge.
West midlands: crops range from GS 21 to emerging. 100% drilled.
North east: emergence is quite patchy with most forward areas at GS 11-12.

Sugar Beet.
Pat Turnbull reports that variable yields reflecting variable rainfall patterns across the region. Some of the best yields we have ever seen from early lifting – these adjusted yields have been elevated by high sugar content 20% +. Best yields – 75 to 85 t /ha reported so far but some could be higher as we progress through the season.
We are currently ordering seed and have moved away from any standard seed all is now Poncho Beta or Cruiser Force treated even for those fields where we plan to apply Vydate for Docking Order. This is due to the Virus Yellows risk and potential poor results predicted for Aphox applications in the future.