02 October . Lack of rain delaying emergence in wheat and pre-emergence herbicides being delayed in dry conditions. Cabbage leaf miner showing up in many crops of oilseed rape but no Phoma as yet. Forward crops targeted for PGR fungicide applications.

Winter Oilseed Rape

South: crops range from one true leaf - 6 true leaves – bulk of crops are now around 3 true leaves. Most advanced and thickest crops due to have Caramba applied next week for PGR effects.
Fertiliser: most min-tilled crops have had 30 kg/ha N applied to seedbeds.
Phoma: none seen to date, even on volunteers in nearby rape stubbles – ongoing dry conditions will further limit spore release, so looks like being a 1-Phoma spray autumn (November), particularly on more advanced crops.
Flea beetle: shot holing of leaves quite widespread even though most crops seed treated with Modesto/Cruiser – possibly due to dry seedbeds.
Turnip Sawfly –no larvae seen as yet, though adults noted egg-laying widely again on sunny days last week.
Volunteer barley – large flush in min-tilled crops after spring barley in particular.

Eastern Counties. Pat Turnbull reports most rape now well established except for a few chalky heavy patches but even these have a low population of cotyledon rape. Currently irrigating some of these patches on one farm to aid establishment. On heavier land where rape is struggling to get a root hold on hard dry soil plants are very deep green and are wilting in areas but not dying! Generally I believe the rape will be OK with no thought of abandoning any fields yet. The majority of crops have now established and are around the 4 leaf stage.
Fertiliser: still applying N to some of the struggling crops, N has already been applied to many as matter of course.
Phoma: none seen.
Weed control: now applied pre/early post –em Novall or similar to all fields. Falcon for volunteer cereal control has worked very rapidly in recent warm weather.


East Midlands. Big variation with forward crops at 4 leaves and look good, average crops at 2-3 leaves and later crops at cotyledon to 1 leaf and needing rain. Variation across fields with some areas forward and cloddy areas backward.
Slugs : on the whole very low and no re-pelleting required.
Leaf miners: some damage but at low levels.
Phoma: none seen.

West Midlands. All crops now drilled with earliest crops now at 8 true leaf but lots of crops still at cotyledon stage. Will consider applying Prosaro to the most forward crops for PGR effect. Nitrogen has been applied to late sown crops.
Phoma: trace levels only and no need to treat.
Leaf miners: evident in some crops and worry on late sown smaller plants.
Weed control : Falcon going on where volunteers bad. Vast majority of crops have been treated pre emergence with weed control OK at the moment on the earlier drilled crops. Where pre emergence missed have applied post emergence with Falcon (mainly after winter barley).


North East. Despite the dry conditions emergence continues to improve and most crops are established now. The most forward at 3-5 leaves now. Very dry, and although crops are emerged now small plants are distinctly drought stressed and need rain within 14 days to guarantee survival.
Phoma: none seen.
Leaf miner: Infestation of Leaf Miners seen in North Yorkshire. ADAS has advised that the most common is the Cabbage Leaf Miner and it is not considered to be an economic pest. They have had more cases reported this year than is usual.
Weed control: virtually all crops been sprayed with Springbok at cotyledon stage, but Aramo will not be applied for Blackgrass control while crops are drought stressed.

Winter Wheat.

South East. Peter Cowlrick reports that most first wheat drilling now been completed with exception of Xi19 and Soissons, with farms growing second wheat Einstein/Cordiale with Latitude now beginning drilling of these fields. Emergence of crops sown 10-14 days ago is very variable with at best only around 80% of sown seeds emerged on better seedbeds and in some cases as little as 10% where seedbeds have dried out significantly. Increasingly “Dust Bowl” like – seedbeds now so dry that recently drilled crops will not chit until we get at least an inch of rain. Cultivations on undisturbed ground are managing to retain what little moisture there is by keeping close interval between drilling and consolidation.
Slugs: with very dry conditions holding off with slug pellet applications until rains arrive to wet soils - high risk fields after oilseed rape will have 50-75% rate of metaldehyde 3% pellets applied  immediately after rain.
Weed Control: Roundup applied up to 24 hours pre-drilling/ cultivating. Problem blackgrass fields due to have Crystal @ 3-4lt/ha + DFF (0.2lt/ha) or Liberator applied either pre-/peri-emergence depending upon arrival of rain – aim is to apply to seedbeds as soon as become moist.

East Midlands. Martin Eudall reports wheat now being drilled in earnest – approximately 70% drilled. Main varieties are Oakley, Alchemy, Solstice, Viscount and Cordiale as a second wheat. Some Gallant also gone in.
Slugs: no damage at all –none seen and cultivation in dry conditions will have had good control.
Weed control: pre-ems going on in anticipation of rain at some point soon

West Midlands. Bryce Rham reports that 80% of crop now sown but in desperate need of rain. Crops after potatoes are sitting in dust.
Weed Control: concerned that sowing depth is not all it could be on some fields and delaying herbicide applications to prevent possible damage if and when it rains.

Eastern Counties. Brendan Butterworth reports that crops range from dry seed to 3 leaf stage. 65% of first wheats have been drilled and some second wheats have been drilled. Early drilled at GS 13 but patchy emergence. Cobbly seedbeds where ploughed, some seedbeds fine and level. Very little soil moisture. Less than 18 mm of rainfall in August and less 14 mm of rain in September.
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 2 leaves.
Weed control: pre-em flufenacet based products in bad black grass fields and Pendimethalin in less difficult areas.

North East. Phillip Tuplin reports that all first wheats are drilled now, and the earliest have areas at GS11, but seedbeds are very dry and emergence is patchy. Most crops will not emerge properly until there is significant rainfall. Despite the dry conditions seedbeds so far are good with plenty of tilth and seed drilled at optimum depth and well covered. It is more difficult on the remaining fields that have had more time to dry out and some are having to be left until it rains as it is pretty much impossible to achieve a seedbed without multiple power harrowing.
No rainfall has been recorded locally since the 5th September which coupled with long periods of sunshine and drying winds has created drier soils than have been experienced for many years. A bonus has been ideal conditions for effective flat-lifting and most farmers have done all fields this Autumn. Hopefully, soils will be back to the condition they were in before the floods of 2006.
Slugs: no slug activity being seen now, but will have to be vigilant once the rain comes.
Weed control : there is some debate as to whether pre-emergence sprays should be applied in the dry conditions. My group has been advised that if there is a good seedbed, with well covered seed and Blackgrass is a major problem the pre-emergence spray should be applied soon after drilling and it will be activated when rain comes. Most fields are being sprayed with Defy/DFF and some with Liberator/DFF.

Sugar Beet.
Pat Turnbull reports that growers reluctant to lift due to losses from root breakage. Some are irrigating before lifting. Sugars remain very high. Disease now being seen in untreated areas, powdery mildew and high levels of rust. Crops only treated with one early fungicide rather than receiving a two spray programme have significantly higher levels of rust.