16 September 2016. Weather back to reality as the jet stream sucks up wet air and dumps thundery downfalls across the country. A series of fronts coming in from the west over the next 7 days will give lower temperatures to all.

• Very little wheat drilled so far.
• Slugs active in oilseed rape crops.
• Flea Beetle some crop loss in east midlands.
• Blackgrass emerging in stale seedbeds.

Winter Wheat

South. Drilling of Lili just getting underway on fields/farms with minimal blackgrass – managing to hold most farms off drilling until at least 22-24th September as forecast is looking largely settled, and those with worst blackgrass fields until early October. Soils are generally moist below the surface following 25-30mm rain in last 10-14 days, however, forecast for continuing dry and relatively warm conditions in the South means an emphasis on preserving moisture by rolling following drilling.
Slugs: trapping on fields after oilseed rape pre-drilling is often indicating high slug populations – populations are, however, much lower on fields that have been disced/cultivated twice pre-drilling. Rolling of seedbeds will be essential on high risk soils to minimise slug grazing issues.
Blackgrass: some useful flushes just appearing now in some stale seedbeds.

Eastern Counties. None drilled yet.

East Midlands. Very little drilled so far.

West Midlands. Sowing started last Wednesday 7th September, this wheat is just emerging. Wheat sown on Saturday 1oth had root shoots yesterday I would guess about 1500 acres of Grafton in so far. Field conditions were very good until the thunderstorms on Tuesday 13th dumped 20mm on most areas.
Slugs: to early to say.

North East. False seed beds greening up with blackgrass. No drillings yet.
Slugs: very low activity.

Winter Oilseed Rape 

South. Crops range from cotyledon to 2 true leaves with 75% of crops now around 1-2 true leaves.
Flea beetle: shot holing of cotyledons/leaves has fortunately been minimal to date, though low levels of activity are starting to appear this week particularly in West Hampshire and Berkshire.
Phoma: none seen yet even on volunteers.
Slugs: despite generally good seedbeds, slugs have been surprisingly problematic on a range of soil types, with a few fields/part fields needing re-drillng last week. A reminder that slugs are going to be a potential headache in all crops this autumn.
Turnip Sawfly: no larvae seen as yet (though are plenty about in oilseed rape stubbles), though adults have been very obviously egg-laying in crops over the last 10-14 days.
Blackgrass: very low germination to date, even in fields with history of blackgrass, reflecting high dormancy.
Volunteer barley: large flush in min-tilled crops after spring barley in particular.

Eastern Counties. Crops range from 6 true leaf on one farm to not emerged after 5 weeks! Absolutely bone dry!! The only emerged rape was drilled by subsoiler method into moisture after barley.
Flea beetle: medium activity at present, looks worse where only a few plants have emerged.
Slugs: very low levels.
Blackgrass: none emerged yet.

East Midlands. Crops range from 4 true leaves to still drilling.
Flea beetle: evident in 90% of crops damage ranges from mild to crop lost.
Slugs: most fields showing signs of activity with up to 3 applications of pellets applied.
Blackgrass: high levels of blackgrass now showing..

West Midlands. All crops drilled as of Friday 9th September, crops sown week beginning 15th August now have 4-6 true leaves, crops sown mid last week are just emerging. Bit dry at the start of drilling but moisture since then has been about right, majority of crops have gone in very well and most have been rolled.
Flea beetle: very very low.
Aphids: only found cereal aphids so far no peach potato aphids found.
Slugs: in the main not too bad, and as yet no crops have been lost, early sown crops are well away and out of danger, it will be crops sown last week that will be at highest risk. All but the lightest land has had 4kg/ha Gusto immediately post drilling.

North East. Crops range from cotyledon to 4 leaf. Good drilling conditions and suitable weather resulted in good start for season. Drilling completed.
Flea beetle: hot spots of activity, no crop losses recorded
Slugs: some problem areas in some fields, control achieved.
Blackgrass: large proportion germinated last week.

Winter Barley.

South. None sown yet.
Eastern. None sown yet.
West Midlands. None sown yet.
East Midlands. None sown yet.
North East.  None sown yet.