South East. Earliest sown crops of Gallant and Solstice now around GS 30 with leaf 4 up to 75% emerged on main shoot in sheltered locations, otherwise September sown Claire,Cordiale and Scout now approaching GS30. Mid-October onwards sown crops generally not extending yet and remain at late tillering. Soils now moist again following very useful 10-12mm rain on Thursday – nearly an inch in March now!
Septoria: obvious on oldest leaves, but all newer leaves appear very clean to date.With relatively low Septoria pressure T0 applications are majoring around Cherokee to avoid too many applications of Epoxiconazole in the overall fungicide programme – T0 applications mostly starting next week.
Mildew: noticeable on older leaves of thicker crops of Solstice in particular – but still mostly brown and inactive.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Weed control: significant flush of cleavers now in some fields after oilseed rape in particular.

South West. Many crops now at GS 30 with several at GS 31 with leaf 4 emerging.  The warmer days and nights have pushed wheat on and now that surface feeding roots are developing nitrogen uptake is speeding up as crops start to lay down chlorophyll.  Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NVDI) images of crops show considerable variation in fields which appear uniform at ground level and the first split of N is being applied variably on a few trial farms.
Septoria: a lot of Septoria on old leaves of susceptible varieties.
Mildew: starting to kick off in a few forward crops of susceptible varieties.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Weed control: : March Atlantis appears to have given good control with no obvious signs of failure however, many crops have been severely stressed by the treatment with missed areas appearing very green (no tank mix other than Biopower).  No chlorosis at all in autumn treated crops.This should be quickly outgrown although we will monitor with combine at harvest.

Eastern Counties. Early wheats have pushed through and many have been applying the T-zero mixes this week. 
Septoria: present in a number of varieties, notably Viscount and Oakley, treatable on some forward crops.
Mildew: present and active in forward crops.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: significant levels developing in susceptible varieties- Oakley, Robigus, Viscount, Conqueror and Solstice.
Eyespot: low levels.
Weed control: some blackgrass now at three leaf stage where no pre-emergence has been applied and Atlantis applications now underway .

East Midlands. Forward crops at good GS 30 but majority of crops at GS29 to 29+. Growth slowed by dry weather with no rain for 4 weeks up to Wednesday. Top inch of soil very dry and nitrogen not getting down. Crops just putting out new roots. In spite of warm days have had two night frosts this week down to -2. Next nitrogen will not be applied until early-mid April as earlier applied N has not got going yet. Manganese now showing with dry weather and manganese to go on  at T0 in many cases or before if needed to correct any problems.
Septoria: still no change with dry weather keeping it on older lower leaves. Septoria risk varieties will have CCC+chlorothalonil at T0.
Mildew: dry conditions and some night frosts have kept it in check with nothing on upper leaves of crops.
Yellow rust: reports of yellow rust in Oakley but varieties such as Gallant, Solstice, Duxford still keeping clear and T0 destined to go on as soon as weather allows.
Eyespot: dry weather will slow down any development.
Weed control: awaiting more settled weather before Broadway Star goes on for brome control, particularly where a flush of wild oats may be expected will delay if brome etc not too pressing. As usual cleavers growing happily away and Eagle at T0 will be used where justified. Platform S + Torpedo can be useful where cleavers small and lot of speedwell (usually wheat after maize where no meadow grass).

West Midlands. Still no wheat at GS 31 (good news!), no real growth spurts as yet , with many crops not getting hold of nitrogen applied 2-3 weeks ago. Crops with sludge cake and poultry manure underneath them are growing but not rapidly.
Mildew: fertile land still showing visible mildew whereas lighter land with low fertility will now not need Tallius at T0.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Gout fly: report from Cheshire of lots of adult gout fly flying in crops, could be an issue for spring wheat or very late sown winter wheat.
Weed control: crop yellowing very visible today on a light land farm where Broadway Star applied to headlands two weeks ago, looks like headlands had no fertiliser, spoke with Dow and they have seen discolouration before when applied in dry spells, apparently it is only transient and crop will green up soon!!

North East. Most forward crops of Viscount, Robigus, Duxford and Cordiale now at GS 30 (ear at 1cm). All other crops fully tillered and will be GS 30 within 14 days.The dry spell continues and only had 3mm rainfall in March. Crops still look OK but fields are drying and cracking so rain will be very welcome. Wheat after wheat had 65kg N early March and another 90kg planned for second week in April. Wheat after rape and peas had 50kg N early March and another 90kg planned for second week in April.
Septoria: high levels of lesions on older leaves of all susceptible varieties, and particularly Viscount.
Mildew: none seen.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen, but as crops reach GS 30 a tank mix of PGR, manganese and 0.75 L Cherokee is being applied to varieties with poor resistance to  yellow or brown rust. These include Robigus, Duxford, Oakley, Viscount and JB-Diego.
Eyespot: a low level seen, but no action planned until T1 timing.
Weed control: fields without a Blackgrass problem, and that did not get a pre- or early post-emergence application last Autumn will be treated in the next week.

Winter Oilseed Rape

South East. Range from early green bud to yellow bud (ES Alienor) and all crops now growing rapidly with run of milder days and nights. Pigeons still proving a nuisance on some backward canopies, although recent rain and warmer nights helping these crops recover now. All crops have had/having final N applied around late green bud.
Pollen Beetle: a major problem in around 25-30% of crops, with these crops having up to 20/plant – can be readily found in all crops, but most at around 3-6 beetles/plant. Pyrethroid been applied  to stronger crops where threshold levels (10-15/plant) of beetles were being found, which seems to have worked reasonably well. Plenum/Biscaya been/being applied to more backward and  pigeon grazed crops to provide more sustained protection against further beetle migration .
Light-leaf spot: low levels were being picked up in early March in any crops not sprayed twice for Phoma.

South West. First few flowers now starting to open.  General range is green bud to yellow bud.  A few crops are at black bud stage due to very high pollen beetle infestation. 
Pollen Beetle: very high populations – in some cases over 100 per plant have been treated with non pyrethroid insecticides due to resistance concerns.

Eastern Counties. Rape continuing to move rapidly into stem extension, flower buds proud on several crops noticeably in  the varieties which are earlier to flower (DK Cabernet is one of the last varieties to move into stem extension). Stem extension fungicides for their growth regulatory effect as well are now being applied.
Pollen Beetle: higher levels in crops where buds are proud of canopy. Have reached threshold levels in some crops. Including a pollen beetle treatment in tank mix with stem extension fungicides where needed. Continuing to monitor all crops. Using Hallmark zeon / Mavrik first time through.

East Midlands. Forward crops have flower buds just starting to show – generally more forward crops on fertile ground. Crops vary from very good to very backward where pigeon damage has been severe. Some forward crops will be getting growth regulator in next couple of weeks.
Pollen Beetle : numbers have been high with some spraying done over the weekend, but lot of crops below threshold – pigeon damaged crops will be at risk as temperatures rise again and if numbers become high.
Light-leaf spot: none seen with samples being put into plastic bags for a few days showing no symptoms.
Pigeons : causing severe damage in some areas with large flocks and many claim attacks now are the worst so far this year, with fields being grazed down to the stems – not good for weed control and expect some weedy patches at harvest.

West Midlands. Well established early sown crops grew over a foot last week, with some crops just starting to show signs of yellow buds.
Pollen Beetle: numbers are well down this week as temperatures drop. Very few crops treated as yet and with yellow buds starting to appear suspect will not need to treat any more.

North East. Rapid stem extension this week and some crops over 50cm now. Buds well above the crop canopy but only a few showing any tendency to yellow bud. GAI assessments done over last 10 days shows most crops in the range of 0.8 – 1.6, bit there are some in the 2.0 -3.0 range where significant adjustments to total N will be made. 50 – 90 kg applied this week.
Pollen Beetle: numbers well above threshold seen in some crops at green bud stage, especially in northern part of region. In rest of the area high numbers in some crops but very spasmodic, and most crops not needing treatment this week.

Winter Barley.

Eastern counties. Crops approaching GS 30. Mildew obvious in some crops especially in coastal areas and Net-blotch developing in all crops.

West Midlands. GS 26-30 some just approaching GS 31. Some very thick crops where sown early and on fertile ground. Applying T1 fungicides from end of this week/beginning next to most forward, majority will be end next week/week comm. 11th April. Mildew very visible on some crops but primarily on older leaves which are dying and I suspect a dose of Fandango will sort the job (have not used mildewicide on barley for years and do not intend to start now!) Net-blotch still most visible disease but new growth clean.

East Midlands. Crops at GS 29 – expect GS 30 in early April but are not growing rapidly.Very little disease present and T1 barley fungicides based on Fandango to go on at GS 30/31.

South West. Approaching GS 30 and yellow areas starting to green up. Very little disease present.

South East. Crop growth beginning to accelerate now following succession of warmer nights with some Cassata crops now approaching GS31, and most other crops/varieties at around GS29-30. Mildew very evident in thicker crops/areas of Cassata. Net-blotch present at low levels in most crops of Cassata and also Boost. Rhynchosporium surprisingly high level noted in lush field of Cassata (HGCA 8 for Rhynco). Brown rust pustules appearing rapidly in last week on lower leaves of Boost and Volume in particular.

North East: Most barleys changing quickly now as they start to pick up the nitrogen applied earlier. There is a lot of yellow leaf in some crops but they should green up well in better growing conditions. Disease levels remain low although significant levels of Rhynchosporium seen in early sown susceptible varieties, particularly Cassia and Carat, but its development has been curtailed by the dry conditions.

Sugar Beet

All sugar beet now drilled. Emerging well 14 days after drilling. Should be good establishment, however, on a few later drilled fields on heavier soil types not all seed is sitting in moisture and these fields will need rain soon to achieve good even establishment. There has been very little mouse damage as seed is germinating quickly.

Parts of Norfolk north and east did receive some rain last weekend but a large area remains dry. All first N dressings and pre-em herbicides now applied. The residual herbicides will need some rain to activate them and we are already beginning to see small weeds emerging with the beet on light soils. These will need a close watch and a first post-em spray applied as soon as first flush reaches cotyledon stage.