South East. September sown crops of Gallant, Cordiale and Solstice now at GS 31+ with final leaf 3 now 75%+ emerged on main shoots with tip of leaf 2 just showing in more advanced/fertile situations. September sown Claire  and Scout have moved steadily in last week and are now at GS 30-31 with leaf 4 mostly emerged and leaf 3 around 10% emerged on main shoots. Early October sown crops now also around GS 30-31 with tip of leaf 3 emerging. With yet more warm and dry weather predicted in the next week there will be further rapid growth, though crops on lighter soils really could do with a rain now.
T1 timings are going to be around a week early this year, though disease pressure is very low and many crops have only had T0 sprays applied in last 7-10 days, so there is no panic and will probably look to target leaf 2 emergence on main shoots towards end of April. Unless we get significant rain ahead of T1 sprays, another year of very flat fungicide responses looms, perhaps questioning the value of new SDHI products at T2?
Thoughts turning to T1 now and will be based around Tracker or Proline – with Tracker being preferred on more rust prone varieties
Septoria: obvious on oldest leaves, but all newer leaves appear very clean to date.
Mildew: low levels of fresh pustules noticeable on lower leaves of thicker and lusher crops of Solstice and even Gallant – also some evident on lower leaves of any crops on lighter soils where nitrogen uptake/availability has been delayed.
Brown rust: still none seen.
Yellow rust: still none seen.
Eyespot: only very low levels noted to date – dry March has not been favourable.
Weed control: significant flush of cleavers now in some fields after oilseed rape in particular.

South West. Wheat crops now green and lush although concern is mounting over moisture availability on lighter land.  Most crops still at GS 31 except for earlier drillings in mild areas which are at GS 32 with tip to one third of leaf 3 visible. It is unlikely that the majority of nitrogen has been taken up so we are watchful for a spell of very rapid growth if/when significant rain arrives. If this happens do not neglect later season PGRs. Spraying and fertiliser operations continue largely unhindered by the weather apart from a bit of wind mid week.
Septoria: confined to older leaves.
Mildew: NO new infection.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Eyespot : not progressing in the current dry weather.
Weed control: minor flush of polygnums in some crops especially on frost weathered clays.  CMPP/HBN applied as appropriate.

Eastern Counties. Crops approaching GS 31 with leaf three just begining to emerge. Windy conditions have limited spraying opportunities over the last week.  Ground conditions dry.
Septoria: present in a number of varieties, notably Viscount and Oakley.
Mildew: present and active in forward crops.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: significant levels pre-treatment in susceptible varieties such as Oakley, Robigus, lower levels on Viscount, Conqueror and occassionaly Solstice. No reports of re infection yet on any treated crops.
Eyespot: low levels.
Weed control: some blackgrass now at three leaf stage where no pre-emergence has been applied .

East Midlands. Forward crops at GS 31 with final leaf 4 out, remainder at leaf 4 emerging and late crops at GS 30+. Expect GS 32 to be in about 7-10 days in forward crops. Soils dry – again no rain in last week apart from light shower. Heavier soils cracking.
Septoria: still no change with dry weather keeping it on older lower leaves.
Mildew: levels remain low with none on new growth, apart from some late drilled Claire which has had Corbel+ Talius.
Yellow rust: levels around us remain low but all at risk crops have T0 on now.
Eyespot: with the dry, levels remain very low – as low as I have seen them in many seasons with only odd plants or fields with some browning of stems.
Weed control: cleavers growing happily away.

West Midlands. Early sown Humber has final leaf 2 emerging. T1 going on this Friday, Grafton is catching up rapidly with leaf 3 ¾ out starting on T1 applications on Monday 18th. Quite a lot of wheat is now pushing leaf 3 out and will be good to go from Wednesday 20th. Guessing that 75% of crops will be OK to go from Wednesday next week and the balance from end of next week through to middle of week after. Solstice although very tall is only just pushing out leaf 3, second wheat Diego today although looks like end of tillering also has leaf 3 pushing through.
It is very very dry. Light land wheat is now losing tillers. Some now irrigating wheat.
Septoria: visible on older leaves only.
Mildew: very variable and does not appear to be related to variety or sowing date or soil type, Diego is almost the worst but primarily located at the bottom of the crop.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: high levels found in untreated crop of Oakley.
Eyespot: early sown Humber and JB Diego has some rather nice lesions with some having penetrated through the outer leaf sheath. Tracker for first wheat, Fandango on second wheats.
Weed control: Broadway Star comment Ryegrass looking decidedly pale (along with the crop!), cleavers looking very sick, bromes going off and covered in mildew (assume due to stress ). There is a definite growth regulatory effect occurring on headlands on light land, crop is 2-3 inches shorter than in the field, crops sprayed 3 weeks ago have in fairness greened up again such that apart from height difference no real signs of difference from field. Dow still assure me that no long term effect on yield will occur ( with the driest march in 30 years have they tested under these conditions?).

North East. The dry conditions are restricting crop growth but they are continuing to develop and most forward crops are now at GS 31 – 32. Later sown crops are fully tillered now and only a few not yet at GS 30. There has been no rainfall at all over the last 7 days, but little drought stress being shown so far. Some of the second wheats look the most in need of some rain.
Septoria: much less obvious now, as all new leaf is clean. T1 fungicides planned for end of April based around Proline+Bravo or Ignite+Tracker. In rust susceptible varieties Firefly + Bravo.
Mildew: none seen.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: odd focii in late sown Oakley not treated with Jockey.
Eyespot: lesions are easy to find on outer leaf sheaths of early sown varieties but the dry conditions have stopped aggressive penetrating symptoms developing.

Winter Oilseed Rape

South East. Range from Yellow bud to early flowering now and all crops are continuing to develop rapidly. Pigeon grazed crops now racing away from our grey feathered pests, and beginning to recover fairly well now.
Pollen Beetle: numbers seem to have declined over the last week.
Sclerotinia: with some crops beginning to flower now, and soil temperatures at around 10’C and with moisture, would expect to see apothecia appear in next week and spores begin to be found at monitoring sites. Applying early flower Folicur/Proline/mbc mixes now onwards and will follow up 14-21 days later with mid-flower sprays.

South West. Earliest crops now well into flowering. Subsequent inspection of those crops treated for pollen beetle reveals significant flower abortion in unsprayed areas.  IRAG advises not to use follow on doses of pyrethroids on OSR  to reduce resistance build up, therefore, pollen beetle sprays were based on pymetrozine to allow pyrethroid use if any seed weevil or pod midge is present.
Pollen Beetle: numbers declining.
Sclerotinia: treatments, largely based on prothioconazole plus MBC now imminent.

Eastern Counties. Rape rapidly coming into flower variety DK Cabernet noticeably behind just coming into flower. Rape on infertile or very light sites in particular quite spindly and quickly ran through stem extension – it now urgently needs rain for nitrogen uptake. Many fields are very uneven.
Pollen Beetle: flowers now open on all fields no more pollen beetle spraying required. Hallmark Zeon worked well. However, there had been quite a lot of damage before we sprayed especially on DK Cabernet. Question whether the threshold is correct when the beetles arrive so early and have an extended period over which to damage buds before the flowers open.
Sclerotinia: planning Sclerotinia sprays for flowering period based around Proline +/- Amistar followed by Compass as a second application in high risk sites.

East Midlands. First crops starting to flower with majority of crops at yellow bud to first flowers – pigeon damaged crops at green to yellow bud. Last nitrogen now on this week on forward crops with later crops due to have it soon. Magnesium deficiency symptoms still being found and Bittersaltz being considered with sclerotinia spray if remains dry.
Pollen Beetle : numbers declining..
Sclerotinia: control recommendations made for early flowering – mainly Proline with a follow up in 3 weeks – value of crops means not worth trying for a one hit policy in case weather causes delays and then too late.

West Midlands. Buds showing to early flowers. Good crops now shoulder height and yellow (approximately 30-40% flowers). Crops on lighter land are spindly and in need of rain.
Pollen Beetle: numbers dropped towards the end of last week.
Sclerotinia: treatments planned to coincide with early to mid flowering mainly based on Proline or Filan in high risk crops.

North East. Most forward crops are well in flower with a few pods visible as petals fall away. Cabernet is notably late to flower.
Pollen Beetle: numbers seem to have declined this week, and many crops have come into flower.
Sclerotinia: 0.4 kg Filan is planned for early petal fall, when 10-15 pods showing on the main stems.

Winter Barley.

Eastern counties. Crops approaching GS 31/2. First fungicide now applied to all crops.

West Midlands. Most crops approaching GS 32 and expect the flag leaf to start appearing within the next 7 - 10 days. Disease levels remain low in most crops.

East Midlands. Crops at GS 30. Some look stressed and again manganese is required in most crops.

South West. Now at 32 to 33 and growing rapidly.  We anticipate flag leaf and subsequent awn emergence will be late April.

South East.  Steady crop growth, with crops of Cassata now mostly at GS 31-32, and most other crops/varieties still at around GS30-31. Brown rust pustules appearing rapidly in warmer weather over last 2 weeks on lower leaves of Boost and Volume in particular. Mildew developing but Net-blotch and Rhynchosporium levels remain low.

North East: Many crops at GS 32 now, and expect to see flag leaf emerging within 10 days in an early variety like Carat. In a normal year would apply 0.5 – 0.7 L Cerone as flag leaf is emerging but under drought conditions crop growth will be too severely restricted and late secondary tillering can be a serious problem. It is likely that only the 6-row varieties will be treated and a few 2-row crops in very ‘fit’ fields. Disease levels remain low. The hybrid varieties Volume and Element are notable for  having virtually no disease present at all.

Spring Beans

Crops emerging rapidly and straight into the path of bean weevils.

Sugar beet
Crops drilled into fine moist seedbeds has emerged to give excellent plant populations with vigorous seedlings, the most advanced now in the first true leaf stage with long healthy cotyledons. However we have a small amount of more difficult land where the seedbeds were more cobbly, the emergence has been slower and more protracted and some seeds are still sitting in dry soil.

Weeds have emerged quickly and grown rapidly if left unchecked in the recent very warm sunny weather. We have had little help from the pre-emergence herbicides and most fields have been sprayed or soon will be sprayed post-emergence. Second FAR applications now starting and we will soon also follow up with a second post-em where we are using the conventional system with larger doses each time. Volunteer oilseed rape has emerged in great numbers like a carpet and is soon reaching expanded cotyledon stage. We have added Debut to the first and or second FAR applications where the population is so great.

Second nitrogen applications where beet is all emerged now being made.

Bird damage is very noticeable in places, main culprits are skylarks, always tends to be worse in a dry period.