South East. A week of cold nights and cool days have again slowed crop growth. With only around 5-10 mm of rain in last 2 weeks soils are now dry on the surface, leading to continued slow N uptake. Still a wide range of growth stages from GS 31 to GS 37, with September sown crops now mostly at GS 33-37. Leaf 2 now fully emerged on main shoots of September sown Solstice, Gallant and Einstein, with tip of flag leaf 1/3 emerged on main shoots  – T1 fungicides been applied to most crops in last 2 weeks when leaf 3 was fully emerged on main shoots.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: no symptoms been found anywhere in last fortnight.
Mildew: still no active pustules found – continuation of dry cool days together with a lack of lush soft growth to date mean that mildew risk is currently extremely low.
Septoria: with ongoing lack of rainsplash events is now mainly confined to lower leaves – top 3-4 leaves currently very clean. Combination of dry and cool conditions are likely to result in very low Septoria pressure in most crops here in the South – latent period for any Septoria infection of new growth currently likely to be around 21-28 days.
T1 applications of 60-75% doses of triazole (epoxiconazole or prothioconazole) + Bravo and/or Boscalid been applied in last 2 weeks. T2 applications planned for last week of May when flag-leaves fully emerged – if weather remains dry will only be around 50-60% dose of Triazole.
Eyespot : low levels of non-penetrating stem lesions visible in September and early October sown crops of Xi19, Cordiale and Solstice, but continuation of cool and dry conditions are not favourable.
Weed control : Pacifica and Monitor both seem to be performing better than Broadway Star on the full range of brome species – definite signs of re-growth from areas of brome sprayed with Broadway Star, with panicles emerging. Not really been enough soft weed growth or crop competition this Spring for reliable weed control, and conditions have obviously been very marginal for Broadway Star.

South West. Most crops now have leaf 2 fully out with the young flag leaf rolled up near the ligule of leaf 2.  Succession of cold nights means development is not rapid and full flag leaf emergence is likely to be delayed to around the 20th May –compare this to 2007 when flag leaves were emerging in April.  Crops remain short although greening has deepened as N is at last taken up. Only exceptions are in early September sowings on high mineralisable N soils where Grafton is at GS 37.
Yellow rust: seen in Oakley where a scheduled T0 triazole was not applied.  T1 treatments appear to be holding the infection.
Mildew: no significant levels of mildew detectable.
Septoria: still confined to lower leaves.
Eyespot: lesions in early drillings are rarely penetrating beyond the leaf sheath.
Weed control : Blackgrass is booting in missed areas. Once again outstanding control of Soft and Meadow Bromes from Broadway Star.

Eastern Counties. Crops range from GS 32 to GS 37 flag leaf emerging. Soils remain dry despite 7-11 mm rainfall on Sunday 9th May. Crops suffering significant drought stress, even on heavy land.  Recent rain may help in the short term. Daytime soil temperatures up to 13ËšC, night time temperatures 8ËšC.
Brown rust: odd pustules on susceptible varieties; Duxford, Zebedee, Cordiale.  Disease levels generally very low.
Yellow rust: no active disease seen.
Mildew: disease present on late drilled crops and on susceptible varieties, Solstice, Conqueror and Claire, but not active.
Septoria: apparent in most crops, in particular on early drilled and forward crops.
Weed control : wild oats now at GS 1.2 - 2.4 where not controlled in the autumn.  Some spring wild oats germinating.

East Midlands. Most crops have leaf 2 out and flag tip showing whilst forward crops have flag emerging. Later crops at leaf 2 emerging. Crops look well but dry weather has shortened them and little or no late growth regulator required. Total rain over last 5 weeks about 20 mm so more dry weather not good. Soils dry and cracking.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: seen only on unsprayed Oakley, but could be sitting on a time bomb with all very susceptible varieties.
Mildew: with cold weather and dry, mildew levels are very low and restricted to a bit on the very lower base of plants.
Septoria: upper leaves clear but short crops and damp nights means transmission to upper leaves will continue but T1 sprays should be holding it OK. T2 sprays will start next week based around either Firefly or Opus+ Comet depending on variety. May add Talius if mildew threat seems to increase.
Eyespot: can still be found in low levels particularly in Einstein but generally crops have very low levels
Weed control : worryingly some blackgrass regrowth in one or two fields which may be do to a range of factors ranging from big plants in Spring to conditions at spraying although generally Atlantis went on in good growing conditions.

West Midlands. Crops have come to a grinding halt over the last week, with the flag leaf at the same point as last week, not very helpful for T2 timing as running up to 21 days since T1. Where we are now beyond 21 days with the flag just poking out adding bravo to the mix. Grafton has overtaken Humber and is VERY short, also looks to be  bit too thin (sowed it at a heavier rate than Humber BUT looks as though it needs another 10kg/ha). Crops on light land looking particularly drought stressed.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Mildew: traces on Humber and JB Diego.
Septoria: low levels on bottom leaves.
Eyespot: already through to main stem in early sown crops of Gallant and Humber. Visible in Alchemy, Diego and Solstice.
Weed control: cleavers coming back from earlier treatments + newly emerged cleavers over the last 2-3 weeks. Broadway Star at the moment appears to be working with the brome sat in the bottom of the crop and looking very pale.

North east: crops at GS 32-33. All crops have final leaf 3 fully emerged and leaf 2 at least partly out. Tip of flag leaf visible in a few crops. Only 4mm rainfall locally in last 7 days, but plenty of moisture in the soil so crops are looking fine. There has been plenty of sunshine but temperatures very low, only 6 degrees C at midday today and some ground frost  last night.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: no infection seen.
Mildew: none seen.
Septoria: final leaves 2 and 3 are clean. T1 applied last week should give protection until T2 which will be applied from about May 20th.
Eyespot: low level of infection seen in a few early sown crops but not expected to become an issue this season.
Weed control : patches of wild oats coming through in some fields not sprayed with Atlantis.

Winter Barley.

North East. Awns mostly emerged in forward crops of Carat. Most 6-rows a bit later. T2 application of an Opus/Amistar mix planned for next 7 days or as soon as awns mostly emerged. On more northern crops will apply Fandango for better Ramularia control.

Eastern counties. crops range from GS 39 to awn emergence. Second fungicide applications of prothioconazole + fluoxastrobin at GS 39 now underway on many crops.

West Midlands. Awns emerging /out on Carat, also out on light land stressed crops, some are looking pretty ropy and thin due to tiller loss.

East Midlands. Crops now up to GS 37-39 – awns out. Few tillers, short crops, lodging risk below average. No late PGRs.

South West. Growth stages now mostly range from GS 37-45, with first awns just showing now on crops of Boost.  T2 fungicides scheduled to be applied in next 2 weeks.

South East. Growth stages now range from GS37-39. Some net-blotch evident in Cassata but otherwise crops are clean. T2 fungicides being planned for around 2 weeks time.

Spring Beans: at 2-6 pair leaves and bean weevil damage extensive in some crops and may require further control.

Sugar Beet. Early drilled beet looks far ahead of later drillings, however growth of all beet is slow compared with recent springs in the current cool, dry conditions with frosts at night. Unfortunately we are still waiting for emergence on some of our poorest cobbly seedbeds drilled late under very drying conditions. More beet has germinated and emerged in areas of fields where the soil is finer. We are currently irrigating a few problem fields, these will make very late crops.

Weed control has mainly been going to plan as there has not been ashortage of spray days. Some of our earlier fields are now clean but have along way to go before the crop covers the ground so will need checking for fresh weed emergence. It will soon be time to start tractor hoeing for weed beet