20 April 2012. Rain during the week has held up field operations and work is building up with outstanding T1 fungicides in winter wheat and Sclerotinia sprays in oilseed rape. Winter oilseed rape ranges from early petal fall through to early flower. The most forward wheat crops have final leaf 2 but the majority of crops have final leaf 3 emerging. Winter barley crops have final leaf 2 emerging.

• Sclerotinia risk increases with recent rain.
• T1 fungicide timing in winter wheat a priority.

Winter Oilseed Rape 

South East. All crops at early flowering. All nitrogen applications have been completed.
Phoma: no significant renewed spotting seen to date.
Light Leaf Spot: no new infections seen.
Pollen beetle: only a few later developing crops located in smaller and sheltered fields have needed treating this year.
Sclerotinia: conditions are potentially conducive to the germination of sclerotia, particularly under thick canopies – as crops start flowering.

Eastern Counties. Just a few fields in full flower, many are mainly just flowers at top of canopy and very slow to produce more flowers. Some fields of DK Cabernet are still at the green bud stage with the odd flower open. Some frost damage to buds seen.
Light leaf spot : remained at low levels none on upper leaves, recent conditions have not been conducive to spread of this disease.
Pollen Beetle: the cool weather meant that pollen beetle activity slowed right down and numbers in all the crops have remained low.
Sclerotinia: risk will be high with showery weather, however, cool temperatures must be slowing things down. Looks as if we are going to have a protracted flowering period and two sprays will be needed. May be difficult timing sclerotinia sprays.

East Midlands. Most crops at early flower but flowering has slowed down with the cooler weather.
Light Leaf Spot: just odd pieces but nothing of concern.
Pollen Beetle: most crops beyond stage were control needed.
Sclerotinia: Sclerotinia sprays awaiting decent weather to be applied – a few high risk crops sprayed on Monday to allow time to get T1 on wheat when weather dries up. PGRs will give some cover as well. This will spread workload even if it means another sclerotinia spray after 3 weeks – at close on £400 ton with bonuses crops need looking after.

West Midlands. All crops now at green to yellow bud stage to early flowering. The colder days over the last week have put crops on hold so many are very slow to come into full flower. However, some fields now have a good overall yellow appearance to them, and some petal fall can be found. Most forward crops are Cubic, Excalibur and Vision particularly where on lighter land.
Phoma: no new infections.
Light Leaf Spot: very low levels which have not developed.
Pollen beetle: majority of crops now out of danger.
Sclerotinia: rain over the last few days has increased the risk of disease.

North East. Most forward varieties such as DK ExPower and Excalibur are in full flower and have up to 10 pods formed on the main stems. Later flowering varieties such as DK Cabernet and Compass seem to be held up at yellow bud, and are coming into flower very slowly during the unsettled weather.
Light Leaf Spot: a few lesions can be seen in crops now but the level is not causing concern.
Phoma: no further infections seen.
Pollen Beetle: crops coming into flower are no longer at risk.
Sclerotinia: most crops being grown in fairly tight rotations so assume all are at high risk of infection. 0.4 kg Filan planned for early petal fall. Most forward crops of DK ExPower and Excalibur are ready to spray now, so causing a clash with wheat T1 applications and a dilemma as to which should have priority.

Winter Wheat

South. Crops range from  GS30-31 (late October+ sowings) to stem extension GS 31-32+ (September sowings) with Leaf 3 up to fully emerged, and Leaf 2 up to 25% emerged now on main shoots of Gallant/Solstice.
Brown rust: odd pustules can be found in thicker crops and more particularly in September sown crops of Claire, Target and Solstice.
Mildew: since February frosts most crops remain free of any re-infection to date – only exception is a few lush and forward crops of Gallant/Solstice.
Yellow rust: no foci or leaf pustule stripes seen, but remain vigilant particularly on varieties that may be prone to the Warrior race.
Septoria: most lower leaves now completely senesced due to Septoria infection, with infections highly visible on leaf 5 of all September sown crops of Gallant/Solstice in particular.
Eyespot: quite a lot of stem based browning now appearing in many September/early October sown crops.
Weed control: spring headland and field applications for brome control mostly completed.

Eastern Counties. Leaf 3 is emerging on forward fields.  Gallant and Humber are a little ahead of Solstice and Diego, with Oakley still a half leaf behind. 
Brown rust: no new infection seen since application of T0 fungicides.
Yellow rust: no new infection seen since application of T0 fungicides.
Mildew: the more backwards crops showing quite a lot of mildew.
Eyespot: more eyespot symptoms seen this week.
Weed control: the mild winter has given rise to more cleavers this year than usual.

East Midlands. Very little movement since last week as crops mark time with cooler conditions. Forward crops have leaf 3 appearing with vast majority at 31+. Some signs of stress in some crops where frost followed fungicide application or herbicide. On the whole second wheats look well. Many crops to receive growth regulator at GS 32.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: no new rust seen but T0 will soon run out of steam so T1 will need to be timely.
Mildew: levels remain very low to non existent and seems to have dried up.
Septoria: no change apart from some T1 rates will be increased if wet conditions cause delays.
Eyespot: levels remain steady.
Weed control: Fumitory appears to be the crop of the moment but easily controllable.

West Midlands. Final leaf two is a third out on some of the early sown crops after oilseed rape or potatoes. Some of these crops had Aviator mid last week others with standard T1 early part of this week before the rain closed in. Pretty much all other crops can find leaf 3 either out or emerging, T1 down for this week and next week, weather permitting. Some BYDV obvious in crops now.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: no new infections seen.
Mildew: levels have declined in the last week and new growth is clean.
Eyespot: some lesions in early drilled crops but not developing.
Septoria: lots of septoria in the base of many crops.
Weed control: rain has encouraged a recent emergence of broad leaved weeds including cleavers and volunteer oilseed rape.

North East. Crops range from GS30 – 32, but most GS 31 now. Scout is notably forward with final leaf 2 50% emerged in some crops. It continues to very difficult finding decent spells between showers to apply the T1 fungicides, so the problem varieties such as Oakley and Robigus have been given priority. There is still a lot of wheat to be treated.
Brown Rust: low levels seen in the most susceptible varieties, such as Duxford and Grafton but well controlled so far by the T0 fungicide. T1 fungicides where rusts are main target Firefly + Bravo.
Yellow Rust: T0  Opus Team or Cherokee has done a good job, but for some crops it is coming up to 28 days since it was applied, so the T1 will have to go on over next 7 days.
Mildew: only the most resistant varieties are clean such as Warrior and Viscount. All the rest have varying levels of infection.
Eyespot: more lesions penetrating the outer leaf sheath seen this week.
Septoria: fairly high levels seen on older leaves of most forward crops, but development halted for now by T0 fungicide.
Weed control: cranesbill  is the most common broad-leaved weed, and there are some severe infestations.

Winter Barley.

South. Crops have moved quickly in response to generally good growing conditions and now range in growth stage from GS31-32 with leaf 2 emerging in most forward crops. Late PGR applications will need completing on more advanced crops in next 2 weeks. All N applications now completed. Brown rust still very evident in many crops and getting active again – have seen one crop of Volume where only top 2-3 leaves are green and rest have largely senesced due to brown rust.
East. Forward crops at GS 32 and quite tall. Net-blotch at treatable levels in some varieties such as Flagon and Cassata and will be treated with Siltra. Brown rust present in Carat and Pearl.
East Midlands. Crops at GS 31-32 but have slowed down a lot. T1 sprays now on and holding diseases well – looks like a T2 year as well with all the wet at present.
West Midlands. Final leaf two emerging on many crops. Disease levels still low and being kept under control by earlier fungicide applications.
North East. Crops at GS 31-33. Final leaf 2 emerging in most crops now, and expect to see flag leaf in next 7 days. T1 fungicide applied this week. All crops treated with Siltra Xpro @ 0.6 L/ha.

Sugar Beet

Seedlings continue to grow slowly and be grazed by partridges, pheasants, skylarks and rabbits. Pigeons are also beginning to feed on small beet and are reportedly taking the growing points out. We have had few spray days recently to apply herbicides and are pleased that pre-em herbicides have been applied to most of the crop to buy us some time. We are up to the third FAR spray post-em and intervals between applications have been longer than in some years. The later drilled crops have not been sprayed post –em yet.