30 May 2014. Earliest wheat crops now just starting to flower although there are plenty of crops still at the beginning of ear emergence. Wheat blossom midge reported in the south but not elsewhere. Oilseed rape crops now waiting for desiccation time. Winter barley crops remain disease free as they start to flgrain set.

Click here to check the Fusarium ear blight updates as crops move into ear emergence.

Earliest ear emergence (GS50) dates from previous crop reports, these are all from southern crops...

2014 - 16 May
2013 - 17 Jun
2012 - 25 May
2011 - 20 May
2010 - 28 May
2009 - 20 May
2008 - 21 May

• T3 fungicides as fusarium risk rises
• Start of flowering in early wheat crops.
• Grain set in winter barley
• Sugar beet downy mildew

Winter Wheat

South. September and early October sown crops have ears 75% to fully emerged with crops of Gallant and Cordiale beginning to flower (GS 61) -  remaining wheats generally between GS 51-59. Cool, dull and wet conditions over the last week have slowed crop development down slightly. Wet with some standing water again in some tramlines still following recent showery conditions – next week is also looking potentially unsettled again which may compromise timely T3 applications and will certainly add to Fusarium pressure.
Brown rust: none found in last 2 weeks.
Yellow rust: none seen recently.
Mildew: still only very low levels.
Septoria: recent and frequent rainsplash events now mean that Septoria will be actively moving between leaf layers, placing fungicide strategies under close scrutiny – with ears and flowering in May, we may need to consider T4 fungicide inputs to maximise foliar protection and canopy duration as could potentially be a long interval until harvest otherwise.
Eyespot: anticipating some whiteheads this year even in crops that had T1 Tracker applications.
Fusarium: unsettled and warm conditions are again predicted for the next 10 days or so which will only aggravate the infection risks at T3.
Aphids: beginning to find low levels of adult aphids in some crops now.
Wheat blossom midge: conditions are favourable for adult emergence now and pheromone traps are beginning to catch low levels of adults – susceptible varieties in the South are likely to be vulnerable until mid-flowering/for next 7-10 days.

Eastern Counties. The majority of crops are now at 75% ear emerged with the remainder fully out on ear. Recent showery conditions with occasional heavy downpour has increased the risk of Septoria spreading through wheat canopies.
Yellow rust: trace levels only.
Brown rust: trace levels.
Mildew: trace levels.
Eyespot: not significant.
Septoria: septoria pressure remains high.
Wheat blossom midge: the recent wet and windy weather has not been ideal for midge migration but drier, warmer weather will be more favourable for the pest.

East Midlands. Ears emerging in forward crops and earliest are just starting to flower. Looking to do T3 as soon as they can get on, but some now quite behind with their T2s. Looking at spend this year on agchems and it has been an expensive crop to grow.
Slugs: high numbers in some crops with heavy grazing of leaf 4 and 5.
Yellow rust: crops generally clean except where spray misses.
Brown rust: none seen.
Septoria: top 3 leaves remain clean where the timings have been right. Any spray misses show high levels of disease on the top leaves.
Mildew: levels continue to be low.
Eyespot: levels remain under control but prolonged wet feet may cause some to re emerge.
Wheat blossom midge: none seen yet.
Weeds: ryegrass resistance rife in some fields. Looks like we may have found another case of SU resistant poppies.

West Midlands. Bank holiday Monday saw early sown Gallant, Grafton, Solstice and Diego just starting to put anthers out, some of these crops received a T3 fungicide on Monday and some Tuesday, based upon premise that forecast is lousy and better to go early rather than late. However, majority of crops are still various stages of ear emergence. Between 25mm and 30 mm of rain from Monday 19th to Monday 26th, so field conditions far from ideal. We seem to have a mix of 2011 and 2012 forward crops and continuing wet weather respectively.
Slugs: still surprisingly high numbers in some crops.
Yellow rust: seen in Spring Wheat.
Brown rust: none seen.
Septoria: not yet above leaf 3 with only low levels on leaf 3 at the moment (early sown crops are by far the worst and vary from leaf 3 clean with leaf 4 15% infected to 5% septoria on leaf 3 with 40% on leaf 4).
Mildew: very little seen.
Eyespot: huge range of incidence ranging from only a few percent up to 35% of tillers.
Aphids: no increase in numbers over last two weeks..
Wheat blossom midge: none seen.

North East. Crops range from booting to ear emergence. Some early sown crops are just starting to flower. Average temp for week  12.6. 41.2 mm Rain.
Yellow rust: high disease pressure on susceptible varieties.
Brown rust: none seen.
Mildew: none seen.
Septoria: developing where sprays delayed or missed.
Eyespot: developing in a few crops, sharp eyespot seen.
Take-all: confirmed from lab test, on crop seed treated for take-all. This is an early sighting.
Wheat blossom midge: low number caught in  traps.

Winter Oilseed Rape 

South. All crops now at pod filling stages – no further inputs until desiccation time.

Eastern Counties. Crops now out of flower – pod set looks good. Heavy rain 78 mm in last week. Areas of Norfolk now had 90mm in May. Hedge mustard towering over some crops where Centium not used.

East Midlands. Vast majority of crops now finished flowering, no further inputs until desiccation time.

West Midlands. crops are definitely on the turn so next time through the crop will be with a desiccant. As yet no embarrassing messes in terms of thistles or poppies.


North East. Crops now at the end of flowering and await desiccation timing.

Winter Barley.

South. Crops now generally at flowering to early grain fill – no more inputs until the combine.
Eastern. Most crops are about 50-75% in ear. Very little disease present.
West Midlands. Crops at ear emergence to early flowering. Crops remain free of disease.
East Midlands. All crops have awns out now and look well.
North East.  Crops now flowering. Good  growing conditions making some crops taller than usual despite growth regulators.

Sugar Beet

Beet growth excellent on all but the heavy soil types, several fields meeting across the row. There has been some hail damage – torn leaves  but not severs. Very wet so tractor hoeing isdelayed. It could be the beet will be too advanced for the hoe to be able to be used by the time it dries sufficiently – the main target is weed beet.

Some fresh flushes of volunteer oilseed rape, some fat hen and more cleavers appearing as clods break down after heavy rain. Some fields (especially where row closure is not complete and/or where there is a gappy establishment) will need a further post-em herbicide to tidy up the late weeds. Fresh weeds have appeared especially after the hoe.

Finishing volunteer potato control with final applications now due.

Downy mildew now easy to find.