16 June 2014. Earliest wheat crops now at end of flowering to early grain set. Settled weather has allowed the majority of T3 fungicides to be applied in good conditions. Wheat blossom midge at threshold in a few crops in the south but not elsewhere.

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

Earliest flowering (GS65) dates from previous crop reports, these are all from southern crops...

2014 - 24th May
2012 - 1st June
2011 - 27th May
2010 - 7th June
2009 - 5th June
2008 - 5th June
2007 - 1st June

• T3 fungicides as fusarium risk rises
• End of flowering in early wheat crops.
• Grain set in winter barley
• Desiccation of oilseed rape at the end of June?
• Sugar beet leaf miner damage

Winter Wheat

South. September and early October sown crops  have ears Fully emerged and anthers showing, with crops of Gallant, Grafton and Cordiale at the end of flowering and grains up to half filled -  remaining wheats generally between GS51-59. Cool but brighter conditions over the last week have allowed steady growth. A further 10-15mm of rain earlier this week has again left some standing water in tramlines of lower lying fields, but in general we have only had two spells of rain in the last 7 days hopefully reducing Fusarium infection pressure.
Brown rust: none found in last 2 weeks but easy to find in any spray misses..
Yellow rust: as above.
Mildew: still only very low levels.
Septoria: some infection showing now on leaf 3 in earlier sown crops (reminiscent of 2012) – pressure remains very high and keeping fingers crossed that infection on upper canopy will remain minimal.
Eyespot: anticipating some whiteheads this year.
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: a few farms have caught a threshold, but otherwise populations as predicted appear to be low this year, meaning many crops will be past the vulnerable (pre-anthesis) stage within the next 5-7 days.

Eastern Counties. The majority of crops are now at full ear emergence and flowering. Recent showery conditions with occasional heavy downpour has held up T3 spraying with only about half done as of Thursday.
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. Forward crops well into flowering with just a few later crops yet to start flowering at ear emergence.
Yellow rust: under control but spray misses show how bad it could have been if fungicide corners had been cut.
Brown rust: none seen.
Septoria: To date crops look well with many having 4 clean leaves – just a few where T1 to T2 stretched but even these have clean leaves 1-2 and leaf 3 mainly clean
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: More fields showing declining levels of control of blackgrass as resistance builds up

West Midlands. Bar the very late sown crops, most are now flowering. Grain set has started in the early sown crops.
Yellow rust: seen in Spring Wheat.
Brown rust: none seen.
Septoria: Septoria levels all over the place, early sown crops are anywhere from leaf four clean to having 40% infected. Leaf 3 now has up to 10% septoria in some crops despite full fungicide programme.
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: the very occasional one seen in cob webs.

North East. Most crops now at mid flowering. The Fusarium risk is higher now as there has been rain over flowering period. T3 under way. 18 mm rain for week with an average temperature for week  14.1
Yellow rust: high disease pressure on susceptible varieties.
Brown rust: none seen.
Mildew: none seen.
Septoria: developing where sprays delayed or missed and varietal tolerances showing.
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. Our earliest estimates for the first glyphosate applications for desiccation is week beginning June 23rd.

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

On light and medium soils we now have the most forward sugar beet crop seen for some time with complete canopy closure. Crops are just showing a little transient wilting under current conditions conducive to high transpiration rates, even though there is plenty of soil moisture. The rapid growth has shown some up manganese deficiency.

Bolters are just beginning to appear and weed beet is running as well, time to plan the next stage in weed beet control. Unfortunately some fields missed a pass or two with the tractor hoe , planned to help with weed beet control , due to the wet soil conditions followed by rapid canopy closure.

Weed control is complete apart from a few final v potato and grass weed sprays on later crops. On the whole early season control was good but there have been flushes of late weed, we have attacked some of these with herbicides and just managed to force the hoe through in places. Now the massive canopy should out compete the newly emerged weeds.

Beet leaf miner has apparently been a problem in a few areas causing considerable leaf damage. Successive generations may prove to be damaging as well.