29 November 2016. A wet spell for many has put field work on hold. However, the open autumn has meant that many crops have established well. In the eastern counties though the dry conditions have hampered crop development and reports are still coming in of oilseed rape crops failing. The current cold snap and forecast from Met Office is that the weather looks to remain blocked through the second half of December so temperatures are likely to be colder than average, so crop growth expected to come to a halt now.

Phoma levels close to threshold in East Midlands..
Blackgrass control patchy.
Flea beetle larvae in some OSR.
Wheat drilling nears completion.
Cold snap halts Mildew in wheat and barley.

Winter Wheat

South. Earliest sown fields of Lili/Claire are now at GS 24 with the bulk of wheats now at GS 21. Soils remain damp following 45-50 mm rain last weekend
Aphids: only very low levels of aphids noted to date even in earliest sown crops.
Slugs: most fields after oilseed rape had a seedbed application of a 1/3 rate of 1.5% Metaldehyde pellets – some foliar grazing has also been evident in crops after oats where there was a lot of straw incorporated.
Blackgrass: pre-emergence stacks appear to be providing good levels of control particularly in October sown fields – but there is also a large flush of blackgrass emerged in seed bank hotspots on crops sown in late September to mid-October.

Eastern Counties. Crops established in better seedbeds are now  starting to tiller. Cobbly areas just starting to fill, GS 11/13.
Aphids: very few found.  Non-deter crops have had a pyrethroid. Earliest drilled (and emerged) deter dressed crops may get a follow up if conditions allow.
Slugs: tiny bit of damage after rape, mainly in trashy areas. Only pelleting if damage gets worse. Little treated so far.
Blackgrass: so far, control doesn't look good as soils were very dry also broad leaf weeds are thick in places on heavy land especially where the pre-em went onto dry soils.

East Midlands. Now have about 95% of the crop sown with earliest at tillering. Land is very wet now after 42mm of rain within the last weekend.
Aphids:can be found on early drilled wheat and barley.
Slugs: still very high levels, especially after oilseed rape, pellets not lasting long.
Blackgrass: recent blackgrass plants counts have varied from 4 to 100+ blackgrass plants per m2.

West Midlands. Most forward crops have 2-3 tillers and drilling all but complete. Recent rains up to 40 mm have wetted up soils again and cold nights have slowed growth.
Mildew: odd sightings: Seen in Crusoe and Grafton.
Aphids: none seen.
Slugs: activity ceased with cold snap.
Blackgrass: all pre-ems working well at the moment no requirement for any autumn follow ups as yet.

North East. Early crops now at two tillers, some later crops still emerging. 17mm of rain over last week and few opportunities for spraying. Still some pre-emergent sprays to go on later drilled crops.
Mildew: low levels: seen in Skyfall and Reflection.
Aphids: none seen..
Slugs: activity low, some hot spots.
Blackgrass: pre-emergents working satisfactorily, with residuals helping to slow or kill black grass. Atlantis being considered on worst fields, weather permitting.

Winter Oilseed Rape 

South. Crops range from 6-9+ true leaves and 75% of crops are around 6-7+ true leaves.
Phoma: a few leaf spots being found in Campus, Elgar. Flamingo, Picto and Amelie, but otherwise still not evident at all in many crops.
Flea beetle: adult activity appears to have declined, however can  find 2mm CSFBeetle larvae now in some crops (some are at around 5 larvae/plant already). Would indicate an early egg hatch was underway 3-4 weeks ago.
Blackgrass: where 750gms Metazachlor has been applied this appears to be providing 30-50% control and Centurion Max also appears to be working well on fields with densest populations. Kerb/Astrokerb applications being planned from end November onwards now that soil temperatures are below 7-8’C at 30cms, and there is no longer a significant soil moisture deficit.

Eastern Counties. Crops range from 8 to 14 TL plus, where we still have a crop. Canopies are opening up a little.
Phoma: none seen.
Aphids: no further aphids found.
Flea beetle: some larvae being found in stems.
Slugs: very low levels.
Blackgrass: quite thick in hotspots. Kerb time has arrived, applications imminent or applied.

East Midlands. Forward crops at 8 leaf leaves but mainly crops at 3-4 leaves.
Phoma: just starting to reach threshold on susceptible varieties
Flea beetle: active in later crops again still,  seen under clods in ex oilseed rape fields.
Slugs: active again. On many fields at very high levels and treating odd fields.
Blackgrass: still emerging - Centurion Max applied at 3 leaf of grass, early applied working very well, Kerb now being applied.

West Midlands. Majority of crops are now growing well with ground cover approaching 70% plus for many crops, some crops at 100% ground cover. Last sown crop (mid september has 3-4 true leaves).
Phoma: just starting to come in now still nowhere near 10% threshold.
Flea beetle: very very low.
Slugs: activity declined now.
Blackgrass: emerging on the earlier sown crops - Kerb applications now on.

North East. Crops range from 3 - 9 leaf. Crops look well due to a good start to the season. Some spray jobs were done this last week, with the rape fields more travelable than other crops. More Kerb/ Astrokerb sprays done.
Phoma: nothing seen at threshold.
Flea beetle: larvae being found.
Slugs: crops moving ahead of slug risk
Blackgrass: control is variable from farm to farm, and field to field.

Winter Barley.

South. Crops now range from GS21- GS22+
Eastern. Crops range from GS12 - 14. Very little disease.
West Midlands. The most forward crops have 2 tillers. Cold weather has put any mildew on hold.
East Midlands. 95% of the crop now drilled. Forward crops at GS 21 and later drilled crops at GS 11.
North East.  GS10 to GS 22. A good start for the season.