08 June 2016. Wheat crops now at ear emergence with crops in the south and east starting to flower. T3 fungicides have started in some regions and planned for most over the next 7 - 10 days. But there is a lot to look out for as we enter what for many will be the final pass through the crop. Watch out for both yellow and brown rust as new infections are recorded this week in treated crops. Also, aphid numbers are building in wheat crops especially where there are BYDV patches of which there are many!

Winter Wheat

• T3 fusarium risk dependent on weather.
• Yellow rust still active.
• Brown rust - new infections.
• Septoria main threat.
• Pheromone traps for blossom midge.
• Flowering in forward crops.
• Aphid numbers building.
• Slugs present and egg laying occuring.
• Blackgrass poor control and spreading.

Winter Oilseed Rape

• Late to end of flowering.

Winter Barley

• Grain set .

Spring Barley

• Awn emergence in most forward crops.
• Rhynchosporium at low levels.

Spring Wheat - watch out for Yellow rust

Spring Oilseed rape - watch out for pollen beetle and mealy aphids.

Winter Wheat

South. Crops now mostly in range GS52-61 with all September/early October sown crops at ears emerging up to first anthers just showing. T3 fungicide applications underway or planned for next 7 days to coincide with anthesis to optimise efficacy against Fusaria spp. Last rain was 5 mm on Monday (Total rain for May ranged between 65-80mm).
Brown Rust: new rust pustules re-activating on leaf 2 in some crops of Crusoe this week – a reminder not to drop the guard against brown rust with T3 applications. Strobilurin will be added to T3 applications where not applied at T2 on more brown rust prone varieties (eg. Crusoe and Cordiale), otherwise robust doses (75%+) of Tebuconazole will be basis for control.
Yellow Rust: no new infections noted.
Mildew: trace levels only..
Septoria: most T2 applications were timely, so hopefully these should prove successful at countering the Septoria threat from rainsplah events in May.
Aphids: crops with significant BYDV patches also have aphids present (both grain and bird cherry), however, in many cases natural predators appear to be containing populations for now, though some fields are approaching thresholds for spraying.
Wheat blossom midge: no adults have been seen or caught in pheromone traps to date, however, conditions look like turning favourable next week (ie. warm and showery).
Slugs: no new damage.
Weed control: blackgrass control shows quite a bit of field to field variation and overall control looks to be below expectation.

Eastern Counties. Earliest drilled crops of Gallant and more normal timed Cordiale have ears emerged. Most crops now have flag leaf fully extended and boots swelling and opening.
Brown Rust: low level on Crusoe. T3 will have a strobe added on rust prone varieties.
Yellow Rust: trace levels still to be found on Solstice and Reflection.
Mildew: none seen.
Septoria: most crops have two and a half clean leaves minimum. T3 will have an element of Septoria protectant.
Eyespot: some lesions now showing in second or subsequent wheats. Not generally penetrating too far into the stem.
Aphids: patches of BYDV now showing.
Weed control: blackgrass evident in many crops. Seems to be worse control this season than last. Many crops will have seed return issues.

East Midlands. All crops have ears emerging with some crops of Gallant almost all out. Wet and windy conditions have stopped fieldwork, but a days drying should get things going again.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow Rust: turn your back for five minutes and it shows. Some seen on Skyfall and some at low levels in Gallant. On quality wheat a good T3 will be required unless we get some hot and dry weather.
Mildew: Some on base of  some crops but very wet at bottom of crops and humidity will not help, but leaves of crops clear.
Septoria: T1 and T2 timely sprays have kept it under control and top leaves look clear in majority of crops although a few that had a stretched T0-T1 have some on lower leaves, but generally top leaves are free of disease.
Eyespot: generally at low levels and not penetrating outer leaf sheaths.
Aphids: BYDV – now showing more widely. One bad case of Mulika even though late drilled and Deter treated – interestingly Skyfall on the same farm with same treatments only has traces.
Slugs: plenty of slugs in lower parts of crops – not a good sign for autumn.
Weed control: Brome control - brome has not died back as well as expected.

West Midlands.  Vast majority of crops have ears emerging, most backward are full flag/early booting with the most forward with 75% of ears fully out (Crusoe, Skyfall and Grafton), no anthers yet . Probably starting T3 from Monday 6th June. There are some very tidy crops out there but there is also plenty with BYDV, also very shallow roots which if we get a very dry spell are going to suffer.
Yellow Rust: Reflection - any missed areas are completely dead.
Mildew: started up again on crops of Leeds.
Septoria: in the main septoria control is very good (suspect yet another cold April helped), with all crops with leaf 1-3 clean and most with leaf 4 clean (most I have seen is about 10-20% on leaf 4 ) some with leaf 5 clean
Aphids: BYDV just getting worse as we go on. Plenty of crops where no distinct patches but areas of purple leaf tips and suspect growth habits. Lots of parasitised aphids
Slugs: plenty of activity after recent rains.
Weed control: blackgrass debacle continues with new farms being found with plants/patches, along with those where Atlantis applied and product has bounced off .

North East. Crops range from flag leaf now fully out to early ear emergence. A good week for crop growth with sunshine and average temperature 12 degrees. 10mm rain during the week.
Yellow Rust : Good control from robust sprays being observed.  However, where sprays applications were late disease pressure is noticeable.
Brown Rust: none seen.
Mildew: low levels in variety Leeds.
Septoria: Good control from fungicides observed. However, disease pressure is still present with septoria on final leaf 4.
Weed control: blackgrass is now flowering.

Winter Oilseed Rape

South. Only the most backward/pigeon grazed crops are still flowering, with most other fields now between late flower to pods filling  - looks like being a potentially late harvest this year. The next pass for this crop now will be pre-harvest desiccation.
Light Leaf Spot: effectively dried up by recent fungicide applications.
Sclerotinia: fungicides applied at early flowering to provide comprehensive Sclerotinia and light leaf spot protection. .

Eastern Counties. Many varied growth stages in fields. Most crops are virtually now off flower except in the most backward bits. Pod set variable, poor where pigeons grazed in the spring.
Light Leaf Spot: variable levels across different fields and varieties. Not bad but usually able to find a background level.
Sclerotinia: some growers have applied a second spray where flowering is protracted.
Aphids: none seen.

East Midlands. Flowering pretty well finished apart from a few late crops. All crops look well with good potential.
Aphids: One or two mealy aphid colonies reported but not to any extent and of no concern at present

West Midlands. The vast majority of crops have now finished flowering.
Sclerotinia: Sclerotinia sprays all on.

North East. Crops range form late flowering to end of flowering.
Sclerotinia: Sclerotinia sprays all on.

Winter Barley.

South. Most crops have now raced along to awns/ears emerging and T2 fungicide applications mostly completed – Next pass should be the combine.
Eastern. Ears emerged and flowering.
West Midlands. Most crops now with ears emerging. Clean from top to bottom, pity about the BYDV.
East Midlands. Flowering now at end and grains entering watery ripe.
North East. Earliest crops are now flowering.

Spring Barley

South. Crops range from GS30 to GS52 – March drilled crops now have awns emerging and too late in many cases now for Terpal.
Eastern. Most forward crops have flag leaf emerging. Stressed crops small but flying through growth stages. Recent rain will help.  Up to a centimetre of rain fell at the beginning of the week which was much needed by spring barleys struggling in dry soils.
West Midlands. Early sown crops are anywhere between final leaf 2 half out to on the cusp of awns emerging. Very small amount of Rhynchosporium can occasionally be found on the lowest leaves but nothing on the upper canopy.
East Midlands. Crops at GS 31+ and on the whole look well.
North East.  Crops range from GS12 - GS 31. Spring cropping helping to reduce black grass levels.