11 April 2016. Crops appear in a state of suspended animation as the cold wet conditions continue. Met-office records show that for England the total day degrees for March were 173 degrees barely enough to encourage the development of one new leaf in wheat. Consequently despite the early growth stages recorded in February crops are now no more advanced than usual. Winter Oilseed rape crops are just starting to flower and need a warm dry spell to bring them to full flower. On the disease front Yellow Rust in winter wheat has seen a resurgence this week with reports of fresh sightings in all regions.

As far as crop development goes comapring previous years it looks like 2016 is currently similar to last year, not as advanced as 2014 but more advanced that 2013.

Crop development comparison with previous years

11/04/15 Earliest wheat crops at GS31 with leaf 3 just emerging. Earliest oilseed rape crops just starting to flower.

11/04/14 Earliest wheat crops at GS32 with leaf 3 75% emerged. Earliest oilseed rape crops at early flower.

15/04/13 Earliest wheat crops at GS30 . Earliest oilseed rape crops at green bud.

09/04/12 Earliest wheat crops at GS31 with leaf 3 just beginning to appear . Earliest oilseed rape crops at yellow bud to early flowering.

Winter Wheat

• yellow rust resurgence.
• Slowly moving toward GS31
• BYDV starting to show
• Final leaf 3 in forward wheat.
• Blackgrass getting away.

Winter Oilseed Rape

• First flowers in all regions
• No reports of pollen beetle yet.
• Light leaf spot

Winter Barley

• Diseases levels remain low.

Winter Wheat

South. Crops range from GS29 to early GS30+ – with September/early October sown fields of Skyfall, Cordiale, Reflection and Crusoe now with leaf 4 about 50-75% emerged. Growth remains very slow due to continuation of mostly cool days and  nights with soil temperatures hovering around 6-7’C. T0 Fungicides targeting Leaf 4 50%+ emerged are now just getting underway – looking as though will only be 3 week spray intervals between T0/T1 and T2 this year. Most fields are traveling OK, though low points and some tramlines on lower lying fields are holding water – very few dry days in the last 10 days or so is hampering spraying progress.
Brown Rust: still evident on older leaves of September sown Crusoe and Claire in particular, though recent colder conditions have slowed any progression to new leaf. Triazole or Strob with T0 applications in 1st 10 days of April.
Yellow Rust: some localised foci can be found again Reflection, though in general does not seem to be too widespread at present. T0 Tebuconazole or Strob.
Mildew: combination of low N status of most soils now and cold conditions has prevented any resurgence to date.
Septoria: very obvious on older leaves of all September and early October sown wheats –  cool conditions of last 3-4 weeks have certainly helped in reducing visible inoculum levels on newer growth.
Eyespot: stem based browning can be readily found in  earliest sown wheats, along with second wheat and wheat after oats.
Aphids: BYDV symptoms beginning to show up now as crops respond to N in some late September/early October sown wheats not over sprayed with Cypermethrin until February.
Gout Fly: generally a lower incidence than last year, but many September crops have up to 20%  “gouted” tillers. Early N applications to encourage tiller retention.
Weed control: most blackgrass is now between GS23-30. Atlantis or Pacifica applied in last 10-14 days in afternoons when temp. > 8’C.

Eastern Counties. Most have leaf 4 emerged with leaf three just coming. Only the very earliest have leaf three close to being fully emerged. Fertiliser use: All wheats have had 30-50 kg/ha N plus S. Second wheats have had up to 100 kg/ha N. Main dressings about to be applied in one or two splits. T0 fungicides planed this week but weather not helping so plans may change.
Brown Rust: trace levels only. T0 imminent.
Yellow Rust: low levels on all susceptible and still active on Claire.
Mildew: traces on all varieties.
Slugs: activity slowed.
Weed control: blackgrass is evident in all usual hotspots some of the worst areas are horrendous and should be destroyed. Atlantis applications now mostly completed but weeds large so not expecting miracles! Very little over wintered weeds where robust pre-ems used. No sign yet of spring germinators.

East Midlands. Many crops now at or near GS 30 with later crops at GS 29+. The stop start weather has hindered tiller production after loss of tillers due to wet and cold in March. After a couple of warm days showery and windy weather has put a stop to spraying apart from Tuesday which saw some done. Fields generally OK but some wet areas and subsoils remain very wet.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow Rust: easily found now on Reflection, KWS Lili, Cordiale, Kielder which need T0 azole mix to damped it down.
Mildew: remains low even in such varieties as Leeds
Septoria: to date newer growth clear and leaf  4 now out and 3 to emerge so need T0 on ASAP. Chlorothalonil based with mainly tebuconazole but rust resistant varieties to get ctl alone +/- mildewicide for varieties like Leeds.
Eyespot: generally low but some stem based browning seen.
Aphids: none seen.
Weed control: sprays applied in March now showing effects with generally acceptable control on blackgrass but usual problem of finding healthy ones as well. Time now will tell.

West Midlands. Low lying fields of Grafton have leaf 3 10% out, river ground second wheat JB Diego and Reflection also have leaf 3 emerging. Some very localised and heavy storms at the beginning of the week some had 20mm in 20-30 mins and others had nothing. Ground conditions far from ideal at the moment.
Brown Rust: still there at much reduced levels.
Yellow Rust: it went and now appears to be coming back fresh yellow spores on Reflection some serious doubts about this variety in the region. Also found on Grafton, Gallant, and JB Diego.
Mildew: now virtually nonexistent.
Septoria: with current cold dry conditions septoria not yet seen on newest leaves.
Aphids: BYDV patches starting to appear.
Gout Fly: some very severe attacks in west of the region on crops that failed to get an insecticide in the autumn.
Weed control: very few spring germinating weed so far.

North East. Crops range from GS 14 to GS 31. 9mm over last week has meant that spray opportunities were limited.
Yellow Rust : becoming obvious on Alchemy and susceptible varieties showing new signs again.
Brown Rust: none seen.
Mildew: low levels in variety Leeds.
Septoria: Most varieties really showing signs again, on younger leaves now. Very robust T1 planned
Aphids: still finding odd aphid.
Gout fly: severe damage in localised areas.
Weed control: blackgrass remaining populations well established, early drillings worst, up to 10 tillers. Atlantis when the crops turn green again, this is having a bad crop effect this time with  the cold nights. Spring germinating polygonum starting, charlock emerging

Winter Oilseed Rape 

Pollen Beetle. Migration into crops starts when temperatures reach 12 - 15 0C.

South. With a continuation of  generally cooler days and occasional frosty nights, growth is slow and pigeons are still a real nuisance on around 25% of fields. Crops range from early green bud (Amalie) to early yellow bud (Campus).N+S and second N applications all completed – final doses planned for application around Yellow bud timing ie. next 10-14 days.
Light Leaf Spot: field symptoms widespread in many crops, however lesions appear to have been effectively dried up by recent fungicide applications, however conditions remain very favourable for renewed infection.
Phoma: no recent sightings.
Club root: severe symptoms found in only two fields so far.
Pollen beetle: none seen.
Weed control: residual herbicide applications made prior to January look to be providing high levels of control of blackgrass – later applications are only just showing signs of activity.

Eastern Counties. Many varied growth stages in fields. Some are now at approximately 40% flowers, some are still struggling to extend! Fertiliser Use:  Up to 200 kg/ha N gone on backward crops with sulphur. Big canopies only just about to receive some N before they get too big for accurate spreading. Some scope for liquid N at pod set where machinery/systems allow.
Flea beetle: some crops that were attacked in the autumn have larvae in the leaf stems. Most crops are big enough to compensate.
Light Leaf Spot: Proline applied has done a good job of damping this down. Varieties with poor resistance ratings will get a flowering spray that has activity for LLS.
Phoma: some new symptoms starting to show.
Aphids: none seen.
Pigeons: really hitting crops hard still. Some severe grazing where no attention to scaring!
Weed control: variable control from residual herbicides as conditions generally too warm and weeds too well established at application time.

East Midlands. Crops vary from start of flowering to pigeon damaged ones at green bud  - many crops in need of a run of warm weather to get them flowering.
Light Leaf Spot: finally all sprays on, especially the at risk crops.
Pollen beetle: yet to be seen.
Aphids: none seen.
Weed control: Charlock now showing the effects of the frost with some good kill even where Fox didn't get applied due to weather.

West Midlands. A lot of crops, particularly lighter land and where N was applied last week of Feb./first week March, are now starting to flower at low levels. Majority of crops extending well with quite a few flowering (semi dwarves not doing much at the moment).
Light Leaf Spot: most crops now treated. Crops in the west of the region are now receiving a second fungicide for LLS control.
Pollen Beetle: none seen.
Flea beetle : none seen.
Weed control: charlock/runch has taken a bit of a hit with the recent frosts.

North East. Green bud stage most crops to early yellow bud with first petals on early crops. Wide range of growth stages.
Flea beetle: many plants with bad larvae damage in the south of the region, wilting and not growing.  Larvae mainly in petioles not the stems, but large numbers in plants
Pollen beetle : none seen.
Light Leaf Spot: noticeable on all varieties, starting the second spring fungicide now being applied over next 10 days, delayed 30% applied.
Phoma: trace levels.
Pigeons: have been more problematic than last year, stripping leaf from many crops.

Winter Barley.

South. Crops still mostly in range GSS29-30 – looks as though many crops will be ready for T1 fungicides in around 2 weeks time now. N+S applications completed & additional 50 kg/ha N been – final N applications due in next 2 weeks. Brown rust bubbling up on Volume and Cassia. Other diseases are present but so far only at low levels.
Eastern. GS 31 common in good crops on good soil. Crop starting to green up. None are tall! Disease levels remain very low.
West Midlands. Six row crops are well and truly off with most at GS 31 in the space of the last week, some light land two row varieties are also at GS 31. It is far too wet for winter barley to do any good at the moment BYDV - Think we may be on the cusp of some horrible situations, with some crops showing up to 75% BYDV, some very early sown Deter treated crops look to have maybe 5% max damage. Rhynchosporium and Net-blotch at low levels.
East Midlands. Crops approaching GS 31, new growth is slowly appearing. Disease levels remain low.
North East. Crops mainly at GS 30. No T0’s applied due to weather and other commitments Disease levels remain low with the exception of Mildew on Saffron.

Spring Barley

South. First drillings now emerging.
Eastern. First drillings now emerging. Some drilling still to do. Recent heavy rain is keeping fields moist inside. Compacted headlands have some puddling.
West Midlands. Approximately 75% of spring barley now in, majority on light land, still none up as yet.
East Midlands.Some now drilled and hopefully remainder to go in soon when soils dry up a bit.
North East. Soils very wet, 45% drilled, into poor seedbeds. First sown crops now fully emerged. Ivy leaved speedwell very forward this year, spring germinating wild oats now at 2 leaf stage.