South East: All crops have now finished flowering and await desiccation/combining. Many crops of Castille/Catalina are nearing glyphosate desiccation timing with seeds in middle pods beginning to turn light brown - would expect first applications to be made towards end of next week. Sclerotinia: despite very dry and breezy April weather and dry soil surfaces, coupled with very little petal sticking, a number of crops have infection levels of around 10% now apparent - this appears to be linked to fields that were in Winner 3-4 years ago, with combine lines showing infection or parts of fields that were in Winner 3-4 years ago also showing infection - probably because these were flowering in late March, well before mid-flowering sprays were applied. Infection also appears to be associated with stem cracking/damage allowing an entry point. Infection is likely to have been early due to infected stems being located near basal branching. Symptoms are equally apparent in crops sprayed at mid-flower and those sprayed at yellow-bud/early flower.

South West: Crops well into seed development. Glyphosate desiccation may be a few days earlier than the normal late June timing. Canopies still upright with perhaps a slight lean on the pod layer but stems still vertical.

East: Crops beginning to change colour in patches of some crops whilst others still very green. Some of the early ones will need monitoring from end of next week for glyphosate timing. Some lodging now occurring. Sclerotinia: in untreated crops. Big show of poppies on a few thin lightland fields, poppies come through in pigeon grazed areas. Sowthistles above some crops, hedge mustard on headlands.

East Midlands: Crops continue to stay good and green with little lodging. Reports of Sclerotinia in the area. Heavy night mists at the time meant leaves were wet and petals were sticking.

West Midlands: Some crops are beginning to turn and applications of glyphosate are being planned for next week. Sclerotinia: easily found on some farms where never seen Sclerotinia before and not on other farms where easily seen before.

North East: Seed development continues, and pods are well filled now.

South East
Crop development: All Autumn sown wheats now at varying stages of grain fill - with most advanced crops ranging from milky ripe (Solstice and Xi10) to some crops of Soissons now being at milky/cheesy ripe. We still remain 2 weeks ahead of normal in terms of crop development. Foliar N (N20) being applied now to milling crops with better yield potential - milling permiums of £15/ton look worth pursuing.
Brown rust: still a major problem in any crops where late T1 applications due for end-April/early May were delayed by 7+ days or so - regardless of ratio of actives used in these delayed applications, it has proved impossible to stop brown rust from re-infecting, with leaf axils often heavily infected. This is primarily due to lack of spray penetration/coverage in extended canopies, and that triazoles although systemic, move up the plant/leaf, leaving leaf axils unprotected.
Mildew: still very hard to find any active pustules except on stem bases on headland fertiliser overlap areas.
Septoria: very little evidence of Septoria in many crops from leaf 4 and above, even in Malacca/Solstice.
Eyespot: present in a few very early drilled (18-22 September) crops Einstein/Solstice with such severe penetrating eyespot on main shoots, that in some cases these are lodging.
Yellow rust: none seen since April.
Aphids: still only low levels of Grain aphids being found in many wheat crops, but in general only isolated colonies can be found.
Wheat blossom midge: none seen this year to date - too late to be a problem now.

South West
Crop development: Crops now at watery to early milky ripe (GS 71). Land still retaining moisture from recent rains and "top up" showers.
Brown rust: disease now seems to be in check with no new outbreaks on the flag leaf or ear. Very few varieties have escaped the disease although Gatsby does seem to have very low levels of infection. Most ear treatments we are trusting will see the crop through grain fill.
Mildew: levels still not giving cause for concern. Generally only on the stem.
Septoria: lowest levels of Septoria for many years.
Yellow rust: no reinfection has occurred as fungicide programmes kick in.


East Midlands
Crop development: Vast majority of crops now flowering. Some later ones after maize only just flowering. First wheat looks well but some second wheat have lost tillers in the dry April and never really made them up. In some cases new tillers now starting to emerge. Lodging levels very low, usually confined to odd small patch where fertiliser overlap.
Septoria: it is reasserting itself now after heavy rain.
Brown rust: pustules on Solstice, mainly second and lower leaves, generally at very low levels. Rust also on lower leaves of Alchemy.
Mildew: odd pustules on leaf 2.
Yellow rust: T2 sprays have held it very well.
Eyespot: no progress of disease.
Aphids: odd pockets of aphids found underneath flag leaf but not enough to warrant sprays.
Wheat blossom midge: big flush observed at the end of last week but majority of crops beyond stage where damage will occur.

West Midlands
Crop development: Most crops at early grain set to milky ripe stage, although late sown crops only just flowering. Some torrential rain has now left fields wet.
Brown rust: timing has been critical this year with crops of Alchemy and Solstice, those that received their T2 applications on time are clear of the disease but any delay in application has left crops exposed and active pustules can be found on leaf 2.
Septoria: very low levels this year.
Eyespot: still visible on stem bases, particularly Einstein.
Yellow rust: no further outbreaks of yellow rust seen.
Aphids: odd crop with some on the ear.
Wheat blossom midge: none seen in the week and risk diminishing.
Some root lodging has occurred with very heavy rainfall and waterlogged soils, mainly restricted to nitrogen overlaps.

East
Crop development: Grain well set mostly watery ripe. Second wheat very thin. Some root lodging in Einstein and Gladiator. All ear sprays applied.
Brown rust: not eradicated Alchemy and Solstice worst affected. Mostly confined to leaf 3 or below but a few pustules on leaf 2 and very occasionally on flag.
Yellow rust: well controlled.
Mildew: low levels at base of crop on Einstein.
Septoria: confined to leaf 4 or below, lowest incidence for years.
Eyespot: at low levels.
Wheat blossom midge:Very few crops treated, most crops had reached flowering before any major outbreaks.

North East
Crop development: Latest sown crops at early flowering. Most crops mid - end flowering. A number of 1st wheats looking as if would easily lodge due to poor root adhesion.
Brown rust: T2 applications have given good control, but spores have not been eradicated from crops of Alchemy all season.
Mildew: slight increase on light land.
Septoria: good control all season.
Eyespot: low levels, no increase.
Fusarium (Stem base): have seen some first wheat Robigus after vining peas with badly weakened stem bases, which may be severe enough to allow lodging and also limit grain development.
Yellow rust: good control in all varieties so far.
Aphids: low levels present in crop canopies now.
Orange blossom midge: Last weekend saw a sudden rise in numbers of OWBM in pheromone traps, with more than 50+. Crops in flower not at risk now, but have made some at very early flowering the priority for T3 applications.

South East: All crops now at milky/cheesy ripe and await the combine in early to mid-July.

South West: Very concerned by extraordinarily high levels of secondary tillering on thin soils where barley was highly stressed and lost tillers in April Some areas have gone from yellow to bright green. This is not solely in tramlines and is not linked to PGR use as many of the lighter areas had none whatsoever. Will probably necessitate pre harvest glyphosate to reduce unripe green material going into the combine.

Midlands: Crops starting to turn slightly - no lodging in any crops. Harvest expected on heavier soils about 2nd week July. In the West, secondary tillers are now emerging above the crop on some fields.

East: Typically at GS 63 - 65, mid flower. Low disease levels

North East: Grain fill continues with crops at soft dough stage now. A few small areas lodged, but generally crops standing well.

South East: Crops are just beginning to flower, and have first signs of chocolate spot now developing.

South West: Early to mid flowering. Bruchid beetle: first insecticide will be applied with fungicide at mid flower followed by second dose 7 days later. Usual caution re bees advised.

Midlands: Bruchid sprays going as as crops now at 6 flower truss - big problem is variation across fields with later emerging plants at 2-3 trusses and forward ones at 6.

North East: At mid flowering now, and have first pods set. Chocolate spot: at low levels.