Keep checking for new
phoma infections.
Photo Farming Online.

South East: Crops range from 5 true leaves to 6 - 8+ true leaves with bulk of crops are now around 5 - 6 true leaves. Mild weather in last 14 days has encouraged further growth, with most crops having put another leaf or so.

Phoma: all crops were sprayed before the end of October. Unlike last 2 years may well be a 2-spray Autumn on more susceptible varieties, but no new infection seen to date.

Aphids: more winged adults and an occasional colony of wingless aphids now being found on most advanced crops as effects of seed dressings run out.

Slugs: very little activity seen so far.

Weed control: any surviving and later emerged blackgrass to be treated once soil temperatures have fallen to sub 10 deg.C - next week onwards. Don't be tempted to apply when ground frozen if fields are at field capacity as it is likely to contaminate watercourses.

South West: Many crops with 8 or more leaves and still motoring on. Crops which suffered from capping and slumping are now recovering strongly.

Phoma: no new infections seen.

Slugs: very low levels. Only sporadic damage seen.

Weed control: for surviving blackgrass, scheduled when soils are consistently at 8 deg. C at 10 cms.

Eastern Counties: Generally good ground cover, some crops now look too thick! Those drilled down the sub-soiler leg now a little behind in growth. Compacted, wet areas showing up with discolouration of plants, turning purple, red and losing leaf.

Phoma: new lesions following first application of fungicide are still slow to appear but still planning to apply a second fungicide to those crops where the initial infection with phoma was very widespread.

Slugs: all crops now well established and past the threat from slugs.

Weed control: planning follow up blackgrass applications any time now.

East Midlands: Crops now looking well with forward crops at 9 leaves and later crops generally at 5 - 6 leaves.

Phoma: no new phoma seen yet on new growth but crops will be monitored now as they come up to 4 weeks after spraying.

Slugs: levels of damage remain low.

Weed control: applications for blackgrass and brome control now applied in most cases.

West Midlands: Crops range from 1 - 9 true leaves with the majority of crops at the 5 - 6 leaf stage. Crops have greened up a lot and have produced large canopies giving complete ground cover.

Phoma: no signs of re-infection following earlier control.

Slugs: still no major issues but grazing is evident on some late crops on heavy land.

Weed control: control of bromes and blackgrass being applied to open crops as of this week, majority of crops far too much ground cover and will have to wait for significant frost to open crops up before we apply.

North East: Crops in the range 7 - 9 leaves and some are 'knee-high' now.

Phoma: crops have grown significantly since phoma fungicide applied and all new growth is clean so far. Will monitor again from late November for re-infection and only treat if significant levels of new lesions found.

Light leaf spot: a few lesions seen.

Leaf miner: common in many crops.

Weed control: overall level of control of blackgrass has been good, but a few problem fields have high levels of surviving in patches. All areas of surviving blackgrass will be treated when soil temperatures are below 8 deg.C and crops have opened enough to get the herbicide onto the soil.

Good emergence in
early sown crops.
Photo Farming Online.

South East: Earliest sown crops of Claire, Scout and Solstice now at GS22+. Later sown crops have all emerged and range from GS 11 to GS 13. Fields are now very wet after 4 inches of rain in last 10 days.

Slugs: Pellets are being applied in areas where there is obvious leaf shredding but in general pellet use has been exceedingly low this autumn.

Weed control: blackgrass plants seem to have finished emerging in earlier sown crops, but are still appearing in mid-October sown crops and reflect growth stage of the crop (1-2 leaves). Where pre-emergence treatments have been used, some fields now have no blackgrass present, however there are some escapees in around 50% of fields.

South West: Drilling virtually complete except behind grain maize.

Mildew: early sown Claire now carrying high levels of mildew.

Slugs: damage still minimal and high levels of predatory carabid beetles in evidence. Pelleting levels as low as I can recall.

Weed control: where blackgrass has come through late applied pre emergence herbicides.

Eastern Counties: Drilling complete in most instances except behind beet. The early sown crops now at early tillering but later sown crops still to emerge. 4 mm of rain in the last week has made land work difficult but still possible on well drained soils. Soil temperature 7 deg.C.

Mildew: present in susceptible varieties - notably Claire, Solstice and Viscount.

Slugs: grazing evident in some crops on heavy soils with cloddy seedbeds.

Weed control: some blackgrass now at 3 leaf stage where no pre-emergence has been applied.

East Midlands: Forward crops at GS 14 to 21 with majority at GS 14 and later crops at GS 13. Heavy soils remain sticky with some slow progress with drilling after maize and potatoes - field conditions good enough for spraying earlier in week but rain today has stopped work again.

Slugs: still odd pockets of activity where fields are cloddy and slow emerging, but on the whole activity and damage has been low.

Weed control: blackgrass generally at 2-3 leaves and cooler soils has slowed development. Some crops are still very clean after pre-em.

West Midlands: The most forward wheat is at GS 22 with majority of crops at the two to three leaf stage. Most farms now drilled up except where following maize but fields now too wet to travel after recent rains.

Mildew: trace levels in Solstice.

Slugs: some activity this week in cloddy areas.

Weed control: applications for blackgrass control still to go on.

North East: Growth stages range from GS 11-23. Latest sown crops are fully emerged now, with crop rows clearly visible. Only 13 mm rainfall in last 14 days coupled with some very strong winds has created good travelling conditions. There have only been mild frosts in this area, so no restrictions on spraying so far. Crops affected earlier by pre-emergence sprays are about fully recovered now.

Slugs: no further activity noted.

Weed control: Fields where blackgrass at 2 - 3 leaves are being treated as conditions permit.

South East: All crops sown - growth stages range from GS 12 to GS 22 with rapid growth this week from hybrid varieties in particular.

South West: Crops at three leaves with earlier sowings tillering.

Eastern Counties: Crops range from yet to emerge through to early tillering. Traces of net-blotch present in early drilled crops particularly Casatta, Pearl and second barley crops.

East Midlands: Crops range from GS 13-14 and growth now slowing down. No diseases present yet.

West Midlands: Most forward crops at early tillering and remain free of disease with the exception of Maris Otter. Mildew and Rhynchosporium present in these crops.

North East: Crops in the range GS 13 - 23, and all crops well established now. Most crops are disease free.