Early green bud stage.
Photo Farming Online.

South East: Growth stages range from rosette to very early stem extension (ES Alienor) and there are signs of active new growth as days pull out along with some milder days. Pigeons proving a real nuisance on some backward canopies - these need maximum deterrence for next 2 weeks now.

Phoma: around 50% of crops have been over sprayed in last 4 weeks or so where there was renewed leaf spotting on upper leaves.

Light leaf spot: low levels being picked up now in any crops not sprayed twice for Phoma.

Weed control: control in fields treated with residual herbicide in mid-December look excellent, and those applied in January/February showing signs of control now.

South West: Rape plants developing fresh green leaf in the rosette. No stem extension seen as yet.

Phoma: occasional crops showing infection on younger leaves, often where an early autumn spray with no follow up applied.

Weed control: charlock has been hit by the frost.

Eastern Counties: Crops beginning to green up and show new growth especially on the lighter soil types. Planning growth regulators depending on canopy size and will review at end of March.

Phoma: no new phoma spotting or light leaf spot.

Weed control: herbicides applied for control of poppies.

East Midlands: Crops now starting to move and new leaves appearing. Flower buds still remain in base of crop with very few starting any stem extension. GAI generally in region of 0.75 to 1.

Phoma: very little fresh phoma spotting seen.

Light leaf spot: none seen as yet to worry about but will be looking closely in the next week in view of ADAS predictions of risk increasing in the Midlands.

Weed control: cleaver control products now being applied.

West Midlands: Majority of crops showing signs of spring growth with early sown crops growing well and most forward at early green bud stage.

Pigeons: still devastating some crops particularly on isolated fields.

Weed control: Poppy on light land + shepherds purse + mayweed will get herbicide when it warms up.

North East: Crops generally fall into the range of 7-9 leaves, there is some stem extension in a few crops. GAI assessments done over the last 10 days shows most crops in the range of 0.8 - 1.6, but there are some in the 2.0 - 3.0 range.

Light leaf spot: no crops seen with very high levels, but it is easy to find and could develop very quickly as temperatures rise.

Weed control: frost has totally wiped all infestations of charlock and runch.

Mildew on Grafton
March 2011
Photo Farming Online

South East: Earliest sown crops of Gallant and Solstice now beginning to stand up and are approaching GS29, otherwise Claire,Cordiale and Scout now at late tillering. Later sown crops generally at around GS 22+. There has been some steady growth in last two weeks, but cold winds and sharp frosts in last week have checked everything again - thinner chalks being rolled now.

Septoria: obvious on oldest leaves.

Mildew: noticeable on older leaves of thicker crops of Solstice in particular.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Weed control: applied at middle to end of November appears to have generally controlled around 95-98%+ of blackgrass. All unsprayed fields being picked off on milder days and when conditions suitable for spraying/travelling.

South West: Crops are well tillered, green and leafy in the current mild conditions. Little evidence of the cold December to be seen in today's crops. Too wet to travel except on the lightest land.

Septoria: a lot on old leaves of susceptible varieties.

Mildew: no fresh development.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Weed control: remaining applications for blackgrass control are scheduled to be applied as soon as ground conditions allow.

Eastern Counties: Late September crops have "stood up" over the last week or so. On dissecting the stems this week, forward tillers on varieties like Gallant and Robigus are not much more than a week or so away from GS30 or ear at 1 cm.

Septoria: visible on older leaves particularly on Oakley and Viscount.

Mildew: low levels present and active on some forward crops.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Wheat bulb fly: dead heart symptoms can be seen in wheat following sugar beet and potatoes.

Weed control: some blackgrass now at three leaf stage where no pre-emergence has been applied, applications now underway.

East Midlands: Forward crops at GS 25-29 but many crops at GS 23-24 with late crops after maize at GS 23. Growth is steady rather than rapid due to cold soils with night frosts in the last week down to -4 deg.C. Soil conditions are generally good but heavier soils still have a few wet patches, particularly headlands which has held up some field work.

Septoria: found on older lower leaves but upper leaves clear so far.

Mildew: none seen.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Weed control: fields with blackgrass have had herbicide treatment in last week or so.

West Midlands: Early sown Einstein, Humber and Solstice all getting close to end of tillering if not already there! Grafton behaving itself very well even though it does look rather thick (so much for shy tillering and increasing the sowing rate by 10-15kg/ha). Fields have dried up dramatically over the first 3 days of this week. In the main, fields are quite dry, as ever the headlands are the issue in some cases with water lying in corners.

Septoria: visible on older leaves.

Mildew: high levels on early sown Humber and Solstice and even on Grafton in sheltered fields.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Weed control: None applied yet, still waiting for it to warm up enough.

North East: Crops maintaining tiller numbers with most forward at GS 25-26, and later sown GS 22-24. In February local rainfall varied from 47-86 mm, and there has been none in last 10 days. The result is in some areas fields are travelling very well, but where the heavier rain fell there are some very wet areas and still some standing water. A few crops are showing severe manganese deficiency symptoms.

Septoria: high levels of lesions on older leaves of all susceptible varieties, and particularly Viscount.

Mildew: none seen.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Wheat bulb fly: none seen in local crops after vining peas, but a few deadhearts seen where following extended over-wintered stubble.

Weed control: is being applied under good spraying conditions this week. Despite frosty conditions overnight, daytime temperatures are achieving double digits and so it is best to continue before the blackgrass gets too big for any chance of acceptable control.

South East: Growth stages range from GS 24-29. Crops have only put on slow growth in last few weeks following colder weather of last ten days.

Mildew: very evident in thicker crops of Cassata.

South West: All well tillered. However, yellowing on wet areas prevalent.

Eastern Counties: Crops range from yet to emerge through to early tillering.

Mildew: obvious in some crops.

Net blotch: developing in early drilled crops.

East Midlands: No real movement with crops at GS 23-25. No diseases present yet.

West Midlands: Crops now starting to turn insipid yellow colour.

Mildew: present in Cassata.

Rhynchosporium: traces present in some crops.

North East: Crops range from GS 22-26, and despite the recent rain and cold they are holding their colour well.

Mildew: at trace levels.

Net blotch: low levels in early sown susceptible varieties.

Rhynchosporium: low levels in early sown susceptible varieties.