Phoma developing in wetter conditions

South East: With no major cold weather, crops remain very leafy.

Phoma: there has been no resurgence of Phoma spotting despite wet and mild conditions.

Light leaf spot: none seen in the field or found from leaf incubation to date.

Weed control: main priority is to complete herbicide applications before the end of January.

Eastern Counties: Crops are going through the winter well. Look green following the mild weather and we are having very few problems with pigeons. Crops on some of our very light sandy soils have lost a fair bit of outer leaf and will be candidates for early nitrogen. Continues wet and it would be very difficult to carry out field work at present.

Light leaf spot: none seen

Phoma: very little signs of fresh disease.

Weed control: Most have applied herbicide for blackgrass control - some outstanding but field conditions are very wet and there is only a week left before the cut off date.

East Midlands: Crops at 4-6 true leaves and well waxed up.

Light leaf spot: none seen despite what was said in the press.

Phoma: some secondary infection is occurring with the mild temperatures.

Weed control: Charlock is a concern as frost have not killed the weed off despite some crops receiving.

West Midlands: All crops look well (perhaps too well) with most probably having too high a plant population. We need a really cold February to thin them out a bit.

Phoma: no new infections seen.

Weed control: Charlock and runch are the main issue as with the absence of any decent frost they are thriving.

North East: Crops continue to put on new growth and most are now at 6 leaf to 9 leaf. Average temperature for week 3.8 degrees. 13.6 mm of rain. Two frosts.

Phoma: still only at low levels.

Weed control: Charlock needs controlling.

Wheat crops establishing quickly

South East: With mild conditions of last month, crops continue to grow and in many cases have produced both new leaf and tillers. Most fields are too wet to travel.

Brown rust: pustules can be found in many September drilled wheats (especially Solstice, Grafton, Cordiale and Scout).

Yellow rust: evident in non-dressed crops of Solstice and Gallant.

Weed control: Weed control is generally looking very good (high 90%) apart from the odd field with very challenging blackgrass.

Eastern Counties: Majority of crops are at the mid-tillering stage. Later sown wheats have germinated and are starting to push through thanks to the mild conditions.

Yellow rust: trace levels in Oakley.

Slugs: present after oilseed rape so keep checking backward fields for levels of potential damage.

Weed control: residual herbicides have worked well, in most cases.

East Midlands: The majority of crops are tillering. Some yellow rust present and mildew on frothy crops under trees etc. and although they are not at threshold level yet these sightings are driving the fungicide choices for T0, T1.

Yellow rust: low levels.

Septoria: very low levels on older leaves.

Mildew: low levels.

Weed control: generally good control from pre ems as moisture at application had increased their effectiveness.

West Midlands: Crops range from one extreme to the other with most forward crops with 6-7 tillers and far too thick to crops just emerging or at 1 -2 true leaf. The vast majority has at least 2-3 tillers.

Yellow rust: trace levels only.

Septoria: plenty in the bottom of early sown thick crops.

Mildew: frosts, those that we have had, seem to be keeping the mildew levels at acceptable levels

Weed control: Generally finding that pre/peri emergence sprays have done a very good job on broad leaved weeds with many fields clean at the moment. Min-till fields not difficult to find brome, wild oats are visible and spotted some spring germinators poking through the ground the other day. Some manganese deficiency just starting to appear on light land early sown.

North East: Crops continue to grow and majority now at GS 23. Field conditions are very wet.

Yellow rust: small amount yellow rust seen in Duxford.

Mildew: at low level in some forward crops.

Septoria: first infections seen in a few crops.

Weed control: Good control of weeds so far this year.

South East: Mild conditions have encouraged barley crops to produce new growth and most fields now look a healthy green rather than the sickly yellow of early December. Main disease evident is net-blotch along with some brown rust (especially Volume).

West Midlands: All looking quite well , as with the wheat the early sown crops are too forward and pretty dirty with mildew still kicking around and net blotch/ryncho visible, majority of the remaining crops have 2-3 tillers and are looking about right. As wheat pre ems have done a good job with just low levels of cleavers, groundsel, mayweed (mainly on headlands) and volunteer oilseed rape, all of which are small. Wild oats visible where you would expect them.

East Midlands: Crops look well and have recovered a bit from wet feet earlier on.

North East: Earliest sown now at six tiller stage. Low levels of net-blotch.