Report compiled by Farming Online from reports received from members of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants
: 29 May 2015. Early sown winter wheat crops are at ear emergence with forward varieties in the south and east beginning to flower. The bulk of wheat crops are expected to start flowering over the next 4 - 7 days as temperatures at long last begin to rise. Septoria still remains the main threat in crops with the disease found on final leaf 4 in many crops. Winter barley crops are now at full ear emergence and for many the gate will now close on this crop until pre-harvest desiccant applications. Winter oilseed rape crops are beginning to loose petals with the earliest crops reverting to green. Gout fly eggs found on southern wheat crops, this pest can be damaging in spring sown crops.
Anthesis in forward wheat crops.:
Brown rust returns to Crusoe.:
Thoughts turn to fusarium treatments.:
Late flowering crops at risk of blossom midge as temperatures rise.:
Mildew develops in some wheat crops.:
Winter barley flowering.:
Spring barley flag leaf emergence.:
Spring barley Ramularia developing.:
Spring wheat - check for gout fly eggs.:
Septoria held so far.:
Sugar beet downy mildew creeping in.:
First signs of downy mildew in spring beans.:
First chocolate spots seen in winter beans.:
Highlights
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Winter Wheat
Ears emerging in forward wheat (photo from Farming Online).
South East: Crops now range from GS 37-39 (late November sowings) to more typically GS 51-59 for September/October sowings. September and early October sown crops of Cordiale, Crusoe and Skyfall now have ears up to fully emerged with first pollens sacs likely to show in next few days. Weather turning warmer and potentially unsettled.
Gout Fly: first eggs being found now on lower leaves of later sown wheats and also Spring Wheat.
Brown Rust: fresh pustules now being found on lower leaves of September/early October sown Crusoe, despite the comprehensive T0, T1 and T2 fungicide programmes applied to date – looks to be an aggressive race of brown rust.
Mildew: still mostly absent.
Septoria: obvious in the lower canopy (leaf 5 and below, with some on top 1/3 of leaf 4 in earlier sown crops), but top 3 leaves remain spotless for now despite nearly 3 inches of rain in May. Showery and windy conditions in the last two weeks will have potentially transferred infection onto upper leaves, particularly as many canopies are still relatively short.
Yellow Rust: none seen to date.
Eyespot: some general stem based browning is quite widespread - in many cases likely to be Michrodochium.
Weed control: blackgrass survivors from herbicide programmes are now beginning to show above wheat canopies
Eastern Counties: Early drilled crops now at ear emerging or emerged and flowering (eg. Gallant). Later drilled wheats just getting to GS 37. Growth stages more in keeping with calendar date now.
Brown Rust: trace levels found on Crusoe.
Mildew: none seen.
Septoria: obvious on old leaves in all situations.
Yellow Rust: trace levels on Solstice.
Eyespot: none seen.
East Midlands: Many crops have flag emerged with a few showing ears and some in boot. Some late crops have flag leaf just emerged. Forward crops have had a late growth regulator where required. All crops look well.
Brown Rust: none seen.
Mildew: low levels in base of some crops have required treatment on flag on Leeds and Claire to prevent mildew moving up with the unsettled weather.
Septoria: many crops are relatively clean with any Septoria on bottom older leaves but where any T1 delays some Septoria seen on tip of leaf 2 although rest of leaf is clean.
Yellow Rust: none seen.
Eyespot: levels remain low.
Weed control: blackgrass now showing above crops but on the whole levels acceptable in the present blackgrass situation with some fields looking scruffy rather than a problem - totally clean blackgrass fields where it is a problem, are not possible anymore.
West Midlands: Majority of crops are now either are booting to early ear emergence, with early sown Grafton now with 75% of ears 50% out (no anthers seen as yet). Skyfall also appears to be an in a rush as sending ears out rapidly even where sown last week of September, Solstice is close behind. About 20% of crops are not yet booting (worst is Evolution, it is so slow!!).
Brown Rust: none seen.
Mildew: in the bottom of Leeds and Solstice.
Septoria: still confined to below leaf 3 with most crops maintaining most of leaf 4 as green.
Yellow Rust: trace levels on Solstice that didn't get a T0 fungicide.
Eyespot: remains at low levels - less than 5% of stem bases.
Weed control: Good control of grass weeds in general. Groundsel proving to be a bit more difficult to control this year and assume the dry spring prevented herbicide take up.
North East: Flag leaf emerged with forward crops now at early ear emergence.
Brown Rust: none seen.
Mildew: beginning to develop on some varieties.
Septoria: moving on to final leaf 4 but no further development seen.
Yellow Rust: no new infections seen.
Eyespot: trace levels on some second wheat.
Weed control: post emergence applications for control of blackgrass have been variable.
Eastern Counties:
Winter Oilseed Rape
Good pod set reported (photo from Farming Online).
South East: Most crops are now between late flowering and end of flowering with pod set complete – hopefully no more inputs until pre-harvest desiccant now.
Sclerotinia: all crops here in the South were sprayed around 2 weeks ago and those that are still at mid-flowering stage are due for second fungicides now onwards.
Seed Weevil: some crops reached thresholds again at the end of last week, mainly in locations where there have been problems in previous seasons.
Eastern Counties: All crops now more or less out of flower except for a few backward areas.
Sclerotinia: most crops received a robust Sclerotinia spray before the early may rain.
Seed Weevil: present on several of the sunny warmer days.
East Midlands: All but a few crops at very late flowering with pods set on all stems. Most crops look well with no sign of any disease problems.
Light Leaf Spot: no sign of any damage yet and hopefully wont see any where early treatments went on.
Sclerotinia: second Sclerotinia sprays now on where necessary although some farmers cutting back to one spray with the price of rape.
Seed Weevil: levels remain low with no crops at thresholds - the cold weather and rain appear to have kept them away.
West Midlands: Crops turning greener by the day (it’s been flowering since around the 10th April now). Hoping for nice warm sunny days to fill pods.
Light Leaf Spot: no new sightings.
Sclerotinia: all crops have been treated once and very few have elected to go for a second treatment.
Seed Weevil: cooler, windy conditions have kept them out of the crops.
North East: Crops mainly at mid to late flowering and looking well.
Phoma: no new sightings.
Light Leaf Spot: no new developments.
Sclerotinia: no signs yet but crops have been treated.
Seed Weevil: now at threshold levels in several fields.
Winter Barley
Awn emergence in winter barley (picture from Farming Online).
South East: Crops typically now at awns/ears emerged.
Eastern Counties: Ears emerging to beginning of flowering. Disease levels remain very low.
West Midlands: Many crops are flowering. All crops remain remarkably free of disease.
East Midlands: Ears now out and expect gate now to be shut unless massive surge in aphids.
North East: Awn emergence to early flowering. Crops still remain free of disease with only traces of Net-blotch and Rhynchosporium on older leaves.
Crop Report compiled by Farming Online from reports received from members of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants.
