Oilseed rape establishment
patchy.
Photo Farming Online

South East: Cotyledon to 5 true leaves - bulk of crops are now around 2 true leaves

Flea beetle: shot holing of leaves becoming quite widespread now.

Slugs: good seedbeds and dry soils have minimised problems to date this autumn in most cases, only exceptions are heavier soils/trashier seedbeds where crops have been re-pelleted again following rain.

Turnip Sawfly: now finding small larvae in a number of crops where adults noted egg-laying around 3 weeks ago.

Weed Control: significant flush of blackgrass in a few fields with history of blackgrass, with emergence coinciding with crop emergence - in general though, emergence to date has been minimal in many fields. Volunteer barley - large flush in min-tilled crops after spring barley in particular.

South West: Little change on last week but hoping the rain moves lower established crops. On. Dry seed to 4 leaves. Very variable emergence with any ploughed seedbeds faring worst - especially if power harrow combination drilled. Best emergence from August 20th to 25th drillings where seed beds prepared quickly using non inversion techniques and drilled with cultivator drills into fine soil giving good seed to soil contact. Hybrids have shown their worth with high vigour in difficult conditions.

Flea beetle: shot holing pronounced even after seed treatment as dry conditions have slowed emergence and reduced persistence.

Slugs: none seen.

Weed control: volunteer cereals especially barley a headache. In many cases the volunteers are at a highly competitive level before all the rape has reached expanded cotyledons at which point graminicides may be applied.

Eastern Counties: Emergence has been good on light soils, plants now at 2 to 4 leaves. On heavier soils crops were drilled into dry cobbly seedbeds and emergence has been patchy. Many areas only received rain at the weekend to wet soil. There are still seedlings to emerge we hope. Now applying a small amount of N.

Flea beetle: shot holing seen even on treated seed.

Slugs: unexpected slug damage leading to redrilling on chalky soil. Making second application of pellets on many fields.

Bird damage: A lot of bird (pheasant, partridge some pigeon) and rabbit grazing on slow to establish rape.

Weed control: pre-em metazachlor based herbicides generally applied straight after drilling. Only sufficient rain in a few locations to activate these products. High level of cereal volunteers emerging.

East Midlands: Rain has brought crops on and more forward crops at 2-3 leaves, although some still remain patchy where seed has sat below clods waiting for moisture.

Flea beetle: non treated seed showing damage and needs cypermethrin now. Generally treated crops showing low damage.

Slugs: some crops needing 2nd application where fresh slug damage seen. Problem is patchy emergence where forward parts of field getting away from slugs but backward areas just at cotyledon. To date no re-drilling required.

Weed control: good flush of volunteers particularly barley. Early post-emergence herbicides now gone on +/- graminicide and cypermethrin for flea beetle.

West Midlands: Emergence is patchy with a lot of crops still to emerge and can only hope that the recent rains will help germination in cloddy seed beds. Applying low rate of nitrogen to help establishment. Rabbits have been a nuisance in some fields completley removing the crop in one case.

Flea beetle: only slight damage seen so far.

Slugs: very little damage seen.

Weed control: volunteers barley quite dense in places and competing with the crop.

North East: It seems a long time ago that most crops were drilled, and they are just emerging now. Many are just about a crop now at cotyledon stage. Most seedbeds have moisture in them now and expect to see good crop emergence over next 7 days.

Flea beetle: all crops dressed with insecticide. However, moderate levels of damage seen where dry cloddy seedbeds.

Slugs: since the rain expect to see slug activity increasing so pelleting known high-risk areas now. These include some cloddy seedbeds on heavy land, where emergence is particularly slow.

Drilling Alchemy wheat after
rape in West Midlands.
Photo Farming Online

South East: Crops of Claire drilled 7-10 days ago are likely to emerge in next few days. Drilling of Claire, Solstice and Alchemy will be mostly completed this week, with Robigus and Einstein also being sown this week and Xi19 next week. Most first wheats will have been drilled by end of next week (except Soissons and crops after Grain maize/potatoes). Farms growing second wheat Einstein/Cordiale with Latitude, should finish drilling by 5-7th October. Recent rain (15-25mm) helping to produce much improved seedbeds.

Aphids: none seen.

Leather jackets: high levels being found in fields after long-term grass/set-aside.

Slugs: trapping of fields after oilseed rape pre-/or post-drilling is indicating some incredibly high levels of slugs (50+/trap!) - populations are generally much lower though on fields that have been disced/cultivated twice pre-drilling.

Weed control: blackgrass - useful flush in some stale seedbeds, otherwise generally very little has appeared pre-sowing this year, indicating good control in previous seasons or delayed germination of shed seeds from this years harvest. Glyphosate applied up to 24 hours pre-drilling/ cultivating.

South West: Early sowings at 2 leaves. Rain has evened up patchy emergence and stands of very early drillings are evening out. Welcome rain storms have softened up hard baked clods on heavy soils. Drilling is now well under way and very good seed beds are being created. Patience has paid off and a lot of diesel has been saved. Some of the showers on Tuesday in the Bath area were so severe drilling had to be stopped - water running out of gateways.

Aphids: none seen.

Slugs: damage still minor. Rain should increase activity so remain vigilant. Quality metaldehyde pellets applied earlier are still very obvious so not rushing out to retreat yet. Will persist with metaldehyde based pellets unless conditions turn really severe. Seed bed quality and drilling depth still key factors in slug control.

Weed control: blackgrass - emergence still slow. Pre-emergence herbicides now being applied.

East Midlands: Wheat sown about 2 weeks ago just showing. Majority of crops at seed chitting with many wheat crops just gone in. A couple of bouts of heavy showers have given up to 20 mm in some areas, which has moistened up seedbeds nicely but not prevented fieldwork.

Aphids: none seen.

Slugs: no change from previous week apart from fact wetter soils will now bring slugs out. Reports of high numbers seen on stubbles.

West Midlands: Early sown wheat is at GS 13. A lot of wheat has been drilled with about 60% of the crop now in the ground but very little has emerged to date. Recent heavy showers have helped seed beds but winds now drying out the soils again. Minimum tilled crops are very patchy to emerge.

Aphids: none seen.

Slugs: very little activity with only one crop treated so far.

Weed control: some pre-emergence herbicides applied.

Eastern Counties: Early drilled at 1 leaf stage, majority yet to emerge. Most clay soils are dry and cloddy, lighter soils are moist after root crops, dry otherwise.

Aphids: seen on some crops. Pyrethroid at 3 leaf stage.

Slugs: although dry still remain a threat especially after oilseed rape. Recent rainfall will increase the threat. Metaldehyde pellets rate varies depending upon seedbed quality and previous experience.

Weed control: blackgrass emerging on direct drill land at 1-2 leaf stage.

North East: A few crops sown early into some moisture are emerging now. Most were drilled into very dry seedbeds and still need more rain before will have an even germination. Continuous and second wheats being sown now. A few growers have completed their autumn drilling. Had 21mm rainfall over last 7 days. This has greatly improved workability of dry cloddy fields which are now cultivating easily into good seedbeds.

Aphids: all wheat after rape is dressed with Redigo Deter or Tripod Plus.

Slugs: found high numbers in some fields where wheat following rape. Applying mini-pellets if finding slugs near surface and have killed large numbers in some fields.

Weed control: Still not had much blackgrass germination in stale seedbeds, and its too late now for most as drilling conditions are too good to miss.

National: Winter barley starting to be drilled this week into very good seedbeds. None emerged yet.