Report compiled by Farming Online from reports received from members of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants
Light leaf spot: - problem in the North and East.
Still doubts over viability of some late sown oilseed rape crops
Generally: - it's been a busy time with the drills and catch up sprays and some first fungicides on winter wheat. But we are about a week behind last year in terms of growth stages. Forecast for rain but will it be enough to satisfy those parched soils.
Highlights
Winter Oilseed Rape |
|
---|---|
Winter Wheat |
|
Winter Barley |
|
Spring Beans |
|
Spring Barley |
|
Cross compliance |
|
Soil temperature |
|
Winter Oilseed Rape
First flowers appearing on Castille.
Photo Farming Online.
South East: All crops beginning to extend rapidly now in response to recent milder weather and applied N, with some crops now showing yellow buds visible. Pigeon grazing now less of an issue and mostly restricted to headlands/backward corners fields.
Light leaf spot: still only finding fairly isolated occurrence.
Pollen beetle: beginning to see adult beetles again now in many crops following several days with temps. above 15 degrees C in last week and in more backward crops are approaching thresholds for control (5/plant) - looks being potentially a difficult spring for pollen beetle control unless weather turns much colder again soon.
South West: Most crops now at green bud with a few earlier ones at yellow bud. Stems extending rapidly.
Phoma: no further reinfection seen.
Light leaf spot: can be detected on new leaves in a few crops.
Pollen beetle: on thin late crops be especially vigilant for pollen beetle as the temperature rises.
Eastern Counties: Pat Turnbull reports what a difference in size and growth stage between crops! The best are very good and in late stem extension with a few flowers opening. The worst are thin and still not close to covering the ground; taking a long time to produce leaf area. Several are still being plagued by pigeons as they are very open and as fast as they try to grow leaf more is removed by grazing. Some more crops have been condemned early this week before the second N application. They will go into spring rape although some areas of fields will be left as a green manure crop with no more N applied.
Phoma: no further infection seen.
Light leaf spot: now very obvious on forward leafy crops with fresh lesions with typical symptoms of white halo of small spots. Levels are relatively low with about 10% infection.
Pollen beetle: present but not at threshold levels. However, vigilance will be needed on the backward thin crops which will be at the green bud stage when pollen beetle activity is likely to be higher and these crops will be less able to compensate for lost pods.
East Midlands: Crops starting to move now but many still behind normal. Forward crops at early green bud, but some crops still have buds to appear.
Light leaf spot: levels low - one farm to treat as levels quite high but majority not a problem.
Pollen beetle: starting to appear and backward crops could be at risk.
West Midlands: Most forward crops are now starting to flower, backward crops are going nowhere mainly because of no ground cover therefore, extremely dry and probably colder soil and some not making enough effort to keep pigeons and rabbits off, not convinced that some of these crops will ever make it!
Light leaf spot: trace levels in some crops.
Pollen beetle: still only at low levels. Cooler weather forecast should keep them at bay but backward areas and pigeon/rabbit damaged areas will need watching.
Pigeons: still grazing some crops.
North East: Forward crops growing strongly and some at 'yellow bud' now. Most crops are just 'buds proud', but also have a significant number of very small crops. The pigeon threat has eased a bit, but the yield potential of most of these crops is very low now.
Light leaf spot: despite a fairly recent specific fungicide application, there is still obvious lesions on the leaves of many crops.
Pollen beetle: there are a lot of crops which will be severely damaged by an attack of pollen beetle, but so far none have been seen in the area. As temperatures rise above 15 degrees C, bad infestations could appear very quickly.
Winter Wheat
Clean stem bases on
September sown Humber.
Photo Farming Online.
South East: Peter Cowlrick reports that October emerged crops now all early stem extension (GS 29-30), while November sown wheat is now mid-/late-tillering GS 22-29. Earliest sown (September) and most advanced crops are now at early stem extension (GS 30). Over three weeks without significant rain and warm sunny days has dried wetter fields out well - all fields now dry and cracking. Desperately need 0.5 inch of warm rain to really kickstart Spring growth, otherwise April 2007 may repeat itself.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Mildew: few pustules present but most crops remain completely free of infection.
Septoria: present on older leaves of all September/early October wheats.
Eyespot: very low levels.
Cleavers: present mainly in fields after beans oilseed rape, also beginning to emerge now elsewhere.
South West: Stephen Harrison says crops have moved on little after a dry week with cold nights. Canopies largely dominated by weather beaten old leaves. Crops drilled in early October have leaf 5 emerging. Earlier drillings have the tip of leaf 4 visible and are just about at GS 30. Surface feeding roots are just developing so we should see growth pick up as the week progresses, especially with higher temperatures forecast. This spring it is startling how obviously variations in soil type are across the fields are reflected in crop growth. Poorest areas are consistently heavy, wet over the winter and capped where root development is poor.
Brown rust: none seen.
Mildew: has not yet erupted but we remain vigilant.
Septoria: more evidence of Septoria with fresh pycnidia apparent.
Eyespot: very low levels of stem browning.
Wild oats: early flushes are now visible and as soil warms and nitrogen mineralises more will show up.
Brown rust: low levels can now be found in earlier (end Sept/early October) sown crops.
East Midlands: Martin Eudall reports forward crops at or approaching GS 30 but majority of crops at GS 29 with later drilled crops at GS 23-29. Later crops have only 2-3 tillers in some cases so every tiller must be looked after. Root systems remain poorly developed as crops start to put out new roots. Top soils dry but many heavy soils wet below and not ploughing up well for maize or where failed winter rape is being cultivated for spring rape.
Mildew: trace levels.
Septoria: plenty on lower leaves.
Eyespot: found on Einstein second wheat in one area - with few tillers and backward crops.
West Midlands: Bryce Rham reports that crop growth is slow to develop in the dry. Most forward crops at GS 30 and T0 fungicides now being applied. Land has dried out and cracks appearing in some fields.
Mildew: visible on Solstice and some early sown Humber.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Septoria: visible on lower leaves only.
Eyespot: trace levels on some forward crops.
Eastern Counties: Brendan Butterworth reports that early drilled at GS 28-30, later drilled crops at GS 21. Subsoil still wet, top 3 inches friable. Soil is drying. Fields travelling well although some headlands still wet.
Mildew: late wheats after roots showing signs of mildew.
Brown rust: trace levels only.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Septoria: levels beginning to build on crops of Consort, Gladiator and Viscount.
Eyespot: low levels expecting to treat at T1, mainly early drilled crops.
Wheat bulb fly: some signs of dead-heart. Monitor backward crops after peas, early potatoes and set aside.
Gout fly: damage present in early drilled crops that did not receive an insecticide in the autumn.
North East: Phillip Tuplin reports that most forward crops now have main stems at GS 31, and majority of later crops at GS30. Latest sown still hardly any stem extension but expect these later crops to catch up very quickly as growing conditions improve. 9mm rain this week but not enough for any significant effect on smaller crops which need more moisture to assist with nitrogen and phosphate uptake.
Mildew: low level on older leaves on some early sown Humber.
Septoria: highest levels seen in some first wheat Nijinsky, but lesions present in virtually all crops particularly on older leaves.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Eyespot: a significant level of distinctive eyespot lesions is easy to find in most crops of first and continuous wheats.
Wheat bulb fly: no dead-hearts seen, and all crops after peas are well tillered now.
Winter Barley
South East: All crops range from GS 29-30. Like wheat crops winter barley growth is very slow, but at least most crops appear to be tillering quite well to compensate for in many cases thinner than ideal canopies. Tip leaf 3 just starting to emerge on Boost sown late September and Sequel and Cassata only have leaf 4 emerging at present.
Mildew: generally low levels being found on older leaves and mainly in crops of Cassata.
Net blotch: moderate levels can be found in earlier sown crops Sequel and Boost.
Rhynchosporium: very low levels currently being found.
Brown rust: low levels can now be found in earlier (end Sept/early October) sown crops.
South West: Winter barley has responded well to N and is starting to form a lush leafy canopy. Earliest sowings on lighter land are now at GS30. T1 fungicides will be applied later next week.
Mildew: easily found in forward Suzuka.
Rhynchosporium: low levels currently being found.
Eastern Counties: Crops range from end of tillering to early stem extension and now picking up after N applications.
Mildew: low levels only.
Net blotch: developing on Carat, Cassata and Pearl but mainly old leaves.
Rhynchosporium: traces on susceptible varieties Carat and Haka.
Brown rust: trace levels.
East Midlands: Vast majority at GS 29 with some still at GS 23-29.
Mildew: new infections but at low levels only.
Net blotch: trace on some crops.
Rhynchosporium: traces on susceptible varieties.
Brown rust: none seen.
West Midlands: Crops with good ground cover are growing well and will start with T1 end this week. Bulk of the crops will not be ready until end of next week dependant upon the weather.
Mildew: visible on high fertility soils variety Saffron.
Net blotch: trace levels only.
Rhynchosporium: trace levels only.
Brown rust: none seen.
North East: After a period of slow growth during early March, crops are changing quickly now and a few at GS31. Some more rain would help. Many crops showing yellow patches as nitrogen is not being taken up well at the moment.
Mildew: most crops have only a very low level.
Net blotch: low levels only.
Rhynchosporium: low levels only.
Brown rust: none seen.
Spring Beans
: Now just starting to emerge - weevil will have to be watched carefully with the late emergence of crops.
Spring Barley
South East: Earliest sown crops now at 1-2 leaf stage and all crops now sown.
South West: Earliest drilled spring barley is now emerging.
Eastern Counties: Being drilled where conditions allow, seedbeds generally good.
West Midlands: All crops sown now and earliest are at the two leaf stage.