Pollen beetle massing on
backward crops.
Photo Farming Online.

South East: All crops now range from green bud to first flowers . Bulk of crops now beginning to fill-in and normalise physiological appearance as they get hold of all applied nitrogen. Stem cracking has re-appeared this Spring in a number of crops (particularly Castille) - appears to be associated with situations where there is low basal fertility and crops have bolted during warmer daytime weather, but then been 'shocked' by big diurnal temperature variation earlier in month.

Light leaf spot: still only finding very isolated occurrence.

Sclerotinia: with wetter soils, warmer nights, soil temperatures approaching 10 deg.C and crops now at early flowering risk factors for sclerotial germination are all increasing.

Pollen beetle: warmer nights and several days above 15 deg.C have encouraged further flights of pollen beetles with thresholds on backward crops (5/plant)now being exceeded.

South West: Crops now progressing into early flowering with extreme variation across fields the dominant concern. This will make Sclerotinia timings very difficult. Crops on one year breaks are likely to be exposed to high levels of sclerotia in the soil following the high pressure in 2007.

Light leaf spot: no further sightings.

Pollen beetle: on thin late crops be especially vigilant for pollen beetle as the temperature rises.

Eastern Counties: Pat Turnbull reports that crops have grown rapidly in warm weather. Most forward now yellow across the field and at early flower. Most backward barely started stem extension. Very noticeable now how thin areas of fields are. Spring rape now drilled and beginning to emerge. Some parts of Norfolk had 13 to 18mm of rain over the weekend others only 2mm, so some areas need rainfall to wash N in.

Sclerotinia: Crops soon at early mid flowering.

Pollen beetle: levels at threshold on some backward crops.

East Midlands: Majority of crops at yellow bud with some just starting to flower. Later crops at green bud with pigeon damaged crops at start of green bud.

Light leaf spot: levels low - levels quite high on one farm but majority not a problem.

Pollen beetle: a few backward crops have low numbers of flowering heads and populations increasing but generally more forward crops have got through OK.

West Midlands: Early crops now approaching full flower, with even the backward crops now starting to pick themselves up and going into stem extension, the rabbit/pigeon fields will need a leap of faith to ever grow!

Light leaf spot: trace levels in some crops.

Pollen beetle: finding 5-8 pollen beetles per plant on forward crops and similar levels on the late crops causing concern.

Pigeons: still grazing some crops.

North East: Most forward crops at early flowering, but flowers are coming slowly in the cold, dull conditions. Later sown crops have flower buds visible, but they are still very small and their management is more like that for a spring sown crop. Small crops continue to struggle in the cold dry conditions, but they are looking better now.

Light leaf spot: the small crops have not had a fungicide for some time, and they are showing a low level of infection.

Sclerotinia: it's currently too cold for an infection period, but as temperatures rise the risk will increase.

Pollen beetle: the threshold levels for the backward crops are the same as for a spring sown crop, and have seen very high numbers in a few crops.

Eyespot lessions becoming
more obvious.
Photo Farming Online.

South East: Peter Cowlrick reports that crop growth is accelerating rapidly as increasing day length is now the main driver for crop development. More advanced crops have leaf 3 already around 50% emerged. Soils damp now after useful 1-1.25 inches rain in last 7-10 days.

Brown rust: very isolated pustules can be found in earliest sown crops of Alchemy and Claire.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Mildew: beginning to find active pustules more readily now, particularly in sheltered fields and those with background manganese deficiency. Current damp, still and humid weather is now encouraging mildew development - preventive mildew control being included on susceptible varieties.

Septoria: lesions obvious on older leaves of all September/early October sown wheats - lesions can now be found on leaf 5 of early sown Solstice/Cordiale.

Eyespot: moderate stem based browning with some penetrating lesions can now be found in earlier sown second wheats and Solstice/Robigus also in Claire as a first wheat(particularly after oats). The disease will need close monitoring in all second wheats and early sown first wheats up to GS 32/33. Current mild and damp weather is increasing infection pressure as we approach emergence of final leaf 3.

South West: Stephen Harrison says growth has speeded up this week with the majority of crops sown before mid October into good seed beds rapidly approaching or at GS 30. Crops on capped heavy land still struggle and look gappy and stark. Their poorer rooting systems are struggling to take up sufficient N from the dry soil surface layer. Rain splash event later this week will trigger off development of Septoria.

Brown rust: none seen.

Mildew: now apparent in Claire and Humber. Humber seems worse but this is due to site and drilling date rather than a breakdown in the variety.

Septoria: more evidence of Septoria with fresh pycnidia apparent.

Eyespot: very low levels of stem browning.

Polygnums: rapidly emerging through cracks on stronger land. In some areas there is a carpet.

East Midlands: Martin Eudall reports forward September drilled crops at GS 31 with leaf 3 about to emerge. Average crops at GS 30+ with backward crops at GS 30-. Growth noticeably more vigorous over the past week or so as new roots start to get down and pick up N. Even poorer crops look well now with tillers forming. Expect forward crops to reach final leaf 3 decision point in about 10 days or so.

Mildew: very low levels.

Septoria: still found on older leaves.

Eyespot: levels on first wheat generally low with stems fairly clear, but odd stem browning lesions can be found.

Cleavers: various levels of sizes.

West Midlands: Bryce Rham reports that early sown Humber now has leaf 2 poking through, with early sown Duxford with leaf 3 three quarters emerged. Diego is taking off rapidly from its autumn slumbers with clients noting it too. Dry weather is leading to some crops of wheat losing tillers. Decisions being taken for final leaf 3 starting this Saturday with bulk to go end of next week.

Mildew: variable levels (some bad) on Humber, Oakley and Solstice.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Septoria: moving on to newer growth due to winds and very damp mornings.

Eyespot: visible on forward Duxford and Humber.

Eastern Counties: Brendan Butterworth reports that early drilled at GS 30 - 31. Later drilled crops just starting to extend. Subsoil slowly beginning to dry out. Manganese deficiency present on a lot of fields.

Mildew: some pustules found on Solstice/Claire/ Humber. Although some dried up. 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: treatable levels in many early drilled crops.

North East: Phillip Tuplin reports that most first wheats now at GS 31.

Mildew: none seen.

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 locally but it is a serious threat.

Eyespot: not seen any severe levels of stem penetration, but there are high levels of eyespot in many crops and varieties.

Wheat bulb fly: no dead-hearts seen, and all crops after peas are well tillered now.

South East: Earliest sown crops now at GS31 with leaf 3 emerging/emerged (Boost/Cassata), and remainder crops around GS 30-31.

Mildew: fresh pustules now present on lower leaves of Sequel/Cassata.

Net blotch: increasing levels noted in crops of Sequel that follow barley - beginning to appear on new leaves.

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.

Mildew: easily found in forward Suzuka.

Rhynchosporium: low levels currently being found.

Brown rust: low levels can now be found in earlier (end Sept/early October) sown crops.

Eastern Counties: Crops moving towards GS 31.

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.

Brown rust: none seen.

East Midlands: Crops at GS 30+ on the whole, with even backward crops starting to move forward.

Mildew: low levels in Saffron but other varieties clean.

Net blotch: trace on some crops.

Rhynchosporium: traces on susceptible varieties.

West Midlands: The decision to treat final leaf 3 started 10 days ago with the majority being completed this week.

Mildew: visible on high fertility soils variety Saffron.

Net blotch: trace levels only.

Rhynchosporium: trace levels only.

Brown rust: none seen.

North East: Despite the cool conditions crops are developing quickly, and expect to see the flag leaf emerging in about 10 days.

Mildew: most crops have only a very low level.

Net blotch: low level only, but is increasing slowly.

Rhynchosporium: low levels only.

Brown rust: none seen.

: In the South crops now at 1-2 leaf pair stage, with any late-emerging plants filling-in gaps on cloddier seedbeds. Bean weevil becoming widespread in most emerging/emerged crops, especially those on stonier/cloddier seedbeds.