Report compiled by Farming Online from reports received from members of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants
Orange wheat blossom midge: at threshold levels in traps along South Coast. Ears emerging in many wheats and temperatures set to climb, so check at risk crops over next few days.
Wheat orange blossom midge new guidelines for traps: "The difference in the guidelines is that the threshold for monitoring has been revised into a two-tiered system based on pheromone trap catches," said Jemilah Bailey, HGCA's Research Manager. "Catches over 120 per day mean a high risk to crops and growers need to spray crops at susceptible growth stage as soon as possible. If 30 or more midges are caught in a day then there is a general risk to crops and numbers need to be monitored." The action threshold for assessing wheat ears in the field remains the same with over one midge on three ears of feed wheat, or six ears of milling crops resulting in the need to treat the field. Traps should be put in place a few days before the earliest wheat crops reach the ear emergence stage and kept in place until the latest crops reach the flowering stage.
Highlights
| Winter Oilseed Rape |
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| Winter Wheat |
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| Winter Barley |
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| Spring Beans |
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| Cross compliance |
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| Soil temperature |
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Winter Oilseed Rape
Good pod set in early rape.
Photo Farming Online.
South East: Earlier crops now mostly finished flowering with seeds in pods being at pale green/translucent stage, nearly at point where most crops can be left to await pre-harvest desiccant.
Sclerotinia: completed.
Seed weevil: only a handful of crops have hit thresholds, but later flowering crops may be at higher risk of damage.
South West: Most crops are now green rather than yellow except on late or pigeon damaged areas which are still flowering. Recovery of these crops has been dramatic, producing reasonable canopies from what appeared almost bare ground. Biggest concern is now timing desiccation in a month or so.
Sclerotinia: fungicide control finished.
Eastern Counties: Pat Turnbull reports that the very latest crops now in full flower but most are near or at end of petal fall. Good pod set, crops have filled out well. Some spring rape is rapidly moving though its growth stages and is now in early green bud. Pollen beetle sprays are being applied. Other fields of spring rape continuing to emerge following soak 10 days ago.
Sclerotinia: all treatments now completed.
East Midlands: Forward crops predominantly green with later crops still in flower. Harvest will be late this year with many expecting it to be end July.
Sclerotinia: where required second sclerotinia sprays now all on.
West Midlands: High percentage of crops now finished flowering and turning green again - just waiting for the poppies to turn them red.
Sclerotinia: small percentage of crops that were sprayed over 4 weeks ago (probably a tad early due to weather forecast) and that are still very yellow, applying a top up this week.
Seed weevil: no signs yet.
North East: Most forward crops have lost all flower now and both pod and seed set appears good. Later crops at mid to late flowering.
Sclerotinia: all treatments now completed.
Winter Wheat
Ears emerge in many crops
Photo Farming Online.
South East: Peter Cowlrick reports ears now mostly fully emerged on main shoots of Solstice/Xi19/Cordiale and Einstein. October sown Soissons is now flowering - this is now some 7-10 days ahead of last year.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Mildew: active pustules obvious in bottom 1/3 of many susceptible varieties (eg. Soltice/Robigus/Claire) grown on sandy/chalky soil types even where have had 2 applications of specific mildewicides.
Septoria: Full flag leaf emergence (T2) triazole applications all been made now, with triazole doses on earlier sown crops being kept at around 75% where Septoria visible on leaf 4 and/or leaf 3.
Eyespot: T1 applications have stopped disease progression/penetration of stems.
Fusarium: recent rains and warmer conditions likely to be increasing the risk of Fusarium infection.
Orange wheat blossom midge: first thresholds been caught in last few days, with over 100 midges being caught in a night in Kent and also second wheat sites along South Coast, otherwise numbers to date appear low - ears are emerging at same time as midge have started appearing, so crops likely to be at risk for next 7 days or so until start flowering.
South West: Stephen Harrison says that ear emergence now in full swing. No flowers visible just yet. Effects of the difficult harvesting and sowing season still obvious on heavy wet land where many plants have only one tiller producing a worthwhile ear. Secondary tillers are stunted and often mildew infected. Crops on better structured soils look healthy with a largely disease free canopy from leaf 4 up.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: sporadic earlier outbreaks controlled and no new infections noted.
Mildew: contained by fungicide programmes.
Septoria: infection remains confined to lower leaves.
Eyespot: very low levels of stem browning.
East Midlands: Martin Eudall reports all crops now have flag leaf emerged with forward crops in boot to ear just showing. Post ear emergence (T3) will be about 10-14 days away depending on lateness of crop. Crop height not excessive and no crops required late growth regulator. Warm and dry weather over the weekend allowed catch up on full flag leaf emergence (T2) sprays - no spray days available over the last 2-3 days.
Mildew: only on base of stems - none on upper leaves.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: none seen.
Septoria: upper leaves clear - easily found on leaves 5 and below.
Eyespot: levels low.
West Midlands: Bryce Rham reports that crops range GS 39-55. Vast majority of crops received full flag leaf emergence (T2) sprays from Thursday last week through to Sunday and Monday. Quite a few crops with ears half way out Humber, Battalion and Diego leading the way with Alchemy thinking about putting ears out.
Mildew: in the base of the many crops.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: one late sprayed crop of Oakley with visible foci in the crop but full flag leaf emergence (T2) applied has dried the rust up within 1 week of application.
Septoria: looking at crops for post ear emergence (T3) and initial reaction is clean crops with leaves 1, 2 and 3 clean and leaf 4 in the main clean maybe 2-3% visual on some leaves with leaf 5 between 5-10% infection.
Eyespot: low levels visible on forward Duxford and Humber.
Aphids: started to walk crops for T3 and have found not a single aphid to date.
Eastern Counties: Brendan Butterworth reports that Gladiator, Cordiale and Einstein at full ear emergence, but majority of crops are booting. Later drilled crops at flag leaf emerged. The wheat is looking much healthy and a darker green colour. Wheat crops look thin in general and short where early spring growth regulators applied and below average growth made of late.
Mildew: Glasgow, Oakley, Humber and Alchemy all at treatable levels and fungicides have been applied at full flag leaf emergence (T2) on susceptible varieties.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: foci seen in Robigus and Oakley, especially where T1 were delayed.
Septoria: levels beginning to build on crops of Consort, Gladiator and Viscount.
Eyespot: no further development.
Fusarium ear blight: risk is increasing with short crops, recent heavy rainfall and increased temperature.
North East: Phillip Tuplin reports ears 15% emerged in some Cordiale crops, and leaf sheaths just splitting in other forward crops. All crops with flag leaves fully emerged now.
Mildew: none seen.
Septoria: heavy showers have increased urgency to apply full flag leaf emergence (T2) fungicides, but all are complete now, and disease is currently confined to older leaves only.
Brown rust: none seen.
Yellow rust: no new infection seen.
Eyespot: no stem penetrating lesions been seen.
Blossom midge: serious infestations have been common over the last few years so it is time to prepare pheromone traps and start monitoring in 7 - 10 days.
Winter Barley
Crops past flowering.:
Spring Beans
Downy mildew risk declining.:
Crop Report compiled by Farming Online from reports received from members of the Association of Independent Crop Consultants.
