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.

South West: Backward rape is still flowering. Forward crops are just starting to change from a dark green to a lime green colour. Seeds are now green rather than translucent. No lodging seen.

Sclerotinia: fungicide control finished.

Eastern Counties: Pat Turnbull reports that final fields of winter oilseed rape still in flower, it is going to be very difficult to time dessication across fields and within fields on a farm, making harvest difficult as growers will undoubtedly be swapping between crops.

Sclerotinia: all treatments now completed.

East Midlands: Most crops approaching end of flowering but a few crops still yellow across field where backward over winter.

Sclerotinia: where required 2nd Sclerotinia sprays now all on.

West Midlands: High percentage of crops now finished flowering and turning green again - but surprising number still hanging on to their flowers. Poppies appearing.

Sclerotinia: control completed.

Seed weevil: no signs yet.

North East: All 'normal' crops lost 100% flower now and pod-fill well advanced. Later crops and pigeon damaged areas at mid-flower but are setting pods well and may well give surprisingly useful yields yet.

Sclerotinia: all treatments now completed.

Ears emerge in many crops
Photo Farming Online.

South East: Peter Cowlrick reports early crops now flowering.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Mildew: active pustules obvious in bottom 1/3 of many susceptible varieties.

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: no further development.

Fusarium: recent rains and warmer conditions likely to be increasing the risk of Fusarium infection.

Orange wheat blossom midge: first thresholds been caught in pheromone traps at end of May, 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.

South West: Stephen Harrison says that many crops of wheat now at full anthesis. Ears on late February sown crops just starting to emerge therefore OWBM checking almost over. On light land wheat crops are showing drought stress with rolled up flag leaves and shedding of lower leaves. This weekends forecast rain is much needed. Heavier soils remain well supplied with moisture except where structure was compromised last autumn.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: sporadic earlier outbreaks controlled and no new infections noted.

Mildew: some Solstice and Claire which was clean at flag leaf has required specific mildew spray with the post ear emengence (T3) spray.

Septoria: still none in the upper canopy.

Eyespot: very low levels of stem browning.

East Midlands: Martin Eudall reports wheat crops have moved very quickly over the past few days with the hot weather and forward crops now at early flower. Post ear emergence (T3) applications going on now before any rain comes as weather looks very unsettled over the next week or so, which could lead to ineffective T3 if rain delays them too long. After hot dry weather rainfall is now needed on lighter soils - soils cracking and some flag leaf rolling on 2nd June with temperatures of 27 degrees C.

Mildew: confined to lower leaves.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Septoria: leaves from flag to leaf 3 or 4 clean, but some crops have Septoria on leaf 4 where T1 delayed due to weather.

Eyespot: levels low.

Orange wheat blossom midge: crops have been below threshold with low numbers of midge flying but reported increased activity by one client on night of 2nd June so further hatching may be taking place. Forward crops now starting to flower so backward crops still at risk if hatching is increasing, however, forecast of very cold nights will slow them down.

West Midlands: Bryce Rham reports that crops GS 51-61 Einstein and Humber starting to flower. Very dry after temperatures reached 25/26 deg. C on Monday and Tuesday after a warm weekend, crops were folding up flag leaves quite badly on lighter land. Istabraq worst for curling so far. Diego is a "tipper" with fields looking a nice shade of yellow. Viscount now looking very good. Post ear emergence (T3s) going on now.

Mildew: hoping that with full flag leaf emergence (T2) applications the mildew will stay below leaf 2. Certainly evident on leaf 3 on crops of Solstice/Oakley and Humber.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Septoria: majority of crops have got leaves 1,2 and 3 clean with a lot with leaf 4 clean to 2-3% infection.

Eyespot: low levels visible on forward Duxford and Humber.

Aphids: not a single aphid to date.

Orange wheat blossom midge: crops starting to flower with weather at the weekend maybe suitable for flight. Found 4 on a cobweb in tramline yesterday. Not worried.

Eastern Counties: Brendan Butterworth reports that Claire, Gladiator, Cordiale and Einstein are starting to flower, majority of crops at full ear emergence. Later drilled crops are booting. 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. Crops treated with just chloremequat early in the spring are average height and look less stressed than those that received further PGR's.

Mildew: Glasgow, Oakley, Humber and Alchemy all at treatable levels.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: foci seen in Oakley and Robigus where T0 and T1 have been delayed. This has been more severe in sheltered areas more in land with higher levels of humidity and morning dews.

Septoria: levels beginning to build on crops of Consort, Gladiator and Viscount.

Eyespot: no further development.

Fusarium ear blight: Fusarium head blight risk is increasing with short crops, recent heavy rainfall and increased temperature. Although currently dry at early flower stage.

Orange wheat blossom midge: being monitored, expected after heavy rain and warm conditions. Although none seen as yet due to dry and windy conditions.

Blackgrass: majority of late sprayed dying, but some remains in odd fields. Odd 3 leaf-blackgrass appearing from cracks in heavy soil. Untreated black-grass in ear. Bad patches where black-grass has out competed the crop are now being sprayed off with glyphosate also resistant patches. Resistance to be tested.

North East: Phillip Tuplin reports early varieties at full ear emergence now, and some Cordiale at GS 60 (1st flowers). All crops have some ear emergence. Very dry again following a week with no rain, and lots of sunshine, but no signs of any drought stressed crops for now.

Mildew: none seen.

Septoria: some lesions on oldest leaves, but generally crops are clean to leaf 4 and then only a low level.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: no new infection seen.

Eyespot: no stem penetrating lesions seen.

Orange wheat blossom midge: soil temperatures are high enough for a troublesome hatch of midge but generally only low numbers are showing in pheromone traps. This is probably due to the dry conditions discouraging pupation. Some continuous wheat sites have had overnight catches of 90+ midge. Most trap sites only catching between 0 and 10 midge per night, or even 2 nights. Crops will be susceptible for another 10-14 days yet so need to keep monitoring, especially if have some rain in next few days as forecast.

Nationally: Crops past flowering.

: Downy mildew risk continues to decline although weekend rain may heighten infection risk in localised areas.