Rain increases risk of Phoma.
Photo Farming Online

South East: 3 true leaves - 7+ true leaves - bulk of crops are now around 4-6 true leaves.

Phoma: Still none seen.

Weed control: significant flush of blackgrass in a few fields with a history of blackgrass or where there was poor control in previous cereal.

South West: Rapid growth continues with leaf numbers up to 12 on mid August sowings. Some petioles up to 30 cms long. Early to mid September crops now up to 4 to 5 leaves.

Phoma: still not detected although the current rain may change things.

Turnip Sawfly: no larvae seen as yet.

Weed control: very high levels of blackgrass but good control from September applied herbicide, we await cooler conditions in November to apply residuals.

Eastern Counties: Rape has grown rapidly following on from the first rain all fields have now established and only a few backward areas are in need of an application of slug pellets.

Phoma: odd spot of phoma, we are expecting phoma levels to increase after recent moisture. Higher infection anticipated end October to early November.

Slugs: Most rape is past the slug vulnerable stage.

Mealy aphids: in centres of some plants causing distortion and purpling. Pyrethroid with phoma spray also targeting aphid vectors of Turnip Yellow Virus.

Weed control: new volunteer cereals emerging.

East Midlands: Forward crops very forward and up to 8 leaves but later crops at 2-3 leaves. Varieties DK Cabernet and Vision are showing vigorous growth.

Phoma: crops absolutely clean. Planning phoma sprays end October to early November in a one hit (hopefully) programme.

Weed control: where blackgrass now moving getting herbicide to take them out before roots get too deep.

Slugs: just odd leaf showing damage and with many crops at 5 leaves risk is almost over apart from later crops or late emerging cloddy areas.

Pigeons: some large flocks about - on stubbles at moment but when these disappear then rape will be at risk - with some on rape already.

West Midlands: Crops after sludge/poultry manure romping away (12 inches tall already!!) many crops too thick.

Phoma: first signs.

Light leaf spot: first signs.

Slugs: early sown crops now beyond having any problems with slugs, slug damage on some fields where no pellets applied.

North East: The rape crops are well established now. Some at 7-9 leaves, most at 3-5 leaves.

Phoma: not seen enough infection to justify treatment yet.

Slugs: there are still a lot of small plants susceptible to serious damage but none seen this week.

Weed control: there are some areas with a lot of grass weed appearing now.

September sown Grafton
at 3 leaf stage.
Photo Farming Online.

HGCA: survey indicates higher numbers of wheat bulb fly eggs this autumn

South East: Peter Cowlrick reports that drilling completed apart from few fields of Soissons after grain maize. All second wheats also now drilled. Growth stages range from emergence to GS 22/23, with bulk of crops now at around GS 12-13. Earlier crops sown into dry seedbeds still very variable with dual growth stages in many fields, ranging from emerging to GS 12-21. More rain this week and warm days and nights is leading to rapid emergence and growth now.

Slugs: with moist soils and warm nights slug activity has increased considerably in last week, however, where seedbeds are good, crops for most part appear to be establishing without significant grazing.

Weed Control: significant flush of blackgrass appearing now even in fields where control has been good in last few years - warm, moist soils seem to be encouraging blackgrass to break dormancy and establish quickly with emerging wheat.

South West: Stephen Harrison reports that drier, cloddy areas now filling out as further emergence follows recent rainfall. Drilling is virtually complete apart from a few fields after grass and maize. Crops emerging in around 7 to 10 days now soil has moistened. Some bleaching of the first emerged leaf form pdm/flufenacet/dff mixes where deep drilled and slow emerging in the dry. Subsequent leaves seem healthy. Ground wet and sticky after a few days rain however, tramlines are travellable allowing residual herbicides to be applied between showers. Interesting to note very poor emergence where old tramlines were subsoiled in August after harvest and thus dried out.

Aphids: a few winged aphids seen.

Slugs: damage confined to known problem patches, but minimised by prompt treatment.

Weed Control: blackgrass generally being held by pre ems although a few dense patches on difficult sites where seed beds were dry are giving cause for concernanticipate the majority of contact materials will be applied in early to mid November.

Bromes: very high emergence of sterile bromes in non plough situations.

East Midlands: Martin Eudall reports that emergence of crops is slow - in many cases seed just shooting and about to show but moving slowly. Dry soils below cloddy surfaces is main cause of problem. Earlier drilled crops emerging slowly but vigour seems to have taken a knock in the dry conditions. Only 3.5 mm rain in last few days has hardly wetted the surface. Soils as dry as I have known them at this time of year. Soil temps around 9-10 deg C.

Aphids: none seen but aphicide will go on with herbicides where going on re risk of aphids in the mild weather.

Slugs: very little activity seen yet but damper top soils may lead to some shredding as crops emerge - late egg hatch could occur at any time.

Weed control: very little blackgrass emerged and none worth looking at with a spray yet - spraying will be later than usual this year and may end up spring spraying if germination is delayed and weather then closes in.

West Midlands: Bryce Rham reports that 95% of wheat in, some second wheat and wheat after potatoes, maize and beans still to drill. Most forward crops now at early tillering but emergence is still patchy on heavier ground. Rain from two weeks ago has meant that most crops are now emerging, between 3-10mm Tuesday night has helped to keep crops going and more importantly kept the pre/peri sprays working, still need more rain. 70% crops sprayed

Mildew: Alchemy on light land worst to date, but also visible on Diego and Humber. No action as frost has killed it. But Alchemy has gone a horrible colour as leaves have died back due to the level of mildew.

Aphids: visible on quite a few crops.

Slugs: starting to get more problems particularly on the slow to emerge early sown crops and where wheat drilled after oilseed rape where ground ploughed and combi drilled.

Frit fly: first sign on wheat after oats.

Eastern Counties: Brendan Butterworth reports that 90% of first wheats have been drilled and 80% 2nd wheats have been drilled. Majority at GS 1.3-1.4 but patchy emergence. 17-20 mm of rain in the last couple of days. Seedbeds since last rain have given good seed to soil contact.

Mildew: a few pustules on Claire and Viscount at growth stage 1.3.

Slugs: activity now seen after rape, some leaf striping.

Aphids: high levels seen in crops.

Weed control: blackgrass at 2-3 leaf stage in early-drilled crops that have not been sprayed. Majority of black grass treatments are being applied peri-emergence due lack of drilling depth and soil cover.

North East: Phillip Tuplin reports that some forward crops just tillering, but most at GS 11-13 and have large bare areas within fields where still too dry. Second wheats also emerging now, but again they are very uneven. Only had 4 mm rain in last 7 days. This is not enough for many areas where another significant rain is needed to wet the seedbeds properly. The total for October so far is only 28 mm, but hopefully the forecast for the rest of the week will turn out to be accurate with at least one wet day. Virtually all drilling is complete now, and the later drillings went into excellent seedbeds. Travelling is good, and periods when its not been too windy have allowed the spraying program to be kept up to date

Slugs: significant numbers found in some crops after rape, particularly where not been ploughed including some hollowed seed despite the clothianidin dressing.

Weed control: the pre-emergence herbicides seem to be working reasonably well in areas where crops have emerged, but it will be a while yet before they can be fully assessed.

South East: All drilled growth stages range from emergence to 3 leaves.

South West: Now at early tillering. Early residual treatments seem to have been gentle on the crop with little or no scorch apparent.

Aphids: high captures in trapping systems means vigilance is necessary. Crops not treated with insecticide seed dressing may require treatment before the herbicide timing.

Eastern Region: Crops range from chitted to GS 1.3. 90% drilled.

East Midlands: Crops at 1 leaf but later crops on heavier soil only just showing.

West Midlands: Crops range from GS 21 to emerging. 100% drilled.

North East: Most at GS 11-13 and like wheat have patchy emergence.