South East: Stem extension to green buds fully visible - ES Alienor still most advanced variety again this year. Furthest on crops likely to be at yellow bud towards end of next week.

Light leaf spot: first lesions beginning to show now in crops where no fungicides applied pre-Xmas.

Sclerotinia: soil temperatures are currently too low for apothecial development, however with wet soils and a high water table after the wet spring, sclerotia will germinate freely once it gets warm enough and consequently this could well be a very high risk year if wet weather arrives around flowering. A few thick crops had odd patches of mycelial infection pre-Xmas, indicating potentially high local infection pressure.

South West: Most crops now showing a few yellow buds and rapidly catching up to a normal year growth stage timing wise. Pigeons still hammering away. Chief problem will be harvest timing later in the season where parts of some fields have been grazed bare to the ground.

Light leaf spot: can be found where the pigeons have left some leaf and control treatments will be applied.

Weed control: effects of late January applied herbicide now starting to show.

Eastern Counties: Rape rushing through growth stages. Most in middle of stem extension a few yellow buds on the most advanced, changing daily. Fungicides with growth regulatory properties are currently being applied. Plans being made for early flowering, petal fall fungicides for sclerotinia control.

Light leaf spot: still at low levels not seen on new leaves during stem extension.

East Midlands: Big variations in growth across field and between fields. Most crops at GAI of around .75-1 with a few forward fields at 1.5 (even these have patches down at .75). Growth regulator restricted to riskier fields (i.e.high fertility or low stem strength, e.g. Catana).

Light leaf spot: levels remain very low.

West Midlands: Crops with sludge cake or poultry litter under them are really taking off and extending rapidly. Applying canopy management products as of last weekend with the majority going from Monday 12th.

Light leaf spot: not seeing at any significant level.

Phoma: unsprayed crops still have low levels.

Weed control: Charlock in oilseed rape crops has been totally destroyed by the frosts and will not need any treatment.

North East: Crops picking up nitrogen now and growing quickly with many at 'buds proud' stage.

Light leaf spot: despite higher temperatures still not seen any significant levels.

Weed control: patches of mayweed seen on a few headlands.

South East: Growth stages now range from late tillering to early stem extension (ie. GS 22-24 to 29-30), with September sown crops now mostly at GS 30. Leaf 4 now up to 2/3 emerged on September sown Solstice, Gallant and Einstein - T0 fungicides being applied to September sown crops when leaf 4 is fully emerged on main shoots. Awful weather until beginning of this week has frustratingly prevented most field work until last few days.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Mildew: no active pustules visible now.

Septoria: very evident on all older leaves - only top 3 leaves appear free from symptoms.

Eyespot: beginning to find stem lesions in September and early October sown crops of Xi19, Cordiale and Solstice.

Weed control: outstanding blackgrass control - some significant populations evident and growth stages typically range from GS23/24-30 now.

South West: Most crops well tillered. Only early September sowings at GS 30 and leaf 5 is still the youngest emerged leaf. Bare patches now filling out. Warmer weather forecast for the weekend should really push things on.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Mildew: developing rapidly in early drilled Humber.

Weed control: Brome is now greening up and recovering from the winter stresses and is now ready for treatment,

Eastern Counties: Crops actively growing and majority at GS 2.6 with some approaching GS 30. Soils dry enough to perform most field operations. Daytime soil temperatures up to 12 deg.C, night time temperatures 6 deg.C.

Brown rust: odd pustules on susceptible varieties; Duxford, Zebedee, Cordiale.

Yellow rust: None seen.

Mildew: disease present on late drilled crops and on susceptible varieties, Solstice, Conqueror and Claire, but not active.

Septoria: apparent in most crops, in particular on early drilled and forward crops.

Weed control: wild oats now at GS. 1.2 - 2.4 where not controlled in the autumn. Some spring wild oats germinating.

East Midlands: Some forward Duxford at GS 31+ and expect GS 32 in about 10 days. Solstice about GS 30+. Later second wheat and wheat after maize at GS 29/30 and very late wheat at GS 24-29. On the whole soils wet to saturated with some ponding. Fieldwork possible with care.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Mildew: Gone in the frosts.

Septoria: plenty on lower leaves.

Eyespot: low levels of stem browning can be found on Einstein in particular. Some browning of outer leaf sheaths but no real increase in levels.

Weed control: delayed applications fo herbicides for blackgrass control still to be applied. Problem is some blackgrass now as big as plates so do not expect high levels of control.

West Midlands: Crops range from GS 31-GS21. Early sown Humber, Grafton, Battalion and Diego now at GS 31. Ground has dried up rapidly this week as a consequence of high winds.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Mildew: traces on Humber.

Septoria: low levels on bottom leaves.

Weed control: Brome control required.

North East: Despite lower than average temperatures, the longer day length is enough for crops to develop, and many 1st wheats now at GS30-31. Only 4mm rainfall in last 7 days, but windy conditions have hampered field work.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Mildew: gone in the frost.

Septoria: actual levels appear much lower now than they were a month ago as new clean growth now pre-dominates.

Eyespot: no obvious infections seen.

Weed control: blackgrass situations all been identified now. It is growing vigorously now so the sooner we get good spraying conditions the better.