South East: Bulk of crops now approaching enclosed bud stage with noticeable proliferation of basal rosette buds. Despite wet soils, most crops remain a healthy green showing good rooting and have GAI canopies currently around 1.5-2+, indicating around 80-100+kg/ha nitrogen already within the crop. Planning disease control and PGR when crops are at Green-yellow bud (end-March/early April).

South West: Flower buds still encased in leaves except for a few isolated plants at buds visible above crop. Image analysis using ADAS/BASF tool shows canopies ranging from GAI 3 to 0.45, a range in crop nitrogen from 150 to 22.5 kg/ha.

East: Crops have lost leaves in cold weather and have become more open. In waterlogged or compacted areas and where the plants are short of N the foliage is very purple. Some crops are now beginning to grow again with new green leaves appearing in the centres. Flower buds appearing (i.e. not enclosed by leaves) in just one or two very forward crops. Few plants first flowers. Planning nitrogen by assessing GAI and predicting expected seed yield performance. Sulphur to be included. Considering splitting N 3 ways on some crops. GAI differs greatly from crop to crop. Beginning to get an idea which crops may definitely require a PGR. Pigeon flocks just starting to be a nuisance.

East Midlands: Big variation of crops with some showing stress from wet feet and purpling while more forward crops still looking well. Soil Mineral Nitrogen tests show low level of Sulphur in top 30 cm. Club Root: new small areas still continue to be found, although one largish area found where history of charlock. Pigeons not a problem yet but one or two large flocks seen.

West Midlands: Most crops with GAI 1-2. A lot of purpling where waterlogged or compacted. Will apply nitrogen + Sulphur in first or second week of March. Some crops on light land now have flower buds above the crop. Pigeons virtually absent from crops.

North East Crops starting to grow now and have some with flower buds visible. Crops that were very dense in the Autumn are more open now. Smaller crops only just at buds enclosed stage. Crops being assessed for GAI with most in range of 0.7 to 1.5. For GAI in excess of 2 an allowance is calculated for the N already taken up by the crop and this is deducted from the total application so that GAI of 2 gets 50 kg less, and 2.5 100 kg less. Pigeons are gathering for the first time, no damage as yet.

South East: September/mid-October sown crops generally remain at mid-/late-tillering stages with the most advanced crops around GS 30 (basal internode now discernible in most forward/thickest crops), while late October/early November sown crops are now mostly GS 21+. Early nitrogen+S only being considered on late-sown wheats, second wheats, rabbit grazed fields and Soissons. Continuing unsettled conditions means many fields at field capacity. Brown rust: still common in all September sown crops of Alchemy, Claire and Solstice although drying up after colder weather. Mildew: still hard to find active pustules following cold snap in early February. Septoria: lesions now obvious on older leaves of all September/early October sown wheats - with ongoing mild conditions the level of Septoria inoculum is inevitably high. Eyespot: some stem based browning can now be found in earlier sown second wheats in particular - will need close monitoring in Spring. Gout fly: some very high levels of infestation noted in a few locations (80-100% plants), primarily in fields located in sheltered valleys and also blocks of continuous wheat - affected plants have up to 2-3 gouted tillers present, with relatively weak remaining tillers.

South West: Increasing number of crops at GS 30, not just in sheltered area. GS 30 common in Einstein, Robigus and Deben. Less common in slower developers such as Claire and Alchemy. Crops commonly sit at this stage for quite some time until day length and temperature triggers signal stem extension. What is unusual is the number of tillers on plants which are at GS30, it is not just the lead tiller as is often the case. Mildew: seems to have freshened up a little. Septoria: very low levels in most varieties. Eyespot: the thickest early sown crops are showing stem base browning. Not specifically identified as eyespot. Blackgrass: Any untreated area will be left until days lengthen in Late Feb./early March.

East Midlands: Very little recent growth with forward crops remaining at GS 30 - later drilled crops at 25-29. Some manganese deficiency now starting to show. Soil Min N results so far show significant drops compared with last year typically 31 kg/ha N in top 60 cm after rape. Basically total sodden fields and each mm rain just tops up any that has run off. Frequently wet patches in fields, ponding on headlands etc. Some crops starting to yellow a bit with wet feet. Mildew: can be found on older leaves but not very active - new growth remains clean so far. Brown rust: traces on Alchemy, Cordiale and Einstein. Septoria: usual lesions on older leaves but top leaves clean so far. Eyespot: considerable on Cordiale but other varieties remain clean. The wet means many crops may not be particularly well rooted so lodging appears to be a high risk this year. Also such varieties such as Solstice need protecting re quality.

West Midlands: Einstein at GS 31 on main stem, Alchemy at GS 30. Some very forward wheats around with lots of tillers. Ground conditions too wet to spray (probably wetter now than has been all winter). Brown rust: readily found on lower leaves of early drilled Alchemy and Solstice. Mildew, Septoria and Eyespot: low levels on Alchemy, Einstein and Solstice. Wheat bulb fly: very low levels after beet on light land.

East: September drilled Alchemy, Solstice and Robigus are approaching GS30. Fields very wet. Little or no field work possible even on light land. Brown rust: present at low levels on all varieties where early drilled. Mildew: new leaves of all varieties remaining clean. Some death of lower leaves of early Solstice from mildew. Consider including mildewicide in T0. Septoria: no increase - lower leaves on most varieties have the disease - so what's new! Alchemy cleanest followed by Robigus. Clear pattern in disease levels with drilling dates - late October drilled crops almost completely clean. Eyespot: clear eyespot lesions on early drilled Robigus and Solstice. Wheat bulb fly: signs of dead-hearts have appeared during the last few days. Late sowings after beet or potatoes will be at risk.

North East: Most crops showing little stem extension, but forward crops of Robigus, Nijinksy and especially Cordiale are at GS 30, and some Cordiale nearly GS31. 20 mm rainfall in last 14 days giving a local total of 40 mm for February. Lot of standing water in fields in low places and compacted areas, but crops look OK. Brown rust: crops carrying significant levels a few weeks ago are now clean. Mildew: obvious in many crops but this area of mostly heavy soils doesn't usually have a problem with mildew. Septoria: present in all forward crops, but later sown are still clean. Older leaves only with low level on Robigus and Welford. Eyespot: no ' true ' symptoms seen with typical lines of spores but there are yellow patches in crops of Robigus which are early season symptoms. Aphids: checking crops treated before 3rd week of October and have found aphids present. Gout fly : moderate levels can be found in all crops sown before the end of September. Wheat bulb fly: no 'dead-hearts' found yet in untreated crops.

Don't jeopardise your SFP by miss-timing chlormequat.

South East: Earliest sown crops now at GS25-29, with most crops around GS 24-25+. Any fields with higher soil N levels are supporting canopies with high tiller numbers. Manganese deficiency showing in usual areas of problem fields - liquid manganese being applied as soon as can travel. Brown rust: widespread, pustules can be found in all crops of Sequel/Boost in particular. Mildew: mostly browned pustules can be found on lower leaves Sequel/Pearl.

South West: A few crops at GS30 but all now looking very yellow. Take care with PGR timings as many Chlormequat formulations are only approved until the end of GS 30 in Winter Barley. Statutory Management Requirement 9 makes caution vital if SFPs are not to be jeopardised. Wetter areas of heavy fields have gone very yellow again. Brown rust: is readily detectable in many varieties. Mildew: at low level in most varieties.

Midlands: GS 30 and well tillered - crops getting worryingly forward like wheat. Mildew: at very low levels so far on lower leaves with top leaves staying clear. Will apply 1st N split to malting barleys in next 10 days.

East: GS 30 and well tillered. Mildew: on older leaves but none on new growth. Net-blotch: levels vary from trace to significant levels on some crops. Manganese deficiency common.

North East: Crops fully tillered and at leaf sheath erect stage. Mildew: levels lower now than a few weeks ago but still on lower leaves of Carat and Pearl. Saffron and Flagon clean. Net-blotch: reasonably high levels now in most crops, especially in Pearl, Carat and Saffron, but not considered a threat to yields at this stage. Aphids: present in crops treated in early autumn.