South East: All crops now extending and range from green bud to early yellow bud stages. All crops have had first N+S applied in last 2 weeks. Second N applications being made around yellow bud or as late as possible.

South West: Colder snap has really checked rape. Upper stems drooping noticeably on the colder mornings. Flocks of 200-300 pigeons have become active again. In fields near woods deer have nipped off over half the apical florets on headlands.

East: Still concerned about great variability between crops. Some are excellent full of growth; at the other end of spectrum we have small spindly plants which have started stem extension with flower buds showing but no branching and very little leaf. They look desperately short of Nitrogen. Cold weather have caused stems to kink! Some fields are very uneven in height also with the odd very advanced plant coming into flower. Light Leaf Spot: odd foci of light leaf spot seen on variety Castille in several fields in west Norfolk (see photo). Blackgrass: looks to be well controlled.

East Midlands: Crops at mid to late green bud, with odd bolter in flower. Cold winds followed by -3.50C overnight has caused flower buds to bend over, but should recover OK when temps go up. Many crops have GAI of 2+. Will receive some boron on some farms where history of low boron or broad spectrum soil analysis has shown very low levels. Lioness may need some magnesium, but so far not as bad as last year for magnesium deficiency, probably due to mild weather in March and good growth. Odd pollen beetle seen before cold weather but none seen since

West Midlands: Dry, cold conditions are not slowing the rapid stem extension taking place in some crops notably lioness and Castile. Odd crop struggling to come into flower. Some light land crops looking particularly straggly. First N+S now on most crops.

North East Buds extending above crop canopy in most crops, and most forward now at yellow bud. Farmers worried about frost damage but rape is winter hardy and don't expect conditions to compromise yields at all. Good conditions during flowering and pollination are much more critical. Field will travel well. Crops picking up earlier N application now and most looking good, but where have compaction growth is impeded and will apply foliar feed soon as conditions permit. Light Leaf Spot: some signs of new infection.

South East: September and early October sown crops are generally at GS 30, with the most advanced crops around GS 31 (particularly if basal fertility is high) - take care not to confuse presence of basal internode with GS31. Leaf 4 1/3 - 2/3 emerged in these earlier sown crops - order of development as follows - Einstein (most advanced) >Robigus >Solstice >Alchemy >Claire. Tip of leaf 3 emerging on early sown Einstein and Robigus on fertile fields. Late October/early November sown crops are now at mid-tillering to GS29. Recent cold snap has purpled foliage of many wheat crops, slowing nodal development. Field conditions are mostly dry and firm now. Brown rust: widespread in all September sown crops of Alchemy, Claire and Solstice. No action required until T0 timings in mid/late March. Mildew: still very hard to find any active pustules and older leaves that were carrying infection now senescing. Septoria : lesions now obvious on older leaves of all September/early October sown wheats. Eyespot: some moderate stem based browning can now be found in earlier sown second wheats in particular. Recent dry and breezy weather helping to slough-off older leaves and leaf sheaths, taking some infection pressure away. Blackgrass : low levels of blackgrass (GS 21-29) been found in some crops treated in late October/November.

South West: Little change in nodal growth stage over the past week. Cold snap early this week has slowed wheat up. Commonest leaf emergence is still leaf 5 with up to one third of leaf 4 out on forward crops. Crops on wet lying soils are very yellow. On thin soils stoney patches where nitrogen has leached heavily look very pale. Occasional hail, rain and sleet showers have not wetted up soils appreciably. Brown rust: no sign on newly emerging leaves although some overwintered leaves have been killed by this disease (Alchemy and Zebedee in particular). Mildew: seems to have freshened up a little. Septoria: frequent lesions on lower leaves. Eyespot : easily found in virtually all forward crops. First and second wheats.

East Midlands: Very little change due to cold weather. Most crops at GS 30 with forward ones close to GS 31. Later crops at GS 29-30. Stress symptoms persist ranging from yellow, due to wet feet, to some purpling of leaves from recent cold winds. A lot of lower leaves have died off now with in some cases the odd tiller dying - probably due to wet feet followed by drying winds. Soil temps have dropped to less than 4 deg C in last couple of days. Forward crops have had a growth regulator - later crops (or rather more normal crops for time of year) will have chlormequat next week. Mildew: some on older leaves of Solstice but not very active and colder weather is holding it. Brown rust: traces on Alchemy and Einstein, but less prevalent now than 4 weeks ago. Septoria: usual lesions on older leaves but top leaves clean so far. Yellow Rust : traces on Robigus. Eyespot: levels remain quite low so far with leaf tissue dying off and base of plants drying out. Solstice so far has the highest level but no more than 2-3%. Blackgrass: new emergence on worst fields

West Midlands: Einstein at GS 31 on main stem, Alchemy at GS 31 with other crops ranging GS 12-31. Early sown crops of Robigus and Einstein have final leaf three just emerging but most early sown crops still at final leaf four emerging. It's worth checking as some mid-September sown crops have only final leaf 5 emerging. Cold weather and light dusting of snow has meant that it has been too cold to apply any growth regulator. Some crops showing a lot of leaf senescence. Hope for warmer weather over the next 10 days. Ground has been dry enough to cultivate and sow although some heavier fields are "sticky". Brown rust: readily found on lower leaves of early drilled Alchemy and Solstice. Mildew: held at bay by recent frosts and icy winds. Septoria: high levels on older leaves, especially Einstein. Eyespot: low levels on Alchemy, Einstein, Robigus and Solstice. Take-all : low levels showing on roots of some first wheats.

East: Most advanced between GS 30 and 31 - Robigus and Alchemy. Soil surface drying up in very cold winds wind. Disease levels less with many older leaves dried up. Effects of three very wet months showing up in poor growth in patches in many fields - generally 'min till' worst affected and second wheat worse than first but this is mainly down to timing of cultivation and drilling, notably using heavy equipment on wet soil. Brown rust: Still visible on forward Alchemy, Einstein and Solstice but no increase on last week. Mildew: much less evident. 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. Yellow Rust: Essex: Robigus showing few pustules on some crops. Norfolk: none seen. Eyespot: Essex: at up to 10% level in early drilled Robigus, Solstice and Gladiator. Norfolk: low level in second wheats. Wheat bulb fly : low level. Very few fields needing treatment. Wild oats: first signs of emergence, over-wintered wild oats approaching second node. Pigeons more of a problem over the last week.

North East: Its been a cold week so little change in growth stages. Many crops 1st wheats now at GS 31. and the rest at or close to GS30. 6mm rainfall this week, but land has dried well now. Some Spring slurry being applied now and full allowance will be made for available N. Brown rust: mostly disappeared now after early attack. Mildew: as with Brown rust it has mostly disappeared now after early attack. Septoria: present in all crops with all susceptible varieties showing significant level. Eyespot: some stem discolouration easy to find in most early sown crops. Yellow rust: none seen but the threat is high as there is a big acreage of Robigus, first wheats after rape, in this area.

South East: Earliest sown crops now at GS 30+, with most crops still around GS 29-30. All crops have had first N+S applied now - all nitrogen will be applied by mid-April. 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. Rhynchosporium: low levels can be found in thicker crops.

South West: Earliest crops in South Somerset are at GS 31 with occasional plants at 32. General trend is late tillering to 30. Brown rust is readily detectable in many varieties. Mildew: at low level in most varieties.

Midlands: No real movement - at GS 30 still, but will move to GS 31 when temperatures move up. Some crops looking quite yellow as older leaves die back. Rhynchosporium is becoming more obvious. Mildew which had been on lower leaves now causing leaves to die back. Net-blotch: odd lesions but Carat particularly bad.

East: Largely GS 30. Often very yellow due to water logging or mildew. Mildew: Norfolk: moderate to high levels seen. Net-blotch levels vary from trace to significant levels on some crops.

North East: Crops growing very slowly under current conditions, but early PGR been applied now. They will green up quickly now had early N and as weather gets warmer. Mildew: significant level in Carat and Pict but Saffron very clean. Net-blotch: significant level in Carat and Pict, but Saffron only very low level. Aphids present in crops treated in early autumn.