Humber wheat showing yellow
flecking on upper leaves.
Photo Farming Online.

South East: Peter Cowlrick. All September/early October sown wheats are now between GS 39-51, with September/early October sown Einstein, Solstice, Xi19 and Cordiale all having ears around 1/3 emerged on main shoots. Late October/November sown crops are now all at GS 33 with flag-leaf around 25-30% emerged. Ear is now fully emerged in October sown Soissons. Flag-leaf sprays applied at around flag-leaf fully emerged on main shoots. Thoughts now turning to T3 applications.

Brown rust: none detectable.

Yellow rust: no signs of yellow rust pustuled can be found.

Mildew: may be necessary to include a mildewicide on ears if mildew is becoming active in treated canopies again towards end of May.

Septoria: only variety with notable Septoria on leaf 4 and odd lesions on tip of leaf 3 is September sown Solstice where T0 applications were delayed by 7-10 days.

Eyespot: appears to be drying up.

Orange wheat blossom midge: with adequate soil temperatures and heavy rain forecast this weekend, could see a large emergence of adults next week, coinciding nicely with ear emergence - pheromone traps going out this week.

Mildew: levels remain low.

South West: Stephen Harrison. Most Crops now beyond GS 37 with booting common. Ears are emerging on early drilled Solstice and Humber. This year crops seem to have large leaves compared to last season when April drought curtailed growth.

Brown rust: very difficult to find.

Yellow rust: infection seen on Robigus (leaf 2) with classic striations of pustules. This despite a half dose of epoxiconaole around 2 weeks ago. Leaf 3, which was emerged at time of spraying, is still clean. Recently applied flag leaf treatment should stop further development.

Septoria tritici: no expression of symptoms on yield building leaves.

Eyespot: levels have not escalated and at risk crops now all treated. Wet May weather allows further penetration of leaf sheath so maintain vigilance.

East Midlands: Martin Eudall. Most crops have flag now out and some forward crops have ear in boot. Soils now generally dry on top with some slight cracking, particularly on heavier soils. Pale patches in crops generally show where they lay wet in April or even to soil damage last summer - evening trailer wheelings from last harvest can be seen on one field with pale lines. This has led to poorer rooting and nutrient uptake.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: none seen.

Septoria tritici: T1 sprays have worked well with no Septoria seen on leaf 3, showing T1 timing was good. Usual old Septoria on lower leaves.

Mildew: levels very low and confined to some pustules on lower stems, and none on the top 4 leaves.

Eyespot: symptoms (including 'stem-base browning') on many crops - but has not developed as much as expected.

Orange wheat blossom midge: with first ears about to show it is wheat blossom midge time again - settled warm evenings could herald a flush soon. Pheromone traps being used in some higher risk situations.

West Midlands: Bryce Rham. Einstein and Humber both have ears emerging on most forward stem, all remaining crops have flag leaf emerging to fully out, irrespective of sowing date. Most fields are now very dry with spray operators now having to cope with being shaken to bits due to tramlines being like concrete roads rather than permanently having that sinking feeling! Sprayers have taken a real pounding this spring with self propelled machines coming off worst. 90% of T2s now on. Humber showing yellow flecking of upper leaves not seen on other varieties as yet (see photo). Although not in every crop of Humber in the region it does seem to be peculiar to the variety. Most likely cause is the fluctuating temperatures of late and unlikely it will have any influence on yield.

Mildew: very low levels.

Brown rust: none found.

Yellow rust: more reports of yellow rust on Robigus where T1 delayed.

Eyespot: no further development in treated crops.

Septoria tritici: Most varieties are showing leaf 1,2,3 and 4 clean with maximum of 1-5% Septoria on some leaf 4's.

Aphids: first ones being found in odd crop. Assess need for control at ear emergence.

Eastern Counties: Jamie MacKay. Ears now emerging on the most forward wheats. Flag leaf sprays are well under way and most will be completed by the weekend. The top three leaves of crops are, on the whole very clean however, it may take a little while for Septoria to express itself on lower leaves given the lower than average temperatures for most of March/April. Well-timed T1 sprays will keep it under control. A few patches of wild oats to spray out but it is generally too late for 'revenge' spraying of blackgrass. Ear treatments being planned, mycotoxin risk as the major consideration.

Eyespot: no further development.

Septoria tritici: none on new leaves.

Mildew: coming back into susceptible varieties e.g. Claire.

Wheat orange blossom midge: soil temperatures are at or approaching 13 degrees C. and soil moisture levels are sufficient to trigger pupation in blossom midge larvae, thus starting this year's cycle. Put out pheromone traps towards the end of this month.

North East: Phillip Tuplin. GS 37-39 for most crops now and many had T2 application this week. Alchemy crops are towards end of this week, and expect all crops to have had their T2 in next few days. Another dry 7 days with no rainfall recorded, so spraying being done at ideal timings.

Brown rust: none seen.

Yellow rust: no pustules seen but there are leaf blotching symptoms.

Septoria tritici: all crops clean to Leaf 3. A few have traces on Leaf 4 notably in Cordiale and Nijinsky, and many crops are clean to Leaf 5.

Eyespot: no significant stem damage seen.

Mildew: none seen.

Orange wheat blossom midge: there are a number of 'hot spots' in the area. Pheromone traps will be sited over next 7 days. Regularly monitor traps and treat if threshold levels reached when crop is at a susceptible stage.

Sclerotinia sprays completed.
Photo Farming Online.

South East:

Seed weevil: only low levels been found in fields around Downs and woodland areas - with many crops now at end of flowering, except on headland areas, any pest damage will probably be mostly confined to headlands.

South West: Petals virtually all gone. Pod set looks excellent with very few blind pod sites.

Eastern Counties: Very dry time only a little rain in Peterborough area and south Norfolk last week end 6 to 12mm. North Norfolk saw no rain at all. Rape crops rapidly moving through petal fall, on the whole we have had a very dry sunny flowering time, which has been good for pod set.

Sclerotinia: all Sclerotinia sprays now applied well on time!

East Midlands: Crops at late flower with more green showing in most crops than yellow. Earlier pigeon damage causing big variations in flowering. Benefits of growth regulators can now be seen with crops treated branching well with a good numbers of pods. Catana and Castille both looking well - the hybrid Flash also impressive on one farm.

Sclerotinia: all crops now treated.

West Midlands: Crops will be at complete petal fall by end of this week/beginning next.

Sclerotinia: all crops now treated.

North East: Crops mostly at mid-late flowering now, and pod set looks very good.

Sclerotinia: all crops treated.

South East: All crops at GS 52-55 - no more inputs until the combine.

South West: Apart from pre harvest treatments the gate is now closed on this crop.

Eastern Counties: Awns fully emerged. Generally crops are clean of disease after treatment.

Midlands: All crops have ears emerged with some flowering. Basically all over now bar the shouting.

North East: Most crops at full ear emergence now. Only Sequel appears to be later than other varieties. No flowering seen yet.

South East: Most crops now at 6 leaf pairs to first flowers visible. Downy mildew beginning to appear on older leaves of few crops where being grown 1 year in 4 - in these situations could turn aggressive once canopies thicken.