North: OSR stem bases weakened by storms

All crops have benefitted from the April rains although it has severely delayed T1 fungicide applications to wheat, with many applied with leaf two showing.  With flag leaves now emerging on earlier crops the dilemma is how long to leave the gap between T1 and T2 fungicides. 

With Septoria tritici pressure high and nearly half of the grain yield obtained from the flag leaf alone the T2 timings should not be delayed much past the normal timing.  The new SDHI fungicides will feature at T2 to strengthen Septoria tritici control in particular.

Some winter barley crops have also had late T1 fungicide applications which has allowed diseases such as rhynchosporium to spread higher up the canopy than ideal.  T2 fungicides will be required when the awns are showing to keep on top of rhynchosporium and provide further brown rust control.

Spring barley T1 fungicides will be due soon when the crop meets between the rows.  Again, rhynchosporium is obvious on susceptible varieties along with mildew.  There has been no shortage of moisture to encourage weed flushes, so a herbicide will often be added to the T1 fungicide mix.

Oilseed rape crops have been knocked around with the April storms which have caused some severe leaning in some crops.  Most have sprung back up again but the stem bases could have been weakened which could lead to some lodging issues when the crop canopies become a lot heavier towards harvest.  Sclerotinia fungicides have been applied but with a prolonged flowering period expected more crops than normal may warrant a second flowering fungicide.

 Winter beans have thrived since the rains and are beginning to flower.  Chocolate spot levels are quite high so an early flowering fungicide will be crucial to keep this disease under control.

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