The recent warm weather and some rain has enabled the crops tomake rapid growth.

Those that were seven days behind earlier in the season are nowat the same growth stage as they were last year.

Winter barley is at GS 49, awns just visible, and will besprayed, weather permitting, this week with Jaunt (prothioconazole+ trifloxystrobin + fluoxastrobin) + chlorothalonil.

Please note that the latest timing for the use of chlorothalonilat the T2 is GS 51(before first spikelet visible).

Winter wheats have leaf 2 emerged and will be sprayed when theflags emerge in about 10 days’ time. This year there are muchreduced tiller numbers and plant numbers are also low. This meansthat lower leaves will make a greater contribution. Also leaf 3 onthe secondary tillers would not have received fungicide at the T1timing, applied two weeks ago.

So it’s imperative that a robust rate of a good fungicide, suchas Ennobe (epoxiconazole + prochloraz), is considered for longerkick-back activity.

Nitrogen fertiliser programmes should now be completed if theyhaven’t already been.

Red wheat A C Barrie is growing at a rate of knots, typicallylike a spring wheat. Atlantis (iodosulfuron + mesosulfuron) has,unfortunately, slightly scorched this variety, perhaps because ofits rapid growth pattern. The variety will require two good growthregulators and an application of manganese.

Oilseed rape has been sprayed against sclerotinia about a weekago and a second fungicide may be required if there is a prolongedflowering. Note that it is against the rules to mix an insecticidewith a triazole fungicide during flowering.

Most pea crops are at the tendril locking stage and have escapedpea and bean weevil attack. Residual herbicides have not workedwell this year because of the dry weather and may need anoverspray. Ensure there is an adequate layer of wax on the leavesbefore applying a herbicide.