Recently by James Boswell

Wheat has had a four spray fungicide programe and for the first time in many years we have a plant that is clean but if areas around telegraph posts have been unsprayed the yellow rust has completely defoliated the plant (especially in Robigus).

Crops have been thinner this season and generaly shorter in height. Oakley looks good and has tillered well. The far south east had moisture in June and many crops look promising.

Most crops oilseed rape crops are at or near dessication time. Podsick is proving popular and can be added to the glyphosate to reduce  pod shatter ahead of the combine. All varieties have some frost induced pod abortion on various parts of the racime and it would be difficult to predict yields until the crops have been combined.

Many wheat crops have had the good fortune of having sufficient moisture at critical times during their spring growth and are looking promising - although very few are thick enough. Disease pressure has remained low with fungicide spray timings and weather conditions being favourable wheat crops have four to five disease free leaves.

Only mildew can be found at low levels on stems of  some varieties, especially Solstice. Growth regulation has been difficult this season with crops being very short in height early in the spring and missing one growth regulator, have now started to grow at a rapid rate in early summer. Time will tell if this will lead to lodging nearer to harvest.

T3 is now being applied with low rate strobe and triazole mixtures being popular. Grassweed control has been variable with few products achieving high levels of control on difficult blackgrass populations.

Wheat crops are very variable ranging from flag leaf just emerging to first node, which due to last week's windy conditions, has led to delayed T1 applications on backward stands.

T0 fungicides have been adequate, with no yellow rust pustules being found prior to last weeks T1 fungicides. Septoria tritici remains only on the lower leaves but pressure is increasing since having had heavy rainfall. It has not been brown rust weather as it has been too cold.

Growth regulation has been difficult whilst the crops were under stress in the very dry conditions, but assessment now is recommended to see if a later growth regulator is needed on the strongest crops - these will need to be applied before GS37.

Forward winter barley fields are at awns emerging and Net blotch and rhynchosporium can be found at low levels but time has run out for growth regulation when crops are at GS37. Grass weed control remains difficult with a big reliance on residuals in the autumn and little chemistry for post emergence contact grass weed control in the spring .

Forward oilseed rape crops are starting to flower, but any crop still at tight green bud is being attacked by pollen beetle - at their highest levels for a decade. These crops are at a high risk from pod distortion and are a  priority for spraying with a pyrethroid when windy conditions relent. Weed control has been good and control of resistant blackgrass with propyzamide has been excellent.

Barley is looking much better this season. Recent winters have left the crop looking very pale and yellow but this season has seen a change and green crops are the norm. A plant growth regulator and fungicide are now ready for application at the T1 stage of the crop. Disease levels have been low but mildew can be found on the thickest crops.

Variation in oilseed rape growth area indexes is massive this spring. The cold winter has taken its toll and many crops look pale and backward. All crops have now received their first nitrogen dressing, but as soil temperatures struggle to 6-7C, response to this nutrient has been slow.

Levels of phoma are very variety dependant, with DK Cabernet and Osprey looking cleaner than others. Opportunities for controlling thistles, mayweed and cleavers will soon be over when rape starts responding to the warmer weather and stem extension begins - pigeons remain the bane of oilseed rape growers lives.
 
Spring beans are a popular spring break crop in the South-East, with Fuego remaining the most popular variety. Drilling is now in full swing and a pre-emergence spray with linuron, clomazone, imazamox and pendimethalin is a popular tank mix. Seed-beds are also good.

Field conditions are still very soggy and the drains are running well. Oilseed rape has much better establishment and growth than last year, but pigeons are starting to be a problem. It's too late for Kerb (propyzamide) so you need to move to carbetamex for weed control.

A lot of crops were not sprayed for phoma - consequently the disease is rife and needs controlling. Flusilazole applied at up to 0.5-0.6l/ha should give good control. Light leaf spot isn't really a problem in this area, but it is a disease that likes the cold so it needs looking out for.

First nitrogen applications are high up the agenda once the crop starts growing and most will be putting on nitrogen and sulphur. We'll be carrying out SMN testing before making the first nitrogen application and at stem extension we will look at plant growth regulator fungicide options. Metconazole is good where there is excessive growth.

Winter Barley is well established now and looking well. Crops have had a pre-emergence spray and now need a Pyrethroid for BYDV control in a tank mix with a residual top up based on CTU ( depending on variety).

Wet weather diseases such as Rhyncosporium and net Blotch remain low but Mildew is rife on upper leaves and will need controlling with Torch Extra especially on lighter ground where rooting and drought tolerence can be adversely affected.

Wheat establishment has been fantastic and after a very dry beginning has now recovered very well. Blackgrass control as always has been a top priority, with no stale seedbed possible and very dry conditions for pre-emergent sprays, pressure was very high at crop emergence.

Wheat was drilled deep into very dry seed-beds which has resulted in very slow germination. There has been no opportunity for a stale seedbed and grassweed pressure is very high.

Most fields have had a pre-emergence herbicide for grassweed control but due to very dry and warm soils, good control has been difficult.

Now soil conditions are warm and moist so Atlantis (mesosulfuron + iodosulfuron) and adjuvant, Biopower are being recommended. Slug levels are lower than last year but still need close monitoring.

The majority of oilseed rape crops are now looking stronger at four to six true leaves. Slug attack has remained low and nitrogen has been applied to seed-beds which has helped growth. Leaf minor can still be found on older leaves of early-drilled rape, but newer leaves and later drilled crops are fine. Because of the very dry weather Phoma has been difficult to find. But pressure is starting to increase and close monitoring is advised. Flushes of difficult blackgrass will need to be addressed soon when soils become wetter and cooler. Pigeons are present in other crops but yet to be a problem in rape.

Like the wheat, barley has been slow to emerge. With fewer actives available, grassweed control in barley is extremely difficult. The most reliable approach is to use pre-emergence or early post-emergence applications. This job must take priority as contact grassweed products are very limited.

Extremely dry conditions in the south-east during the second half of August have led to oilseed rape establishment difficulties.

Direct-drilled and Autocast crops that went into early into moisture have reached the expanded cotyledon stage and are growing away well. Slug damage is minimal though vigilance and baiting are recommended. Cabbage stem flea beetle damage is at low levels.

Crops drilled recently into drier seed-beds are more variable and in some cases sowing is being held back until rain arrives. This is delaying applications of residual herbicides until the crop has reached its first true leaf.

With record wheat yields last year the most popular varieties seem to be Cordiale and Solstice, although we're still searching for the ideal variety to fulfil the south-east's Group 3 demand.

Extremely dry conditions in the south-east during the second half of August have led to oilseed rape establishment difficulties.

Direct-drilled and Autocast crops that went into early into moisture have reached the expanded cotyledon stage and are growing away well. Slug damage is minimal though vigilance and baiting are recommended. Cabbage stem flea beetle damage is at low levels.

Crops drilled recently into drier seed-beds are more variable and in some cases sowing is being held back until rain arrives. This is delaying applications of residual herbicides until the crop has reached its first true leaf.

With record wheat yields last year the most popular varieties seem to be Cordiale and Solstice, although we're still searching for the ideal variety to fulfil the south-east's Group 3 demand.