With T2 fungicide sprays going onto the more forward winter wheat crops, thoughts turn to growers who have experienced a particularly tricky season with an exceptionally wet winter and dry spring who are now aiming to keep the flag leaf free from disease.

T2 fungicide treatments are the most significant in terms of protecting final yields, as the top two leaves contribute up to 70% of the crop’s final yield. 

Applications should, therefore, be applied when the flag leaf is fully emerged, typically using three modes of action which include an SDHI, an azole and a multisite to provide adequate levels of protection against septoria and rusts.

We take a look at the tweets that have arisen as growers, agronomists and operators get into the swing of the most important fungicide timing, and what such a challenging season means for fungicide applications.

Sean Sparling, independent agronomist in Lincolnshire, has clients busy applying T2 applications to winter wheat crops, but highlights how crops are incredibly varied this season due to such unsettled weather conditions, with some wheat fields not even reached stem elongation yet.

Booting and T2 being applied to the wheat in this field, but the field next door has yet to get its T1 because it hasnt got to GS 30 yet!
Funny old game. pic.twitter.com/bDhzF05CT6

— Sean Sparling FRAgS (@sasagronomy) May 13, 2020

Farm manager and crop consultant, Samuel Clarke who farms near Banbury, Oxfordshire, shares this picturesque view of a Cotswold wheat crop, soon to be at its T2 timing. What it needs now is some rain!

Great views today on the Cotswolds but wheat leaves curling now from the drought. Cost of the fung programme to date sub £20/ha, triazole + strob T2 planned. pic.twitter.com/sv1Q6gMZrL

— Samuel Clarke (@farmersamclarke) May 18, 2020

Norfolk grower and contract farmer, Kit Papworth expresses his concerns over his wheat crop as it struggles in drought conditions, and wonders what fungicide rate he should be using?

I know you guys on heavy land have had a tough year but spare a thought for those of us who had an easier autumn, have a #wheat crop and it now looks like this. T2 rate for this anyone? I hope the market is aware @dewinggrain @Grainboy pic.twitter.com/qvYOqFMPCY

— Kit Papworth (@farmerkit) May 19, 2020

Amie Hunter, Hutchinson’s agronomist based in Cornwall is out and about checking wheat crops with her border terrier to ensure optimum T2 timing and maximum yields for farmers.

This winter #wheat looking a picture now and very nearly T2 “terrier 2”! #agronomydog #borderterrier #agronomy pic.twitter.com/fmcYjqjmuV

— Amie Hunter (@agronomydog) May 11, 2020

Mike Farrell, who manages a predominantly arable estate in north-west Hampshire shares this pretty picture of a phacelia crop with his Costello wheat that is now due its T2 spray featuring in the background.

Lovely little 2.5ha block of Phacelia coming to life in a field corner adjacent to one of the few surviving crops of oilseed rape that we planted; Providing valuable habitat for bees and insects. Fantastic looking Dec sown Costello wheat in the background due its T2 next week pic.twitter.com/phCPmCbs3k

— Mike Farrell (@mike_farrell83) May 14, 2020

Field biologists at Syngenta are also busy at the group’s Rougham Innovation Centre in Suffolk preparing for T2 applications on their crop trials this week.

The winter wheat at Rougham Innovation Centre will be getting a T2 this week. Crusoe (the dark green one) always a trialists favourite as you can spot it a mile off and lets you know that you drilled something in the right place! pic.twitter.com/Rd5dsBgYpX

— Ben (@BenUrq) May 19, 2020