As the T2 spray timing approaches, keeping enough flexibility in spray programmes as the dry spell continues is occupying the minds of growers and agronomists alike.

With T1 sprays completed and crops looking very clean, there is a reluctance to overspend on the flag leaf spray, but understandable caution about leaving crops exposed.

See also: Why parasitic weeds are a rising arable threat

With plenty of the season still to go and the weather likely to change in the coming month, making the right product choice and being able to adapt and adjust according to the conditions are key.

Yellow rust

A further consideration for the 2025 growing season has been the unexpected appearance of yellow rust on wheat varieties that had been considered to be resistant at the young plant stage.

Therefore, it essential to monitor crops and react as necessary.

Where the disease was spotted and the T0 and T1 sprays applied accordingly, tebuconazole has worked well.

But the ongoing threat does mean that many of the T2 fungicide choices may need to have their rust control boosted, adding £7-£14/ha to the cost.

As Farmers Weekly went to press, septoria levels were low after nitrogen uptake was delayed until it rained.

Most regions saw only 20-30mm of rain in March and April, so infection events have been limited and crops are not as thick as usual. The majority are expected to get to flag leaf in the next two weeks.

There are lots of options for the T2 spray and an even wider range of prices, acknowledges agronomist Jock Willmott of Ceres Rural.

He stresses that the weather forecast will have to be considered before decisions are made.

With some products having high price tags, he accepts that a spend of £70/ha while it remains dry is a big ask.

He suggests that growers prioritise the earlier drilled wheats with the most potential, and reminds them that septoria can’t be eradicated.

“Even with wheat at £175/t, there’s still a margin to be made. The main fungicides give just three to four days of curative activity on septoria now and the azoles offer a maximum of three weeks activity on rusts,” he says.

If it stays dry, Univoq at 1 litre/ha is a good starting point, with either tebuconazole or pyraclostrobin added for rust. In less settled conditions, the rate of Univoq should be increased to 1.3-1.5 litres/ha.

“Univoq is very good value, is not based on SDHI chemistry and offers very good septoria control,” Jock says.

“Its efficacy hasn’t waned at all and its price hasn’t changed since it was launched.”  

However, it probably isn’t an option for those with pulse width modulation (PWM) on the sprayer, he notes.

Wetter conditions

In wetter conditions, Miravis Plus is the best option for septoria, Jock believes, while next comes the Vimoy/Jessico One mix – a well-balanced product which provides a lot of disease control for the money.

“Miravis doesn’t have the dose rate flexibility, so don’t be tempted to reduce rates or its efficacy will be affected,” he advises. “You will also need to add something for rust.”

Work done by the Association of Independent Crop Consultants (AICC) on T2 timing shows some variation on the effectiveness of products if the application is made either seven days before or seven days after growth stage 39.

“But if the spray is timely, there’s no significant difference in yield between products, with the exception of Revystar,” Jock says.

The latter is an option for lower potential crops at T2 if it doesn’t rain, he advises.

Farmers Weekly visited three arable farms at the end of April to see how their T2 plans were taking shape.

P Squire Ltd, Staploe, Bedfordshire

Ben Hall, left, and Richard Squire © Louise Impey

Some 30mm of rain since March has washed in the nitrogen and most of the winter wheat crops are growing well, reports Richard Squire and his farm manager, Ben Hall.

With three hard feed wheat varieties on the farm – Champion, Beowulf and Insitor – a timely T1 of Ascra + tebuconazole was applied in April and there were no signs of disease at the end of the month.

That means decisions about the T2 products are still to be made, but the likelihood is that the flag leaf spray will be based on Univoq. The rate will be based on the weather forecast.

All three varieties will be monitored closely for yellow rust as the season progresses, as their resistance ratings may no longer be relevant.

“The rain that we had around Easter time has really transformed the crops,” says Ben “While it stays warm and dry, they will race through their growth stages.”

Under the guidance of Ceres Rural agronomist Jock Willmott and given the slow uptake of nitrogen, they have backed off on the use of plant growth regulators to some extent and are now intent on keeping disease out.

That will mean spending around £50/ha, they predict.

Mark Gemmill, Maces Farm, Rickling Green, Essex

The focus is on first wheats at Maces Farm in Essex, where farm manager Mark Gemmill oversees 1,200ha of combinable crops, sugar beet and stewardship for Pegasi Management Company.

With a pulse width modulation system on his Chafer Interceptor self-propelled sprayer, Mark will not be risking Univoq at T2 and is mindful of last season’s disease pressure.

“We’ve still got a long way to go,” he says. “My instinct is to be cautious – we need to preserve yield and quality, so we will be pragmatic with our decisions.”

With Group 1, 2 and 4 winter wheats grown, Mark has Crusoe, Extase, Palladium and Graham in the ground and is also trying some Beowulf and Typhoon as possible replacements for Graham.

Both have already shown early susceptibility to yellow rust, so the search will continue, says agronomist Alice Andrews of Ceres Rural.

The T1 spray was based on Ascra + tebuconazole, while the T2 is likely to be Miravis Plus, with added rust control, she notes.  

“The aim is to treat the current crop and provide enough protection to get us through to ear emergence.”

A Johnson & Son, Hunston, Suffolk

Most of the winter wheat crops are grown for seed at Will Johnson’s farm in mid-Suffolk, with Zyatt, Beowulf and Dawsum all featuring this year.

The T0 spray was based on tebuconazole and then followed by a T1 of 1 litre/ha of Ascra plus tebuconazole – with the dry weather meaning that they were all made at the optimum timing.

With crops having good yield potential, the T2 spray will be based on Univoq, says his agronomist Peter Wilson.

“That will be plenty,” he comments. “There doesn’t seem to be the need to spend as much as £70/ha on a T2 while it’s so dry and crops are clean.”