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All Crop Watch news

Agronomists from all areas of the UK report weekly on their crop management from establishment to harvest. Keep up-to-date with their progress and the latest crop developments as the growing season progresses and key decisions on disease, pest and weed control have to be made.

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Pre-em sprays struggle in dry East

It’s been a postcode lottery for rain with the South West having had a good wetting while other areas like the East are still dry.  For weed control, it means…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Maize drilling and OSR flowering sprays

The kind conditions have seen a start to maize drilling in Northern Ireland and in the South West, with rain bringing welcome moisture for the pre-emergence herbicides. However, the rain…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Rain arrives and yellow rust race concerns

As more unsettled weather arrives, our Crop Watch agronomists welcome some moisture to help spring crops establish and boost pre-emergence herbicide efficacy. One downside of the recent cool, dry spell…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Too dry for some crops and OSR starts flowering

The continuing dry conditions after one of the driest Marches is seeing good progress on spring crop drilling, but newly establishing crops are needing some rain in some areas of…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Wheat fungicide plans and maize drilling debate

The dry spell continues and in complete contrast to the past two springs, farmers are well on with their spring work. In fact, Scottish growers are five weeks ahead of…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Beet drilling and gout fly warning in wheat

The dry spell has seen good progress with drilling, fertiliser and spraying – a huge contrast to last spring. It is also helping to reduce disease pressure after a wet…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Spring drilling progress and T0s in winter wheat

Spring drilling is well under way across the UK and crops are generally going in pretty good conditions. This earlier start is being welcomed after last spring when hardly any…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Pigeons decimate OSR and a herbicide warning

Damage from pigeons has been widespread in oilseed rape, with crops being decimated in some of the worst attacks in years. Some fields where the growing points are intact may…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: First dry spell sees early nitrogen on hungry crops

A drier start to March is being welcomed by growers and agronomists as early nitrogen fertiliser applications are being made to hungry crops in depleted soils. Spring barley and bean…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Bean drilling and propyzamide sprays in OSR

Winter bean drilling is progressing well, especially in the South West where conditions are ideal with good seed-beds.  The arrival of cooler weather this week means the time is approaching…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Dry spell sees farmers catch up with drilling

The spell of dry but dull weather has allowed farmers to catch up with wheat drilling, with some November seed-beds looking better than those last month. This week, our agronomists…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Soils too warm for propyzamide sprays in OSR

Two of the key topics this week are related to oilseed rape (OSR). Some crops have reached the spray threshold for phoma and fungicides are being applied to manage the…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: BYDV aphid threat and rain hit maize harvest

With a more settled spell of weather, slowly but surely, more acres of winter wheat are going into the ground. Bean drilling has kicked off in the east. The warm…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Worst maize harvest and spud storage rot risk

This year’s maize harvest is shaping up to be one of the worst in the past five years, according to one of our agronomists. Soils may need some remedial action…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: OSR pod sealants and foliar N in wheat

The weather remains unsettled with disease pressure staying high. For example, the showery weather as resulted in rhynchosporium starting to develop in spring barley crops in the west. This changeable…

CROP WATCH

Crop Watch: Sunshine needed for grain fill and maize

With T3 fungicides going on wheat crops and winter barleys having had all their inputs, farmers are hoping for some badly needed sunshine to drive grain fill and get crops…