With the T2 flag leaf spray timing approaching in wheat, there is scope in the South to ease rates a little with the low disease pressure and a dry forecast.

However, further north showers mean septoria risk is already rising.

Weed control is also on our agronomists’ minds, as the flush of broad-leaved weeds will need to be tackled.

See also: Tips on weed control in farmyards and near arable buildings

South

Alice Whitehead, Zantra (Essex/Kent)

Rain came just in time in April, which saved spring crops from demise and allowed much-needed nitrogen to be washed down into the rooting zone in winter crops.

We have had plenty of sunshine, and some good warmth, which has caused winter wheats and barleys to race through the growth stages.

While the gate is pretty much shut on winter barley, we are thinking about T2 fungicides in winter wheat. Flag leaves in wheat could be found fully emerged in the first couple of days of May.

With low septoria pressure and little in the way of rain forecast, we are in the fortunate position of thinking about reducing rates slightly.

However, I am conscious not to skimp too much – not only are we still 10 weeks from ripening, but also a higher rate will usually pay back in yield, especially in the case of the new Adepydin (pydiflumetofen) product.

Tissue testing at T1 timing showed that magnesium and sulphur were in short supply, even where granular products were applied in March – a hangover from the wet autumn and winter.

Therefore, EpsoTop (magnesium sulphate) has been a common addition in most tank mixes.

Wild oat surge

Wild oats are popping up after being very slow to emerge this spring – probably due to low soil temperatures.

These are being treated with either Axial Pro (pinoxaden) or Foxtrot (fenoxaprop).

Remember, as weed size increases, rates should be increased to reflect this. Latest timings also need to be considered.

Winter bean crops are at full flower and are currently receiving their first fungicide application.

There are some good-looking crops on heavier land, but generally most crops are short and it already looks as if it will be difficult to get a combine blade under them at harvest.

Thanks to the dry weather, crops are generally very clean in terms of disease.

However, as these fungicides have protectant rather than eradicant activity, it is important to ensure crops are adequately insured against disease.

I am mostly using Elatus Era (benzovindiflupyr + prothioconazole) for activity on chocolate spot and rust.

Notching on the leaf edges from weevil is easy to find, but crops should be able to withstand feeding damage without insecticide treatment.

North

Conor Campbell, Hutchinsons (Northumberland)

In a complete contrast to last year, April has been incredibly dry in Northumberland, with 20% of the average rainfall, helped only by some very localised rain.

Sunshine hours were up and temperatures were about the average, which translates, despite the lack of rainfall, to a county that looks full of potential in early May.

Some showers last week have, hopefully, helped wash the last of the fertiliser in and given crops some respite.

The benefits of a mild winter can now be seen in autumn sown cereals.

They have clearly established a good root system for the majority and have been able to extract moisture from deep in the soil profile.

Growth stages are somewhat all over the place, with some crops nearing flag-leaf emergence and others just at growth stage 31/32.

Yellow rust has been challenging in quite a number of varieties, especially as conditions have been textbook.

T0s containing a strobilurin have provided good protection until T1, as the pressure is still there when looking over the variety trial site.

Septoria remains in the base, but with recent rain showers this will begin to move.

The choice to use new chemistry at T1 will I’m sure pay dividends, with unsettled weather on the forecast as we head into May.

Growth regulators

Plant growth regulator (PGR) rates were a tricky decision, but maintaining the mixture of actives is key, while being mindful of rates.

There is a lot of nitrogen yet to be taken up, and unmanaged soft growth will only lead to high rates of lodging and yield loss if PGR rates were cut back too far or removed from the programme altogether.

Sclerotinia sprays have started to go on at the early to mid-flower stage.

Dry conditions are keeping the risk low at present, but with damp mornings and petal fall, it is important to start that protection.

Some crops have been in flower for four weeks and it looks like this may continue for another four to five weeks, if conditions stay favourable.

Spring crops are having a challenging start, but establishment has been reasonable all things considered.

Moisture retention at drilling has been key and those more difficult seed-beds have lead to patchy emergence.

Until now, there hasn’t been a weed to speak of, so I am holding my nerve for a proper weed flush.

Early nutrition to help relieve crop stress and encourage tillering has been the only application so far.

West

Jamie Armstrong, AICC/Wessex Agronomy (Wiltshire, Gloucestershire and Hampshire)

With only 9–16mm of rain in the past month, things in the South West are back to looking more on the stressed side again.

The recent rain provided some relief, with many crops almost seeming to improve overnight.

This, of course, came with its own challenges – most notably a flush of weeds in winter cereals after T1 fungicides and broad-leaved weed control had already gone on.

Most of these will likely be tidied up at T2 timing with a final broad-leaved weed pass.

Yellow rust is showing up in some unexpected places this season.

Even varieties such as Dawsum and Mayflower, which usually offer strong resistance, have shown low levels of infection across a number of sites.

This is likely to be linked with juvenile plant resistance waning under dry stress and sudden humidity – but it’s a timely reminder that resistance isn’t bulletproof.

Earlier-drilled crops are now approaching flag-leaf emergence, particularly on warmer, lighter ground, while later fields are around leaf 2 – and in some rare cases, only just at GS32.

With dry conditions holding back canopy development, T2 fungicide planning will need careful thought, particularly where crop potential doesn’t justify a high-input approach.

Spring barley generally looks clean, though growth stages remain variable. On sandier soils, crops have pushed on to early stem extension, while heavier land is only just out of tillering.

Weed control is now front of mind, following a significant flush of groundsel, fat hen, and polygonum species after recent rainfall.

With no pre-emergence herbicides applied, these are now coming through thick and fast.

Getting on top of them early will be key to avoiding moisture and light competition in already-stressed fields.

Barley disease

With flag leaves now fully emerged and some awns visible, most growers have completed their T2 fungicide applications in winter barley.

In some cases, PGRs were applied ahead of ear emergence, and with current disease pressure low, many are now holding off on the final fungicide until full ear emergence.

After last year’s ramularia, which decimated several promising winter barley crops, I’ve based the majority of my T2 plans around pydiflumetofen to ensure prolonged disease protecton.

Even with current low pressure, this season’s conditions are ripe for rapid disease shifts if the weather turns.

Maize drilling is now well under way across the region.

Soil conditions have been ideal over the past week, with most fields going into clean and warm seed-beds.

Early-sown maize crops are already chitting and should emerge quickly – though soil moisture levels are dropping fast and will need watching.

Some growers have delayed drilling slightly in the hope of catching rain, but many have opted to press on to avoid clashing with other workloads later in the spring.

As ever, it’s a balancing act between conditions and the calendar, but for now progress has been good.

The focus over the coming fortnight will be on T2 fungicide timings in winter wheat and making smart decisions as crop potential becomes clearer.

A dry May could further limit yield potential in the thinner crops, but a few timely showers could still turn the situation around.

Conditions are changing rapidly and, as ever, attention to detail and flexibility will be key over the coming weeks.

East

Dan Ives, Agrovista (Herts, Beds, Cambs and Essex)

Wheat T1s had largely been put to bed by the middle of last week.

Programmes were adapted to take into account the lower septoria threat, but higher rust risk.

Yellow rust in my area has not been as bad as elsewhere in the country, but I have already seen brown rust in Crusoe.

Rust-active T0s were widely adopted and, by and large, kept the diseases under control through to T1.

A few of my early crops that received a T1 a couple of weeks ago may need a T1.5 to keep rust at bay until T2.

Quite a lot of broad-leaved weeds have come late, in particular fat hen, orache, charlock and black bindweed.

On my spring cereals these can be controlled at the T1 timing, but on winter wheat crops where T1s have already been applied I am planning top-ups at T2.

There is a lot of discussion about the benefit of the last nitrogen split on wheat crops where we have had little or no rain in the past several weeks.

Uptake of soil-applied nutrients has been poor, so there is a lot of interest in foliar top-ups to keep crops going until we get some rain (hopefully).

Uneven beet emergence

Dry sugar beet seed-beds have led to uneven crop emergence. Where pre-emergence herbicides were not applied, weeds have emerged more evenly and are growing rapidly.

I have had to adopt more FAR-type (phenmedipham/active/residual) treatments than normal.

Aphids have defied predictions in the recent warm weather and are already at threshold in some crops.

Thankfully, we have three authorised options this spring as I think we may need them all on some crops now.

On the theme of dry seed-beds it is very pleasing to see how well pre-emergence treatments have performed on the maize crops that are now beginning to emerge.

Winter beans are beginning to flower and sprays have been modified to meet this year’s very different disease risk.

Given the recent increase in aphids, I am keeping a close eye on pea crops.

The new option of Sivanto Prime (flupyradifurone), which allows a pre-flowering application, is a very welcome addition to the insecticide armoury and could be very useful in reducing virus.