WHEAT EARS are showing signs of fusarium ear blights and botrytis, growers have been warned.

Crops are now entering the grain-filling period, according to the latest report  on Crop Monitor, and growers have been advised to keep the top 2 leaves and ears free of disease.

“The high temperatures have led to some early symptoms of fusarium ear blights and glume discoloration due to Botrytis,” according to the national report by top ADAS pathologist Bill Clark.

“The high temperatures have also led to the further appearance of Septoria on flag leaves, particularly where flag leaf sprays were delayed.”

Spray applications are just about complete in the south, according to the Association of Independent Crop Consultants report for Hampshire, Suffolk and Surrey .

“Mildew has been a very costly disease to control this season,” says the report.

“Our variety choice to reduce septoria risk has lead to many crops having a high mildew susceptibility instead.”

Meanwhile independent agronomists in the south east have reported a “large increase” in Septoria Tritici found on leaves 3,4 & 5 of Robigus and Septoria Nodorum in Consort.

Crop Monitor is a new, free service that uses live data from trial sites across the UK along with historical data to give growers an accurate picture of disease development in wheat and oilseed rape .

Funded by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and run by Central Science Laboratory, weekly updates are provided by ADAS pathologists and AICC agronomists.

The Crop Monitor website allows users to view data in graphs by region, variety, cultivar, leaf number or a combination of their choice.

The site also provides access to historical data from DEFRA-funded research and showcases new research developments.