LEVELS OF Septoria tritici are widespread in wheat crops this spring and growers will need a robust fungicide approach at T2, experts have warned.

The disease is well established in a many varieties, with the worst affected areas in southern England, said CPB Twyford’s agronomist, Lee Bennett.

“Here, even Robigus with top-rated resistance for the disease, is showing some levels of septoria after a T1 spray.”

Where T1 fungicide treatments have been inadequate, recent showery and warm weather has exacerbated incidence of the disease, he noted.

Under such high pressure conditions, it will be important not to let rates slip at T2 timings, even on resistant varieties, he said.

BASF’s Tony Grayburn agrees. “Conditions have been perfect for septoria to tick away inside leaf three.

“Leaf three emerged up to two weeks earlier this year – it has been sitting there exposed to infection from plenty of splash events during April.”

Growers will need to use a fungicide with strong curative activity to protect this leaf and leaf two, even in varieties with good natural resistance to the disease, he said.

He suggests using epoxiconazole, which has proved more effective at controlling established septoria than other azole fungicides in Home Grown Cereals Authority trials, he said.

Keep track of the latest disease developments via weekly updates in FWi’s Crop Watch.