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 up to a reasonable yield level.

Sunshine is also needed to help with maize establishment, with drilling finally completed in the South West, while in the East, sugar beet crops are closing across the rows in time for the Norfolk Show.

See also: How to get the most from SAM2 overwinter cover crops

North

Patrick Stephenson

AICC (Yorkshire)

I will not be sad to see the back of the 2023-24 growing season. The battle with Mother Nature has truly been a gigantic scrap, and the scars are easy to see throughout the country. 

Winter wheat crops have at last filled out and I do not expect record yields, but, with good sunshine hours in June they may well produce a reasonable crop.

Yellow rust was generally slow to start in the North, but is certainly making up for lost time. Add to this rampant septoria and some brown rust, and it is with this in mind that I have recommended a robust T3 spray.

Despite a barrage of new chemistry, we have failed to keep septoria out of the top three leaves in varieties like Skyscraper. Most growers will be wanting to drill early this coming season after last Autumn’s trials and tribulations.

It is worth pointing out that, first, the septoria ratings do not reflect the true risk when crops are drilled early. Second, there will be greater blackgrass pressure, and finally, an increased risk of barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV). 

This is a little concerning with so many growers signing up to the Sustainable Farming Incentive no insecticide option.

Goldfinch and Wolverine wheats offer the BYDV resistance gene, but have different agronomic challenges.

This creates the horns of a dilemma: high risk of drilling in late October with failed crops and no drilling, versus increased agronomic challenges. I think I can already smell the diesel.

Winter barley

Winter barley crops reflect the season perfectly. Where they have avoided any stress they look good, but where water and compaction have been issues, they are grim.

Spring barley crops are overall good, and the speed of development would make Usain Bolt proud. The most common point of discussion this year has been why the late April sown crops have turned bright yellow.

In my opinion this has occurred due to rapid growth followed by heavy rain. Broad-leaved weed sprays have now been applied and the early drilled crops have received a fungicide. 

Winter oilseed rape has finally stopped flowering. Again, there is tremendous contrast in the crops: some, sadly, are dire and others good.

All have one thing in common, and that is they are short. The most forward and consistent crops are about four to five weeks away from desiccation.

The variation in flowering in some crops, courtesy of various vermin, means the use of a pod sticker is likely to be a good idea. 

East

Ryan Baker

Frontier (Suffolk/Norfolk)

The weather this spring continues to frustrate. Variability of both weather and crops has been and continues to be challenging to manage.

The huge spread of drilling dates in spring barley means that some are only just receiving their T1 whereas some have already been sprayed with a T2.

Only crops with the most lush canopies, and those with a high-nitrogen contract, have received additional growth regulation before the awns emerged.

With conditions favouring chocolate spot, both winter and spring beans have received a robust first fungicide.

The choice of a second fungicide will change based on the risk of bean rust as the weather warms and dries. 

Oilseed rape crops look encouraging, and early June brings thoughts around to pod sealants.

Ideally they should be applied separately to glyphosate, once the pods have reached their maximum size but are still green and flexible. This is often about eight weeks prior to harvest.

Glyphosate for desiccation can be timed about four weeks later, once two-thirds of the seed in pods on the main raceme is starting to change from green/red to brown.

Where spraying capacity is limited, pod sealants can be applied to oilseed rape at the same time as desiccation.

Winter wheat

Earlier drilled wheats also look to have potential. However, late disease is rearing its head in susceptible varieties.

The T3 ear wash spray this year is going to be useful for both ear diseases and as a top-up to foliar disease. The high relative humidity and leaf surface moisture are allowing diseases to cycle quickly.

Rain at the time of flowering can also increase the risk of fusarium. Prothioconazole and tebuconazole are the key active ingredients for fusarium head blight and microdochium. Good coverage of the ear is crucial.

A strobilurin at this timing can be useful to bolster rust protection. The current wheat milling premium justifies the spend on fungicides and extra nitrogen to reach specification.

As expected, with the Norfolk Show imminent, beet crops are now beginning to close in across the rows.

Where herbicides have been well timed and the intervals kept tight, weed control has been pleasing.

However, where weather has stretched intervals, outcomes have been less satisfactory.

Some crops now have greater than 12 leaves unfolded where the risk of virus damage is reduced.

Several crops have not reached this stage yet and the warmer, more settled weather will encourage the colonisation of green wingless aphids.

South

Alice Whitehead

Zantra (Essex/Kent)

I don’t know where the weeks have gone, and suddenly we find ourselves midway through the year and almost at the end of the cropping season.

Wheat ears emerged and flowered earlier than usual, with some T3 fungicide applications completed before the start of June. 

The pressure from septoria and rust has been relentless this season.

It is easy to see spray misses when crop walking, and useful for the grower to see what their money is returning.

Budgets, variety, crop value and previous product choice all came into the equation when deciding on a T3 strategy, with SDHI chemistry mainly being used on milling crops with high rust susceptibility. 

Azoles and strobilurins were used elsewhere, perhaps where a variety has a higher disease resistance rating, or where the crop had already received the maximum two applications of SDHI products.

I worry about the length of time between T3 and harvest this year – it is going to seem a long gap. I am sure some growers will already be planning their T4 applications with their agronomists.

Spring crops

There are still late-drilled spring crops being nursed along, some still due to have their fungicide and growth regulator. For most of these, this will probably be their only application, due to calendar date and to limit spend. 

Peas have started flowering and recommendations are out.

Fungicide choice would normally be between Elatus Era (benzovindiflupyr + prothioconazole) or Signum (pyraclastrobin + boscalid).

Aphids can be found in crops, so pirimicarb or Insyst (acetamiprid) will be added, as well as pea moth control and a good dose of foliar manganese to prevent marsh spot.

By the time you read this, we will be well into show season with Cereals just finished.

I am looking forward to attending this year, as it is further down south.

Closer to home, we host our Kent open day next week, with wheat variety plots and varying fungicide treatments – it is always a good day and great to catch up with people.

West

Gavin Burrough

Pearce Seeds (Dorset/Hants/Wilts)

We have enjoyed a week of almost dry weather, with only the odd rogue shower appearing when not expected.

But compared with the rest of the spring, the past week has been a pleasant change to the rain we have become so accustomed to.

Unfortunately, crop spraying has still been a snatch-and-grab job because of to windy days.

The majority of wheat T3 ear wash sprays should be now or very soon complete.

Rust has been a big problem these past few weeks on some varieties, especially if T2 applications were delayed due to the weather conditions, so rates of T3 fungicide have been kept robust.

Winter barley crops are slowly starting to change colour and look promising.

Fingers crossed for some warm sunny weather in the weeks ahead to help grain fill.

Maize

Maize drilling has continued into June, which is not a disaster as typically the later drilled crops grow out of the ground quicker as the soils are warmer.

Key to maize establishment is a good seed-bed. Now all we need is plenty of sun to help these late drilled crops grow and mature on time.  

Weeds in maize have grown equally as quickly and should be taken out as soon as possible while they are still small.

Typically mesotrione and nicosulfuron are used, with pyridate added if susceptible weeds start to get too big.

Spring barley has grown and has tillered well this year despite being drilled later than planned.

On the whole, the late drilled spring barley crops look considerably better than late drilled crops did last year, which is very encouraging.

The hot, dry June in 2023 hit a lot of spring crops badly, but at the moment, this does not look to be an issue as current temperatures are barely hitting 20C and there always seems to be a rain cloud on the forecast.    

Fingers crossed the weather clears up in time for harvest. 

South

Justin Smith

Procam (East Sussex)

A year filled with incredibly important decisions, tricky timings and a seemingly continuous headache, is how I will most fondly remember this one.

The continuing fight against septoria and rust has shown little sign of relenting.

With most fungicides now applied, we live in hope for sun so that the “solar panel” leaves we’ve been protecting can work as hard as possible to produce yield.

With a tendency for early drillings, the T3 fungicides seem to have been a necessity on most varieties and had to be more robust than in previous years, with a focus on rust and septoria needed as well as fusarium.

In the face of rising commodity prices, it is a wise investment, especially on the quality wheats.

Spring crops are certainly variable and range from the very good to the ugly. These variations are very much dependant on drilling dates and establishment methods in the wake of the previous winter monsoons.

However, in most cases the continuing showers seem to have helped their cause. Ironic, isn’t it? Many are now needing attention from late fungicides.

Ramularia

In barley, my concerns for ramularia remain high – and a folpet multisite has been included. In wheat and oats, the main driver for product choice is rust. 

I have never seen so many slug pellets used in maize before, and drilling has certainly been a stop-start affair.

Seed-bed qualities have been inconsistent. However, at least the moisture was readily available.

Pendimethalin residuals were applied to help buy time with the rapidly flushing weed seeds.

Problematic weeds are now starting to reappear and are being tackled, but as temperatures rise it will be important to take care, as contact actives can be damaging to the crop in hot conditions, especially in larger tank mixtures.