Growers and agronomists report surge in crop disease levels
Growers and agronomists are flagging up dozens of cases of disease being found in wheat and oilseed rape crops right across the country.
High levels of septoria have been reported in wheat crops from East Lothian to Hampshire and Herefordshire to Northumberland, with certain varieties seen to be consistently fairing worse than others.
See also: Yellow rust as serious as septoria for wheat growers, says Niab’s Bill Clark
The levels of yellow rust in winter wheat is also cause for concern, with particular hotspots being highlighted in Norfolk, Suffolk, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire and the Midlands.
We have culminated a hefty list of tweets from growers and agronomists to form a general picture of the disease pressures lurking in crops this spring.
Widespread septoria
@ianholmes20 @Blackthorncox high levels of septoria and on forward crops a lot of mildew.
Cleanest vars are Graham and Costello— David Lines💙 (@LinesDavid) March 4, 2016
There is a lot of septoria at the @Bayer4CropsUK demo site in Hambledon, though little rust & mildew is frosted off. pic.twitter.com/lIEaM0ekjs
— Catherine (@AgriCatherine) March 2, 2016
Hoping for a dry time between GS32 and flag leaf or this Septoria is going to be a problem #organicwheat pic.twitter.com/DuOmmHUirg
— John Pawsey 🌞 (@hanslope) February 27, 2016
@gaff1wiz @cropwalkertim unlike the Reflection which is also a 6….at the moment. pic.twitter.com/zYVfR2AUA4
— Ben Giles 🇳🇿 (@Gilesy256) February 27, 2016
@gaff1wiz It's our only variety, of the 30 in the screen, with YR present. Mid October drilling too. Septoria very high on all the varieties
— Ben Giles 🇳🇿 (@Gilesy256) February 27, 2016
Yellow rust & septoria tritici are brewing in wheat at Cawood #Yorks pic.twitter.com/1Jw4Buc3sQ
— Simon Oxley (@sjpoxley) February 23, 2016
Captured in East Lothian. #Septoria tritici in #winterwheat pic.twitter.com/5IMHJSQ3KU
— BASF Agricultural Solutions UK (@BASFcropUK) February 22, 2016
Plenty of septoria on these older leaves in Skyfall. New growth looking cleaner, can't afford to be complacent pic.twitter.com/nYRtbCAn7n
— David Lines💙 (@LinesDavid) March 1, 2016
Rampant Septoria t. in Claire WW. pic.twitter.com/MSNenrXUMZ
— Tom Whitfield (@TomWhitfield10) February 15, 2016
Pretty much sums up wheats today – bit of septoria with a dash of slug damage pic.twitter.com/w1B5qGjCGe
— Zander Hughes (@farminginfife) February 9, 2016
@olihillFW septoria is fairly bad in most varieties.It seems that early drilling this year was anything from September to end of October!
— Todd Jex (@TJex_RegenAg) March 4, 2016
Rampant yellow rust
https://twitter.com/ianholmes20/status/705511065266864128
#YellowRust and #Septoria, easy to find in CV Cordialle. Spotted in #Suffolk pic.twitter.com/7NubSRXKuC
— BASF Agricultural Solutions UK (@BASFcropUK) February 19, 2016
Thick crops. Septoria everywhere, yellow rust in Britannia and Graham. Evolution looks best. pic.twitter.com/VTEJH2PMQY
— David Hoyles (@dgwhoyles) February 12, 2016
Reflection with yellow rust nr Leadenham at @BASFcropUK briefing pic.twitter.com/H8hOqasgrg
— janecraigie (@janecraigie) February 25, 2016
Just foundries hit of yellow rust in reflection pic.twitter.com/QjPurmr2Hr
— David Lines💙 (@LinesDavid) February 26, 2016
Yellow Rust showing all over crops of Reflection wheat. Whilst controllable, I think farmers may shy away next year? pic.twitter.com/YXBl1NDRdk
— David Paul Rushmer (@DavidPRushmer) February 12, 2016
Plenty of #YellowRust being spotted. Found here in cv Reflection pic.twitter.com/08ZzrNKP3M
— BASF Agricultural Solutions UK (@BASFcropUK) March 2, 2016
Example of host, pathogen, environment triangle. Yellow rust north UK 2015 not in south. #monitor all varieties 2016 pic.twitter.com/cndxnVqR4R
— Simon Oxley (@sjpoxley) February 24, 2016
Plenty of yellow rust still to be found on #wheat obs plots in Lincolnshire @LGSeedsUK. pic.twitter.com/Z5SFX930s7
— Ron Granger (@reglimagrain) February 23, 2016
@Syngenta #reflection, yellow rust looking far to healthy#holdmynerve pic.twitter.com/zUwRR8FMrI
— Dan Kiddy (@dan_kiddy1) February 17, 2016
Mildew sightings
https://twitter.com/DupontUKCPP/status/705701945294643200
https://twitter.com/naked_barley/status/705099078267498497
Phoma and light leaf spot
Widespread volunteer oilseed rape in current rape crop harbouring high levels of phoma and light leaf spot pic.twitter.com/ytxqkyIapz
— Tom Whitfield (@TomWhitfield10) February 26, 2016
Watch out for #Phoma and light leaf spot in the #Suffolk area! Thanks for the heads up @georgiemaywood #iOSR pic.twitter.com/OIhAhl9zEV
— Syngenta UK (@SyngentaUK) February 6, 2016
https://twitter.com/PhilWoodward80/status/704353617164247042
Plenty of Light Leaf Spot in the untreated trials in the Cotswolds #osr #disease #lls pic.twitter.com/mGRZu1lwr4
— Chris Guest (@Seedsman1986) February 10, 2016