Phoma leaf spot has been found in Midlothian, Fife and Angus. AHDB’s forecast for the disease shows that 10% of plants looked at in Midlothian and Angus had the disease. This is the threshold where farmers are recommended to treat the crop for the fungus. Meanwhile, plants in East Lothian, West Lothian, North East Fife, Aberdeenshire and Moray had no disease. Dr Neal Evans, Weather Innovations Consulting LLP (WIN), who puts the forecast together for AHDB, said: “The mild autumn and wet August and September have really pushed the development of the fungus this year. It’s led to the early release of spores and the appearance of leaf infections at the earliest time for several seasons.”