Planting nearly complete: A few good weeks and planting is nearly all done.

Many parts of the country are virtually finished planting spring cereals but conditions continue to frustrate planting in parts of the northern part of the country.

For many, the focus now switches to maize, potatoes and spring rape, and they are all still timely given the recent cold weather.

Low air temperatures have reduced growth in most areas but the forecast for the week ahead suggests warmer daytime conditions, which may result in a surge in growth and rapid stem extension.

With many winter crops at or past GS31, it is important to have the main splits of N applied. It is also important to get N on to emerged malting barley crops while there is still some moisture about.

Growth regulation: Conditions have been awkward for growth regulation, given the low air temperatures and slow plant growth. All PGRs will show more visual effect in good growth conditions. Cold conditions late into spring generally result in accelerated extension when growth arrives and plants begin to stretch, so regulation may be particularly important this year.

Wheat crops at GS31 need to have growth regulator applied. This can be as simple as CCC (1.2-1.5 l/ha) or a Moddus plus CCC (0.2 + 1.0 l/ha) mix. Both of these benefit from warmer conditions so a Medax Max plus CCC (0.2-0.25kg + 1.0 l/ha) mix would be safer in the current temperatures.

Growth regulation may not be essential on all winter barley crops but it should be considered on crops that are being pushed hard with N, on weaker varieties (especially some of the six-rows), or in situations of high and possibly variable soil fertility. Here again consider Moddus or Medax Max plus CCC mixes.

Many winter oat crops are at a strong GS32. Ideally, treatments like Ceraide or K2 would already have been applied. Where these or other actives were applied, a second treatment might be considered during active stem extension up to GS39. This could be Ceraide, K2 or Medax Max. Later applications give more overall shortening but early applications are essential to help strengthen the stem base.

Fungicide: Many winter barley crops have already been sprayed while others await their first fungicide. First sprays will be a combination of prothioconazole, plus an SDHI or a strobilurin. These might be premixed as Elatus Era, Siltra, Zephyr etc or straights like Proline, Decoy, Pecari, Pride, Prostar, Protendo or Rudis, plus a strobilurin or an SDHI.

Wheat crops should be sprayed once the third last leaf is fully unfolded. This may be a while away in most crops but it can come very quickly when growth gets going. Options include Ascra Xpro, Elatus Era, Revystar, Venture Extra, or a prothioconazole plus Questar or an SDHI. Add folpet at 1.5l/ha at the T1 timing. Yellow rust had been a problem on some varieties and if this or mildew is active again, add Tern.

Sprays on oats need to tackle mildew and crown rust and Elatus Era tends to be the product of choice.