Growth: Recent rain was largely welcome in tillage fields but amounts were predictably variable. Our Sencrop weather stations showed from 1.3mm to 33mm in the past week but most of rain fell in the first few days of June. Temperatures remain on the low side and this has slowed both growth and flowering. What looked like an early harvest a few months ago is now looking like average to possibly late.

Flowering: While the past week provided reasonable to good conditions for flowering, the risk of ear blight infection remains real.

While there is a low level of gaping in some winter barley crops, it seems that some crops have a more serious level which could prove to be a real problem if these florets do not fertilise. A small number of infertile florets may have no effect on yield.

Spring crops: Barley crops range from flag leaf emerging to flowering, depending on location and sowing date. Final fungicides should be applied as the awns are actively emerging but before the ears are visible. It is more difficult to get good spray penetration down into the canopy once the awns come out and lean over. It is also important to have the fungicide applied ahead of disease development, especially against ramularia as the fungicide action is mainly preventative.

Apply final or T2 fungicides as awns are emerging. Some crops are sprayed – others are still a bit away. Fungicide options include Bontima, Ceriax, Elatus Era, Fandango and Siltra or triazole combinations with a straight SDHI or a strobilurin. All T2 treatments must include a contact fungicide active (Bravo or Phoenix) for ramularia control.

Wheat and oat crops are also quite variable in growth stage and both should receive a fungicide once flag leaves are emerged.

Winter crops: There has been a bit of lodging in some winter barley crops following recent heavy rain. This means that crows are an additional potential risk and it is important to keep them out. Perhaps they may not be as aggressive this year with so many silage fields about and frequent showers keeping the ground soft. But it is sensible to put in a pre-emptive strike against crows in all high-risk locations such as edges, lodged patches, beside wire fences, under electric cables etc.

Many winter wheat crops are now heading or flowering and so around T3 timing stage. Low temperatures are slowing flowering, making it difficult to know when the mid-flowering timing may be. My inclination is to be a bit on the early side as temperatures could pick up.

Final sprays will be triazole mixtures such as Prosaro, Gleam or Magnello. Chlorothalonil might only be added where septoria levels are high in the crop.

It is impossible to assess the potential benefit of adding a strobilurin as there is no knowing if we will encounter high stress levels or not. This is always an insurance decision.