Crop Updates: February 2025
Winter barley has established and tillered well.
Our regular round up of the issues affecting crops around Scotland, summarises how crops are developing and what weather and other issues are affecting them. The update provides information on the progress with key field work activities as well as news on the pest, weed, and disease problems being noted in crops. The health issues being seen in crops are a key part of the topical update and lets growers and agronomists adjust management practices appropriately.
13 February 2025
General Comments
Winter crops are looking well after good drilling conditions in the autumn of 2024, which is a good contrast to the very wet autumn of 2023. Winter wheat and winter barley look well established and, while there is some disease present, it is at pretty low levels. Winter barley in particular is looking really good. There are reports of septoria in wheat, and a sighting of yellow rust before Christmas in Fife. That might flag an early season for the disease so keep an eye out. Rhynchosporium and net blotch are present at trace levels in a few winter barley crops but generally crops are clean. Slugs have been a feature especially around field edges. Oilseed rape has some light leaf spot and is struggling in most areas with pigeon grazing. Ground conditions are a little wet in some situations after recent stormy weather but mostly fields are in reasonable condition and should be ready soon for field work. There were more reports of ergot in the autumn so be aware of that when sourcing spring barley seed or farm-saving.
Slug damage in a thick crop of winter barley.
Regional Comments
CAITHNESS
An excellent spell of weather, dry and frosty has seen land work moving again. Good dry conditions have allowed muck spreading and also quite a lot of ploughing to be undertaken. There is a slight scarcity of feeding barley in the area but not such a problem with fodder and straw with amounts of both available at the local market going without even a bid. Winter crops continue to look impressive
MORAY
A chilly easterly wind and frosty mornings of late remind us that we are still in the midst of winter despite the longer and brighter days. In general, winter sown crops are looking very well with winter barley crops in particular, looking as good as they have been for many years. Lush, uniform green crops with low levels of disease are a welcome sight amidst the gloom of depressed prices and low demand. Winter barley and wheat crops are at mid tillering stage with both now looking for a nitrogen boost from the bag which will have to wait until 21 February as NVZ closed period restrictions lift. Oilseed rape crops are showing signs of more light leaf spot infections whist offering to move into stem elongation stage. Preparations are well underway for spring sowing as many fields have now been ploughed and muck spreading goes on.
BANFF & BUCHAN
Preparing for spring now seems to be the order of the day with ploughs out in force, plus with the cold, dry weather and frequent frosts mother nature is also able to help break down soils. For those fortunate to have access to muck, the drier weather has also provided an opportunity to get across the fields. Not much is happening in the autumn sown crops at the moment although this is very much the calm before the storm. NVZ closed periods are almost at an end meaning the race to get some early nitrogen on will begin soon to give crops some valuable nutrition as they begin to grow again. Winter crops still look well on the whole although it won’t be long until manganese deficiency begins to show in winter barleys and pigeons turn their attention to oilseed rapes. Crop choices are being made with seed and fertiliser being ordered although there is some trepidation as to how markets and prices will look come harvest time.
ANGUS
Winter has been kind to us so far and winter sown crops look good across the board. A few more farmers have been experimenting with grazing winter crops with sheep on the more forward crops. As the end of the NVZ closed period is approaching plans are now being made for getting nitrogen applied to crops that need it such as oilseed rape as well as compounds containing nitrogen for winter cereals. Ploughing for spring cropping continues to progress but still too early for drills as yet.
PERTHSHIRE
The first nitrogen application is being planned on some oilseed rape crops next week with crops generally looking well. Disease can be found in most crops at low levels for now, but this will need to be monitored. Thoughts are now moving to spring work with seed now moving onto farms and dressing getting home saved seed ready for drilling.
STIRLINGSHIRE
In Stirling, many winter cereal crops are thriving, with excellent tillering and minimal issues from diseases, pests, or weeds, regardless of the establishment method used. However, frost damage has presented challenges, particularly for winter oats in low-lying areas where frost kill has been observed. Winter wheat crops are generally well-tillered, though some lower leaves are showing symptoms of Septoria tritici. In contrast, winter barley, arguably the best-performing cereal crop this season remains largely clean and disease-free. Unfortunately, winter oilseed rape crops are under-performing due to heavy predation by pigeons and other birds, such as geese. Traditional deterrents like gas bangers and kites have proven largely ineffective, resulting in significant damage and growing concern among farmers, especially around Falkirk. There has been an increase in ploughing activity, and if soil temperatures gradually rise, some farmers are even considering their first nitrogen applications in the coming weeks.
LOTHIANS
Spring still seems a way away and even though the mornings and evenings are starting to draw out there seems little respite from the cold, showery and generally dreich weather. Through January most places had between 40-70mm rain and crops appear in far better condition than they were at this time last year. Some barley and oats are possibly too far forward. Wheats, not so much, but still well-structured enough and tillered well and waiting to grow on. Disease in cereals is relatively absent. Oilseed rape continues to be pressured by grazing pigeons. It is particularly heavy in some crops despite all efforts to deter them. A few crops are standing the onslaught better having accumulated plenty of leaf through the autumn.
BORDERS
With the mild winter conditions crops have continued to grow and are generally looking well. Oilseed rape is starting to extend, barley and oats are well tillered with wheat from three leaf to two tillers. Disease levels are currently low in all crops with light leaf spot present in rape, septoria in wheat, and net blotch in barley. Field conditions are sticky following recent rain, but many growers will be dusting down the fertiliser spreader in readiness to apply nitrogen to oilseed rape and winter barley by the end of the month.
LANARKSHIRE
Winter crops within Lanarkshire appear to be holding up well considering recent cold and damp weather, and disease does not appear to be having an adverse effect on crops. However, even with the increase in winter crops compared to last year the majority of Lanarkshire’s arable fields are awaiting spring crops. Grass growth has been relatively slow through winter, with many fields not looking very green, hopefully a good spring will improve this. Some livestock farmers are now starting to feel the pinch, with many already looking to buy in additional silage after having to house cows for parts of the summer and early autumn. Many early lambing flocks are well underway with lambing, Lanarkshire appears to have been relatively untouched by Schmallenberg disease compared to some other districts. This being said there is still the risk as many gear up for spring lambing.
AYRSHIRE
Ayr had an average high of 6°C and an average low of 1°C in January with a total of 15 days of rain and a monthly rainfall of 80.4mm. Winter cereals are well established and are tillering. Of the crops examined, the number of tillers on winter barley is ranging from 3 to 5 tillers. Soil conditions are not yet conducive to field work in most cases. Winter cereal fields are looking quite green, and ground cover varies with some fields having very little visible soil whilst others still have very visible rows with up to 7 or 8 cm of bare soil between rows of plants. There is significant senescence of older leaves with young leaves also showing some discolouration of growth tips in the older more exposed tillers. Disease levels within the crops appear to be low at this time.
STRANRAER
Winter crops got a good start in the autumn but the frosts and wind of late has taken its toll on some of the more coastal crops. The verdict is still out on how some of these winter barley crops will pull through in the Spring. The dry spell of late has helped ground conditions with some manganese applications already on. Winter wheat crops are starting to move and will be looking for some early Nitrogen in the near future.
Posted by SAC Consulting on 13/02/2025
