Crop updates: 20 June 2025
Yellow rust breaking through on wheat in an unprotected area round a telephone pole.
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.
More details on crops in your area are available at https://adoptacrop.sruc.ac.uk/
20 June 2025
General Comments
Crops are moving on apace in this early season and most of the work on the winter combinable crops is done. A few issues are still dogging crops and BYDV in spring barleys has been the subject of a lot of calls and queries this week. It’s being noted in most areas. And yellow rust in wheat is breaking out again where earlier sprays have failed to quite nail it. In better news the secondary tillers in spring barley which appeared after the rain seem to be catching up with the main crop fast so perhaps earlier fears of uneven ripening will be reduced. BYDV is particularly notable across many spring barley crops – aphid levels in traps are high and the dry weather gave easy ingress although many people are surprised having not noted aphids at problem levels in crops. Septoria levels in wheat are low and T3 sprays all on but yellow rust continues to break through in crops where it established earlier in the season. For potatoes, the problem 46_A1 late blight strain discovered in 2024 and carrying resistance to OSBPI fungicides has been found in Wales again close to where it was found last season. It’s a useful reminder not to allow any growth on dumps.
Regional Comments
ORKNEY
The stress caused by lack of water and cool temperatures has resulted in many spring barley crops appearing much shorter than normal. With awns already visible, it’s hoped the impending reduction in straw length will be balanced with an early and stress-free harvest. We’ve had rain but not enough as a quick scratch of the soil surface quickly reveals dry ground underneath. Whilst the barley looks healthy, albeit short, grazed fields and silage aftermath are slow to recover. Swedes and grass reseeds are also particularly slow.
CAITHNESS
A real volume of rain the past week has seen a big improvement in spring crops which has been struggling a bit. It certainly looks like straw will be less abundant in the spring crops. Winter crop is looking tremendous, and a very early harvest looks highly likely. Potatoes have been slow to come as well as early sown turnips. Grazed grass fields have shown little improvement although the heavy rainfall has certainly helped. The early shut off and fertilised silage fields have returned really good yields, while later shut off fields may see yield affected.
INVERNESS
Over the past 2 weeks, the weather has been mixed. Between some sunny spells there has also been some persistent rain showers, accompanied by warm and mild temperatures. The rain along with the warm conditions has continued to help the crops develop. The spring barley has continued to progress quickly through the growth stages - some fields appear thinner due to delayed tiller development. Oilseed rape is beginning to ripen, with pods now starting to fill. Among the winter crops, there are minor signs of disease – small amounts of mildew are present in the winter wheat and a small amount of rhyncho in the winter barley - but both crops remain in healthy conditions. Overall, there is little sign of disease or weeds presence and with the combination of ongoing rainfall and warmer temperatures it continues to help drive crop development, although overall density is below normal.
The upcoming forecast looks to be unsettled again, with heavy rain showers expected towards the end of the two-weeks period. However, these will be balanced by warm, sunny spells at the start, accompanied by mild winds and generally pleasant conditions.
ABERDEENSHIRE
Warm and showery would characterise the weather in the last couple of weeks as growers try to get the last sprays applied to spring barley and winter wheat. Great growing weather! It seems to have been an earlier season compared to the last couple of years, and there are some good crops that seem to have coped with the challenges they have faced this season.
There appears to have been quite a few cereal leaf beetle larvae this year creating windows in spring barley leaves, and some BYDV as well. The showery weather has also created some secondary tillers after the droughty weather, so we’ll see if they cause problems later in the season. Wheat crops appear to be standing proud at present with the heads now emerged and flowering. Yellow rust has also been present and seen in untreated patches e.g. around poles, but most crops viewed are relatively clean where an effective spray program has been used.
Livestock farmers have been silaging and tatties have been growing at pace as well.
BANFF & BUCHAN
We continue to have very changeable weather- literally four seasons in one day ranging from warm, glorious sunshine right through to hail showers and thunder plumps of rain. Crops continue to race ahead, typically 10 days to a fortnight ahead of normal. Winter crops continue to shine and only need some continued sunshine to help them fulfil their promise. Spring barley continues to be a mixed bag – most have reached T2 stage, remain clean although are shorter and thinner than normal. Good levels of fungicide are being applied although last year’s run on growth regulator won’t be repeated. The mixed weather of late has now seen late tillers appearing in spring barley – how these will manifest in the harvested crop remains to be seen. Potato crops are now beginning grow away and some crops will soon meet across the drills. Roguers are now starting to be seen in fields, with it hoped that there are not too many issues this year. Silaging continues with a number of growers taking the first cut at the usual time, albeit with a lower yield and hoping that the more favourable weather for grass growth will see a larger than normal second cut help make up the difference.
FIFE
After another weekend of rain crops are freshened up and looking well going into ripening stages. Winter barley is turning golden and is early dough ripe, there is quite extensive ramularia on the remaining green leaf. Spring barleys have had secondary tillers which are rapidly catching up with the early tillers. Disease levels are very low, even in crops that did not get T1 fungicide. Winter wheat, depending on variety, are still fighting yellow rust if spray intervals get stretched. Septoria levels are low and have been kept to the lower leaves in most fields. Oilseed rape looks to have got to pod fill without too much trouble and pod numbers are looking promising. Silage fields are greening up well with reports of good quality but lower yields
STIRLINGSHIRE
There has been little change since the last report. Crops across the region are ripening well overall. In spring cereals sown on lighter soils, some secondary tillering has been observed, which may affect uniformity at harvest. Aphid numbers are obvious and high in places, though many remain below treatment thresholds, so no widespread action has been necessary so far. Crop condition varies significantly between fields, but several remain exceptionally clean, particularly where robust agronomy programmes have been implemented. Bird pressure continues to be a challenge in cereals, particularly from crows and pigeons, especially in areas where crop establishment was patchy. Farmers are deploying a full range of deterrents, including gas bangers, scarecrows, visual kites, and controlled shooting, in an effort to manage the issue.
LOTHIANS
Many areas will have had in the region of +/- 50mm rainfall through June so far, a welcome amount to help reinvigorate crops after the earlier dry spell. The showery and often blustery weather delayed some T3 applications, but wheats overall seem to be clear of fresh yellow rust infection so far. One positive at this stage in the season is that the top three leaves are predominantly clear of disease which bodes well for grain fill. Earliest wheats are at watery ripe stage, GS70. Nutrient uptake in wheats has quite possibly been impeded by the prolonged dry condtions with evidence in some crops that sulphur and phosphate uptake may well have been sub-optimal. Concerns that orange blossom midge may be active this year have subsided although BYDV infection, particularly in Spring barley, is more widespread than in previous seasons. Prospects for OSR yielding favourably remain good.
LANARKSHIRE
Weather has continued to be relatively wet and muggy over the past couple of weeks with the odd dry spell in between. However, weather is set to change to sunshine this week, pushing many to take either their first or second cut before the Highland show at the end of the week. There is a noticeable shortage of grass across the region with many worrying about 2nd cut being able to catch any shortfall in yield from the 1st cut. In terms of cereals many of the crops are just now showing signs of stress from the dry spell earlier in the year, many crops also have a present weed burden throughout. Despite this many of the spring crops are still looking full throughout, however it is more mixed in winter crops with some headed into fuller crops despite yellowing of the leaf but others looking more sparce.
AYRSHIRE
The conditions in Ayrshire have been wet with sunny intervales over the past fortnight. The average temperature has been 13°C. The winter barley has entered into the milk development stage whilst the spring barley is at the stage of ear emergence, ranging from GS54 to GS57. Disease levels have significantly increased over the past fortnight, particularly ramularia and net blotch. However, the upper leaves are still clean. The aphid population in the barley crops has also significantly increased. Most crops have received multiple sprays for weed and pest control and there is currently no evidence of any ear disease.
DUMFRIES & GALLOWAY
The recent warm, mild weather has created ideal conditions for crop growth. Grass is motoring, and although first cuts were lighter than hoped due to the dry weather, heavier second cuts are expected to more than compensate. Winter barley crops are looking promising, currently at around growth stage 85, with minimal disease pressure observed. Later-drilled spring barley has been impacted by the prolonged dry spell, but like the winter barley, crops are clean and currently sitting at approximately growth stage 70. Spring grass reseeds have struggled due to poor germination caused by drought conditions. Weed pressure is high, and some reseeds may need to be salvaged.
Posted by SRUC on 20/06/2025
