Research and agronomy news from AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds View this email in your browser. Agronomy Focus
24 September 2026
Cereals & Oilseeds research and agronomy news
Pests, diseases and weeds | Varieties | Soils, nutrients and the environment | General
Pests, weeds and diseases
New cereal disease management guide
We’ve released the brand-new AHDB Cereal disease management guide. Order your copy for guidance on:
Major pathogens of wheat, barley, oats, triticale and rye Integrated pest management (IPM) Chemical interventions The guide is a companion to the AHDB Encyclopaedia of cereal diseases, which focuses on the identification and the life cycle of specific disease-causing organisms. The new guide replaces the AHDB Wheat and barley disease management guide. Order the Cereal disease management guide
Order the Encyclopaedia of cereal diseases
Visit our cereal disease management web pages
Also
We’ve reprinted the popular pest encyclopaedia. It features several updates, including enhanced information on aphid-spread Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) and a new section on leafhopper-spread Wheat dwarf virus (WDV). Order the Encyclopaedia of pests and natural enemies in field crops
BYDV monitoring
Last month, we released a new BYDV tool that considers more risk factors than the temperature-based T-sum tool. For example, it considers data on the number of aphids flying and the proportion that carries the virus. Use the BYDV tool and T-sum tool
Watch a YouTube short video for a BYDV tool demonstration
Read our BYDV tool article Crop Production Magazine (page 39)
The tool’s virus data is based on screens of aphid samples taken from a subset of insect suction traps. Last autumn, a high number of bird cherry-oat aphids tested BYDV-positive (35%), which would have contributed to the relatively high levels of the virus in harvest 2026 crops. We are publishing this autumn’s results on our aphid monitoring page. Visit the aphid monitoring page
Cultivating CSFB
After gorging on oilseed rape stems, cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) larvae drop to the soil to pupate. As most CSFB pupae reside in the top 30 mm of soil, it makes them vulnerable to tillage operations.
There is growing evidence that well-timed and sufficient cultivation of oilseed rape stubble can significantly reduce the number of beetles that emerge from the soil.
A new web page explores the evidence and links to CSFB Research+, which continues to test the effectiveness of the approach and the potential impact on beneficial insect species.
CSFB management tip: Cultivate OSR stubble
See the full set of CSFB management tips
CSFB monitoring data
Once again, we’re publishing CSFB migration data, based on the cumulative number of adult beetles caught in yellow water traps at seven oilseed rape sites in England. Historically, we tend to see numbers build slowly until a large influx leads to a peak between the start and the middle of September.
We set up the traps in early August, as part of the CSFB Research+ project. The sites were drilled from late August. The traps only caught two beetles by early September. Recently, we’ve seen activity pick up at some sites, with various levels of shot-hole damage recorded. We’ve also received reports of significant damage in some crops.
We are using the migration data to pinpoint the causes of variation in CSFB pressures, which can vary significantly over short distances and seasons. It’s likely that the hot and dry summer impacted migration this autumn, both in terms of its timing and intensity.
Get the latest CSFB monitoring data
Read about the CSFB Research+ project
Watch out for phoma
With fungicide treatment thresholds based on phoma leaf spot symptoms, it’s important to monitor oilseed rape and use tools to estimate disease risk during the autumn.
The disease has one infection cycle per season. It starts when warm, wet and humid weather triggers the release of spores from infected stubbles. In general, it takes about 20 rainy days from 1 August for spore release to occur. Plants tend to show symptoms a few weeks after infection.
The AHDB phoma leaf spot model uses temperature and rainfall data, from 15 July to 26 September, to forecast when 10% of plants may develop symptoms at hundreds of sites across GB.
The guidance is to prioritise the treatment of small crops and varieties with phoma stem canker resistance ratings of 7 and below when 10 to 20% of plants show symptoms. October is usually the critical month for management.
Access the 2026 phoma forecast from early October
Get fungicide performance results for OSR, which includes phoma data
Resolving rye-grass resistance risks
Some commercial rye-grass species are economically important forage crops, but these can become weeds in arable rotations.
Last year, the Weed Resistance Action Group (WRAG) confirmed the first few cases of glyphosate resistance in the UK, which were all in Italian rye-grass. As the risk of herbicide resistance transferring between rye-grass species is unclear, we’ve commissioned Niab to lead work to determine the potential threat. The work includes testing various rye-grass populations with genetic markers to quantify the hybridisation risks.
Visit the research project page
Visit the WRAG homepage
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Varieties
Harvest results round-up
Many validated results from the RL harvest 2026 trial sites are online.
The 2026 average fungicide-treated yields of control varieties are:
Winter wheat from 26 trials: 9.56 t/ha (10.99 t/ha) Winter barley from 10 trials: 9.50 t/ha (9.91 t/ha) Spring barley from 11 trials: 7.47 t/ha (7.63 t/ha) Winter oats from 10 trials: 7.24 t/ha (8.75 t/ha) Winter OSR from 13 trials: 5.36 t/ha (5.24 t/ha) Visit the harvest results homepage
The yields are as at 22 September 2026. Bracketed figures show five-year average yields for cereals and four-year average yields (gross output) for winter OSR.
The harvest results pages also feature commentary that puts this year’s results into perspective, as well as the harvest 2027 sowing lists for winter wheat, winter barley, winter oats, winter triticale and winter rye.
Also
Final UK commercial harvest progress report out tomorrow
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Soils, nutrients and the environment
Fertiliser market snapshot
Last week, we published our latest snapshot of the fertiliser markets, which covers:
Recent prices Current production and price drivers Fertiliser availability and delivery times How to minimise delivery bottlenecks Potential consequences of delayed orders The need for early conversations between customers and fertiliser suppliers The role of the Farming Fertiliser Stakeholder group Read the latest fertiliser markets update
GB fertiliser prices
RB209’s increasing digital reach
Our review of the AHDB Nutrient management guide (RB209) in 2024 identified a strong demand for better data to target crop nutrient requirements across a wide range of farming situations.
As digital options play an increasingly important role in this tailoring process, we’ve released several nutrient-planning tools in recent years.
Read a blog about the tools powered by RB209
The blog also covers the latest RB209 developments, including:
A review of nutrient values for organic materials News about the MANNER–NPK tool An update on our nutrient release from cover crops project
Join the RB209 team
The RB209 Crop Nutrient Management Partnership coordinates funding to generate independent, scientifically robust and practical data on crop nutrient management for the UK. It includes a Steering Group supported by two Technical Working Groups (TWGs). A diverse range of stakeholders sit on the groups.
We’re currently looking for AHDB farmer levy payers to join the groups. If you have good knowledge of RB209 and can commit about three days each year, then head to our website for further details.
Join the RB209 partnership
R&KE investment overview: Soils
A new blog series will provide a topic-by-topic overview of our research and knowledge exchange (R&KE) investment. The first blog explains how your levy is used to develop soil management guidance and resources. We’ll publish a new blog every few months.
Each one will:
Outline the topic’s strategic importance Provide an overview of recent activity Look at the future direction Soil research investment: Giving your crops a stable footing
Also
What do you want your soils to deliver? (new webinar series for livestock systems)
Soil health scorecard opinions
In 2022, we released the soil health scorecard. SRUC, one of the scorecard project’s research partners, is asking for feedback on the use and usefulness of the tool, including the visual examination of soil structure (VESS) component, which the organisation helped to develop.
Complete the short scorecard impact questionnaire
Access the soil health scorecard
Soil Health Hub launched
We’ve worked with Agricology to capture our resources in their new Soil Health Hub. To coincide with its launch, AHDB’s Henny Lowth has blogged about the key steps to optimise soil health:
1. Know what good soil health looks like
2. Baseline your soils
3. Interpret soil test results
4. Implement changes, where required
5. Retest your soils routinely
The hub provides all the information you need to check and optimise the health of your soils.
Key steps to improve soil heath blog
Access the Agricology Soil Health Hub
Testing field drainage
The GWCT Allerton Project site at Loddington, on the Leicestershire/Rutland border, hosts a 320 ha mixed arable and livestock demonstration farm.
Last autumn, a drainage system was ripped up in one of the site’s fields. It had been in place for over 40 years and had clear signs of poor drainage.
As part of the DRAIN-WISE project, the researchers split the field into two halves, with one half getting a new drainage installation.
You can learn about what will be monitored across the three trial cropping seasons and how the work will steer the direction of UK drainage investment in our recent blog.
The research that puts field drainage to the test (blog)
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General
Save the date: Agronomy Conference 2026
Wednesday 9 December 2026 | Online
Featuring a mix of in-depth technical papers and expert-led thematic overviews – combined with plenty of discussion opportunities – this event is a staple feature in the diary of anyone with a technical interest in agronomy.
Keep an eye on the Agronomy Conference web page for event news
Big Scottish crops conference
Thursday 10 December 2026 | 9:00am–4:00pm | Fife
Big names. Big issues. Practical insights. This event is for anyone with a stake in the production of cereals and oilseeds in Scotland.
The AHDB Big Scottish crops conference
Myth-busting Biologicals Roadshow
Baffled by biologicals, such as biostimulants and biopesticides?
This autumn and winter, join farmers, AHDB, the Voluntary Initiative and ADAS experts to explore the science, evidence and practical considerations associated with using biologicals in commercial cereal and oilseed systems.
Our roadshow, which will see 11 in-person events take place across the UK, will explore where biologicals can realistically deliver and where the evidence is still limited or uncertain. It won’t tell which products to buy, but it will give you the knowledge and confidence to decide whether, when and where a biological has a place on your farm.
Learn more about the roadshow events
A fresh take on Monitor Farms
Our Monitor Farm programme is now a Monitor Farm network. It’s likely to appeal to more farmers, as it has fewer rules and can better adapt to the needs, topic interests and time constraints of participating farms.
Monitor Farms increasingly run on-farm tests, try-outs or demonstrations. Such activity is embraced in the new network and referred to as innovation sites. A recent blog examines the new approach and activity at one of the first innovation sites.
Read the innovation sites blog
Visit the innovation sites homepage
RGCL review questionnaire
A specialist panel considers trial results to decide which varieties to add to the Recommended Grass and Clover Lists for England and Wales (RGCL). The 2026/2027 lists feature 11 new varieties.
This autumn, we kicked off the latest review of the RGCL project. If you use the lists, please complete the questionnaire to help us evolve the RGCL so it can continue to meet your needs.
Complete the RGCL Review questionnaire
BASIS and NRoSO CPD points
You can now claim your BASIS and NRoSO points for reading Agronomy Focus during the 2026/27 CPD year.
If you are eligible to receive points, simply complete and submit the appropriate claim forms.
The claim forms will remain live until 30 April 2027.
Complete the 2026/27 NRoSO points claim form for Agronomy Focus
Complete the 2026/27 BASIS points claim form for Agronomy Focus
CPD points from AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds
Finally
Submit your ideas for AHDB investment (letterbox)
An overview of AHDB-funded research
UK cereals supply and demand estimates were updated on Tuesday
How have in-home eating habits changed over the last decade?
Defra Farmer Collaboration Fund – round one open
Defra Small R&D Partnerships competition – round five open
AHDB leadership structures changes confirmed
Get the latest AHDB market data, prices and analysis
AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds events
AHDB Cereals & Oilseeds homepage (all our news and resources)
Listen to the AG Show farming minister special
Watch the AG Show farming minister special
All AG Show podcasts
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