AHDB has issued the spring update of the light leaf spot forecast, as well as predictive information on aphid first flights and abundance.
AHDB's updated light leaf spot forecast shows large jumps in oilseed rape disease risk, following a relatively wet winter.
This tallies with field reports, where light leaf spot infection is most evident on susceptible varieties.
The increase in risk (compared with the autumn preliminary forecast) is generally larger at locations further away from the South-East of England.
Aphids
With January-February air temperatures below the 30-year average, aphids are anticipated to take flight a little later than average this spring.
The annually updated forecasts, produced by the Rothamsted Research Insect Survey, predict that aphids will fly about 2-3 weeks later in Scotland and northern England and up to one week later than average over much of the rest of England.
