Teagasc’s fourth crop update for the 2025/2026 growing season covers the progress made in terms of spring planting plus the condition of winter cereals and oilseed rape planted last autumn.

Estimates suggest that a significant area of the spring barley area remains to be sown.

The most delayed areas are counties Offaly, Louth, Dublin and Meath, where 60-70% remains to be drilled, followed by south Wexford and west Cork at 50-60%.

Progress is better in the south-east, with Laois, Tipperary, Carlow, and Kilkenny at 20-0% remaining, and north Wexford, south Kildare and east Cork the most advanced at just 10-20% left to sow. 

Winter cereals

Growth in winter cereals is slightly ahead of normal. Early maturing winter barley varieties like Joyau and Integral are at flag leaf fully emerged and leaf three is nearly fully emerged in early maturing wheat varieties like LG Rebellion. 

There is a backlog of spraying to be done on winter cereals due to continued wet weather. 

Meanwhile, yellow rust is present in many winter wheat crops, but not at the levels initially feared, as cooler, wetter conditions have slowed its development.

However, septoria levels are increasing.

The correct timing of key fungicide applications will be critical, particularly leaf 3 sprays in winter wheat and awn emergence treatments in winter barley to get good control of septoria and ramularia, respectively.

There are increasing reports of Barley Yellow Dwarf Virus (BYDV) in both winter wheat and winter barley.

While not all crops are affected, the issue is more widespread in barley to date, with some cases also now evident in wheat.

There is no beet or maize planted yet. Assuming a dry week ahead and lifting temperatures, there is an expectation of some maize crops being established under plastic over the coming days.

However, this will be very much determined by ground conditions.

Weather

Met Éireann is confirming that high pressure stays close by for the week ahead with plenty of dry and bright weather to come.

It will be.breezy at first with moderate to fresh easterly winds, easing later in the week with temperatures increasing also.

Friday will see highest temperatures of 15 to 19 °C generally in mostly light south-easterly breezes, though a little cooler near eastern and southern coasts where winds will be more moderate.The outlook for the weekend is mostly dry and settled with plenty of sunshine and temperatures in the mid to high teens.