Stripe rust

You don’t need a reminder that this growing season was an unusually wet one. But, as you look toward 2020, it’s important to keep in mind the weather that dampened 2019 could increase disease pressure in next year’s winter and spring wheat. When diseases run rampant one year, the potential for infection grows the following season, as there’s more inoculum with the opportunity to overwinter. Because foliar symptoms don’t show up until much later in the growing season, here’s a reminder of the most frequent diseases to scout.

• Stripe rust. Characterized by streaks of yellow-orange pustules and spread by wet weather, stripe rust grows within the plant leaves and produces spores that burst through the leaf surface. According to Washington State University, the greatest yield loss occurs when the disease develops early and into the growing season. An early, preventive application of a foliar fungicide can reduce the disease’s impact on yield.
• Powdery mildew. Identifiable by white, chalky fungus on the leaves, stems or head of the plant, powdery mildew affects plant health and yield potential by blocking photosynthesis. In windy conditions, disease spores are picked up and spread to healthy crops resulting in yellowing, premature leaf drop or even plant death if left untreated.
• Septoria leaf blight. Small brown spots on the plant leaves or glumes may indicate Septoria leaf blight infection. Similarly to stripe rust and powdery mildew, Septoria leaf blight also spreads by wind from one plant to the next and causes leaf decay.

Don’t let this season’s wet weather take a toll on next year’s yield. If your fields have a history of stripe rust, powdery mildew or Septoria leaf blight, consider a preventive application of Trivapro® fungicide – the hardest working, longest-lasting fungicide for wheat. Give your wheat a boost and help maximize yield and ROI potential under high or low disease pressure with best-in-class disease control and plant health.

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