Wheat Disease

(L-R) Wheat leaves with stripe rust, leaf rust, and powdery mildew

It is Time to Start Scouting for Wheat Diseases

April 18, 2019
The wheat growing season in Nebraska has started and and regular scouting for early disease detection is recommended, and will be especially important this year due to the excessive moisture we've had.

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Bacterial leaf streak in wheat

Wheat Disease Update: Bacterial Streak and Black Chaff

January 10, 2019
In this article from the Proceedings of the 2019 Crop Production Clinics the author reviews disease impacts in wheat, particularly bacterial streak, also known as black chaff.

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UNL variety trials conducted in eastern Nebraska are an important process to help guide grower’s variety selection.
Figure 1. UNL variety trials conducted in eastern Nebraska are an important process to help guide grower’s variety selection.

Winter Wheat Varieties with an Eastern Nebraska Fit

September 27, 2018
Winter wheat growers in eastern Nebraska will want to check out the newer winter wheat varieties described here as well as a table of comparable traits to aid in selecting a variety best suited for their operation.

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Stinking smut (left) and loose smut of winter wheat
Fungal diseases of wheat include stinking smut (left, Figure 1) and loose smut (right, Figure 2). (Photos by Stephen Wegulo)

Should I Plant Treated Wheat Seed?

August 29, 2018
Using clean, certified, treated winter wheat seed optimizes the chances of obtaining high yields. Seed-transmitted diseases and fall insects can reduce grain yield as well as quality next summer.

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Inforgraphic showing how one field can serve as a green bridge for wheat curl mite and multiple viruses to a neighbor's field.

Stopping the Spread of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus

August 20, 2018
For wheat growers, one aspect of being a good neighbor is controlling volunteer wheat after harvest to stop wheat curl mites from moving into the new crop of wheat and transmitting viruses, particularly wheat streak mosaic virus. Volunteer wheat should be controlled in time to provide a two-week break in the green bridge.

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Photos of two very different eastern Nebraska wheat fields
Figure 1. Photos of both of these eastern Nebraska wheat fields were taken June 16, 2018 and show the contrast between wheat grown in Thayer County (left) in southeast Nebraska where precipitation was much below normal and a field in Washington County in east central Nebraska where there was sufficient soil mosture throughout the season. (Photos by Brad Heinrichs (left) and Nathan Mueller)

Recap of 2017-18 Eastern Nebraska Winter Wheat Crop

July 25, 2018
Winter wheat yields in eastern Nebraska were quite variable in 2018, ranging from 10 to 80 bu/ac, depending on precipitation. This review of the growing season examines some of the factors affecting yields in southeast, east central, and northeast Nebraska.

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2018 wheat with bacterial leaf streak

Bacterial Leaf Streak More Prevalent in Winter Wheat in 2018

June 22, 2018
Symptoms of bacterial leaf streak are increasing on flag leaves of winter wheat in east central Nebraska.

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2018 wheat field day at the High Plains Ag Lab
Figure 1. Attendees look at wheat plots and listen to UNL small grains breeder P. Stephen Baenziger at the High Plains Ag Lab in Cheyenne County on June 21. (Photos by Stephen Wegulo)

Wheat Disease Update for Central to Western Nebraska

June 22, 2018
Wheat diseases were found at varying levels across a wide area of fields surveyed this week in western Nebraska in conjunction with the 2018 Wheat Tours.

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