Wheat Diseases

All Wheat Diseases Content
From left: Wheat plants killed by common root rot. Wheat plants with bleached heads due to Take-all disease. Bleached wheat heads due to stem maggot feeding.

Differentiating Between Wheat Head Diseases and Disorders

Several diseases and disorders can develop in wheat heads. Learn the symptoms of several common disease and insect issues being observed in South Dakota wheat this growing season.

A wheat head showing the start of the flowering period. This growth stage is the best time to apply a fungicide to manage Fusarium head blight.

Use Fusarium Head Blight Risk Prediction Tools for Better Disease Management

Winter wheat has reached the flowering growth stage, which is a time of high risk for Fusarium head blight. By using disease prediction tools correctly, a producer can protect wheat from infection by applying a timely fungicide when the tools show moderate to high risk.

Wheat blade with strip rust symptoms.

Stripe Rust Starting To Develop in Winter Wheat

Stripe rust was found in a few winter wheat fields scouted this week. The presence of a few plants with stripe rust indicates there is inoculum of this pathogen in the state.

Wheat tillers with lower leaves covered with tan-brown lesions. The ground beneath has wheat stubble from previous wheat crop.

Scout for Tan Spot in Winter Wheat

Tan spot was observed in a few winter wheat fields scouted recently. It is important to scout winter wheat for tan spot and other early diseases developing before deciding to apply an early-season fungicide tank mixed with herbicide.

Winter wheat plants at the tillering growth stage with leaves yellowing as a result of wheat streak mosaic virus infection.

Wheat Streak Mosaic Developing in Winter Wheat Fields

A few winter wheat fields in central South Dakota have been found with wheat streak mosaic disease. Incidence of this disease varied from a few plants to large portions of the field with yellowing leaves.

a strand of oats in a field

2020 Plant Disease Summaries for Small Grains

A number of field trials were implemented in the 2020 growing season with the general objective of assessing various disease management practices suitable for South Dakota growers and the Great Plains.

: Golden colored wheat field with much taller, golden colored, volunteer rye within.

Volunteer Winter Rye Could Be a Source of Ergot in Your Wheat

A few wheat fields scouted this summer were found with volunteer rye infested with ergot. Volunteer rye, in addition to being a weed, can be a source of ergot, which is a concern for winter wheat producers.

Small white cylindrical mites on a wheat leaf.

Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus is Prevented Before Planting Winter Wheat

Wheat streak mosaic disease (WSMD) is one of the important diseases in winter wheat and can lead to severe yield losses.

Diseases on three different wheat plants. From the left: powdery mildew, fusarium head blight, and leaf rust.

Winter Wheat Diseases Update

Powdery mildew, fusarium head blight and leaf rust were observed in a few winter wheat fields recently scouted. The recent rainfall showers and warm temperatures have favored these diseases to develop in winter wheat.

Map of South Dakota showing Fusarium head blight risk. Green indicates low risk, yellow moderate risk, and red high risk. Most of the state is green except for scattered, yellow areas within Edmunds, Faulk, Hyde, Hand, Buffalo, Jerauld, Brule, Aurora, Turner, Lincoln, McCook, Lake, Brookings, and Kingsbury counties. Some red, high risk areas are in Buffalo, Brule, Hyde, and Minnehaha counties.

Fusarium Head Blight Predicted Risk for Spring Wheat

Most of the spring wheat is at or will soon be at flowering. One disease that can develop in wheat at this growth stage is fusarium head blight (FHB or scab).