Stephen Wegulo - Extension Plant Pathologist

Stephen Wegulo

faculty
Work Plant Sciences Hall (PLSH) 406H
Lincoln NE 68583-0722
US
Work 402-472-8735 On campus, dial 2-8735

Faculty Bio
Website: Wheat Disease section of CropWatch Plant Disease Management
Twitter: @wegulo2

Partially bleached wheat head

Uncommon Wheat Disease in the Nebraska Panhandle in 2023

April 24, 2024
Though rare for semi-arid regions, Fusarium head blight was present in the Nebraska Panhandle's 2023 wheat crop, and its effects have already been observed in this year's crop. This article highlights control options to mitigate yield loss in 2024.

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Tan spot
Figure 1. Tan spot on a wheat leaf. (Photos by Stephen Wegulo)

After-harvest Wheat Disease Management Strategies for Reducing Losses in 2024

July 13, 2023
Strategies that can be used between now and planting winter wheat this fall to minimize losses due to diseases during next year’s growing season.

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Cephalosporium stripe on wheat

Wheat Disease Update: Overview of the 2023 Growing Season

June 28, 2023
Eastern Nebraska wheat fields weren't significantly impacted by disease this growing season; however, due to abundant rainfall, western Nebraska and Panhandle growers have observed moderate levels of Fusarium head blight and severe tan spot.

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Wheat streak mosaic on leaf

Wheat Streak Mosaic Disease Complex Found in the Southern Panhandle

June 22, 2023
Severe symptoms of the wheat streak mosaic disease complex were observed in a field in Kimball County, Nebraska on June 15.

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Stripe rust
Figure 1. Stripe rust in a grower’s wheat field in Deuel County on June 12. (Photo by Stephen Wegulo)

Update on Rust Diseases of Wheat – June 16, 2023

June 16, 2023
Stripe rust and leaf rust were observed in Nebraska fields this week; however, these diseases are not expected to cause significant yield reductions due to their late arrival in the wheat growing season.

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Wheat field

Wheat Disease Update for June 1, 2023

June 1, 2023
Tan spot was identified in several fields recently surveyed in the Panhandle, and though Fusarium head blight hasn't been observed in fields yet, parts of western Nebraska are currently at high risk for infection. 

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Wheat field in southeast Nebraska
Figure 1. A wheat field in Fillmore County in southeast Nebraska on May 17. There were no foliar diseases and emergence was uniform, but plants were much shorter than normal due to inadequate soil moisture. (Photo by Stephen Wegulo)

Wheat Disease Update for May 18, 2023

May 18, 2023
Though stripe rust has been sighted in southern Kansas wheat fields, there have been no signs of disease in Nebraska wheat as of yet.

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Wheat field day attendees
Figure 1. A wheat field day at the Henry J. Stumpf International Wheat Center near Grant in Perkins County on June 21.

Wheat Disease Update: Overview of the 2022 Growing Season

June 24, 2022
The major factors that have impacted the wheat crop in 2022 are drought-like conditions — especially in western Nebraska, where freeze damage also caused significant injury — hail, and the virus diseases wheat streak mosaic and barley yellow dwarf.

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