On June 19, wheat disease surveys were conducted in Gage, Lancaster and Saunders counties.  Growth stage ranged from hard dough at the Eastern Nebraska Research, Extension and Education Center (ENREEC) near Mead in Saunders County (Figure 1) to mature and drying down in readiness for harvest in Gage County (Figure 2). 

Diseases observed at Havelock Research Farm (Lancaster County) and ENREEC were leaf rust at moderate to high levels (Figure 3), stripe rust at advanced stages of development (Figure 4) and Fusarium head blight at moderate levels (Figure 5). 

As of June 19, leaf rust has been confirmed in two additional counties, bringing the total number of counties with confirmed leaf rust to three (Figure 6). The number of counties with confirmed stripe rust remains at 14 (Figure 7). Both diseases arrived late in the wheat growing season and are not expected to cause significant yield loss except in a few isolated hot spots.