Wheat Disease

Winter wheat field trials conducted at the University of Nebraska Eastern Nebraska Research and Extension Center in 2018-2019.
Figure 1. Variety trials conducted by UNL in eastern Nebraska are an important process to help guide grower’s variety selection and rate disease susceptibility.

Winter Wheat Varieties for Eastern Nebraska

September 11, 2019
As you select winter wheat varieties for planting, consider these variety and fungicide trial resources specific to growing wheat in eastern Nebraska.

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"Sphere of influence" for virus spread following an extensive neighborhood-wide hail event

Pre-Harvest Hail across Western Nebraska Necessitates Breaking the Green Bridge

August 30, 2019
This year late-season hailstorms led to increases in volunteer wheat that emerged shortly before wheat harvest. If left uncontrolled until wheat emergence in the fall, growers can expect a large buildup of mites and virus, leading to yield-robbing disease outbreaks next spring and summer.

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Stripe rust in corn

Fall Wheat Disease Management Strategies to Reduce Losses in 2020

August 29, 2019
Six strategies that can be used this fall with winter wheat to minimize losses during next year’s growing season.

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Virus infected wheat
Figure 1. The wheat-mite-virus complex has extreme potential to impact yield the following year if high risk volunteer wheat situations are not managed well. (Photo by Gary Hein)

Why It's So Important to Control Volunteer Wheat and Weeds in Wheat Stubble After Harvest

June 22, 2023
Volunteer wheat can provide the summer "green bridge" for the disease wheat streak mosaic and other virus diseases, as well as soil water loss that could translate into a substantial decrease in yields the following year.

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Stripe rust and leaf rust on wheat

Wheat Disease Update

June 28, 2019
The latest field surveys in southeast, south central, and southwest Nebraska showed varying levels of wheat diseases that are favored by excessive moisture.

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Wheat head with fusarium head blight

Why Did Fusarium Head Blight Develop in My Wheat Field after I Sprayed at Flowering?

June 28, 2019
Some wheat growers who treated for fusarium head blight at flowering (the optimum timing) with a triazole fungicide (the most effective fungicide class for this disease) are wondering why they aren't seeing the control they expected this year.

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Field of wheat with severe fusarium head blight
Figure 1. A Nebraska wheat field with severe Fusarium head blight. (Photos by Stephen Wegulo)

Strategies for Handling Wheat Grain Affected by Fusarium Head Blight

June 25, 2019
Excessively wet field conditions are contributing to the development of Fusarium head blight (scab) in some wheat fields. The disease is characterized by premature whitening or bleaching of wheat heads. As scabby grain contains a mycotoxin, it requires special harvest and separation procedures, as outlined here.

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Wheat leaf rust

Moisture Continues to Favor Development of Wheat Diseases

June 21, 2019
Surveys conducted June 16-20 in all wheat growing regions in the state showed diseases were increasing due to favorable wet conditions. There was a sharp contrast between the southeast where diseases were conspicuous and the northern Panhandle where fields looked lush green.

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