Wheat disease pressure rising

Currently, the Cereals Disease Laboratory and Kansas State University (KSU) are tracking leaf rust progression throughout Kansas. Wheat in Kansas ranges from jointing to flag leaf emergence, a critical phase in crop development. Syngenta and KSU agronomists remind cereal growers to actively scout fields as they approach heading and monitor disease-tracking websites to assess the need for a fungicide application, like Quilt® fungicide.
 
Diseases in wheat can cause devastating yield loss up to 40 percent and, in some cases, complete crop destruction. It is vital for growers to monitor disease pressure throughout the growing season.
 
"There are many online tools available to help cereal growers monitor the latest disease-outbreak patterns in their region,” said Grant Aldridge, Syngenta fungicide brand manager. “In addition, they should use timely scouting to assess disease levels in their own fields. We know there are two stages that are critical to end yield – Feekes Growth Stages 2 to 5 and Feekes Growth Stages 8 to 10.5. Growers should develop a disease-management plan that includes preventive and curative fungicide options to protect their crop.”

Feekes Growth Stage (FGS) 8 to 10.5: Flag Leaf

As the crop closes in on maturity, FGS 8 to 10.5 become the most critical point as this is when the flag leaf emerges. Protecting the flag leaf is important for maximizing yield potential – the highest yield is normally obtained when fungicide is applied as the flag leaf reaches 50- to 70-percent full emergence. 
 
"The flag leaf, being the leaf that is right below the head, is the one that is feeding the grain the most, which makes it the most important contributor to final grain yield,” said Tim Murray, Ph.D., professor of plant pathology at Washington State University.
 
Quilt® fungicide helps protect the valuable flag leaf from yield-robbing foliar diseases like rusts, tan spot, powdery mildew and Septoria. By combining the Power of Two™ proven brands, Quilt delivers broad-spectrum, preventive and curative disease control up to FGS 10.5.
 
These Plant Performance™ benefits include:

• Improved plant growth for higher yields
• Increased water-use efficiency resulting in more crop growth
• Extended grain fill as the final step in optimizing yields

In fact, research has shown that Quilt can increase yields an average of 7 to 12 bu/A in cereal crops, in part due to these benefits. This can represent a sizable profit bump for growers.
 
As the Cereals Disease Laboratory continues to track leaf rust and other diseases throughout Kansas, cereal growers should ensure their crops are protected from diseases from planting to harvest. Careful preparation, disease monitoring, sound scouting techniques and preventive and curative fungicide programs are available to aid growers in implementing a successful disease-management plan throughout the growing season.