University Extension staff are spreading the word that it’s time to keep an eye on winter wheat for possible head and leaf diseases. Dr. Shawn Conley, UW-Extension Small Grains Specialist, says they’ve already recorded their first confirmed case of stripe rust. According to Badger Crop Network, the detection was made in a vulnerable field in Arlington and has been sprayed.
Conley says that the cool, wet weather Wisconsin’s experienced is also creating ideal conditions for head diseases to develop on our winter wheat fields. Conley notes that most fields have already had their initial fungicide applications in southern counties, but that northern regions may still have time to apply.
