For the second year in a row, we are dealing with the aftermath of a cold, prolonged winter. In addition, a wet end to the summer resulted in much of the small grains being planted later than normal. How might this impact the 2015 diseases and what should you be looking for?
Barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) is unlikely to show up in any significant amount. This virus is spread by several species of aphid, and severity and intensity is related to the amount of aphid activity early in the season. Late plantings coupled with a cold, prolonged winter make it highly unlikely to see much of this disease in 2015. BYDV symptoms will be most evident around heading, and manifest as discolored flag leaves, stunted plants, and deformed heads.
Other cool season viral diseases that prefer wet soils, such as Wheat Spindle Streak Virus may be more pronounced in fields where this virus has appeared in the past. Look for stunted, plants before Feekes 8. Stunted plants often occur in low lying areas of the field , but may also be found throughout the field in some instances. Viruses can only be confirmed through special tests such as PCR or ELISA.
A cool , delayed spring means that our crop is a behind. The cool temperatures in the south have resulted in flare ups of Stripe rust. Stripe rust needs to blow up to our region from southern areas, and the combination of a high inoculum load in the south, cool temperatures, and a delayed crop increase the chance that we might see a bit of this disease in 2015. Keep an eye out for this disease as under the right conditions flare ups can cause some significant reductions in yield. Click here for a detailed factsheet from KSU on stripe rust.