As you drove over your small grains to fertilize and apply herbicide this spring, you may have taken notice of some winter kill, possible snow mold patches and powdery mildew. While our long warm fall set us up for these issues, our dry warm spring is helping to fight against them.
There are no chemical control options available for snow molds, but rotating to legumes reduces the amount of fungus for future crops. Some resistant cultivars may be available. Earlier planted fields will survive better under snow mold attack because the larger plants are more resistant to infection and they are typically able to resume growth in the spring more vigorously than their younger counterparts.
In general for leaf diseases, we tend to get the best bang for our buck in PA with a single fungicide application to protect the flag leaf as it emerges. In situations where powdery mildew is a problem (high humidity, mild temperatures, heavily N fertilized, susceptible cultivars grown), an early application of a fungicide can also provide an economical yield benefit. However, the current dry conditions are likely causing the fungus to stall. Be sure any fungicide applications you make fit your situation for disease control. In other words, a fungicide in the tank at topdressing or herbicide time might not give you as much benefit as a treatment of the flag leaf.
Fusarium Head Blight Prediction Center
While it’s still pretty early to be thinking about wheat head scab, do yourself a favor and bookmark the FHB predictor tool. Visit this website as your wheat approaches the flowering stage to find out if weather conditions put it at high risk. This model updates at 10am daily, so check in the late mornings. Remember, this is a tool to provide additional information and does not replace your own judgement as a grower.