Over the last ten years, stripe rust has been one of the most damaging wheat diseases in Kansas. There are several factors that contribute to the development and severity of stripe rust in our region within a given year. The stripe rust pathogen typically does not survive in Kansas over the winter but can survive in Texas through the winter months and make its way back north as the weather warms in the spring. Because of this, weather conditions in Texas can be important indicators of how bad stripe rust will be in Kansas.

Our K-State Plant Pathologists has received reports that low levels of stripe and leaf rust were active in College Station, Texas, and Waco, Texas, in late February. Currently they have not received any reports of stripe rust in Oklahoma or Kansas. Historically, stripe rust detections in Kansas prior to April 15 have been associated with bad stripe rust years. Scouting efforts over the next few weeks will be very important.  

What is the outlook for Kansas wheat? Conditions this fall/winter were dry in parts of Texas that are important for stripe rust overwintering. At K-State, they combine this information with several weather-based models to help forecast whether or not stripe rust will be widespread and yield limiting in Kansas. Right now, all models are indicating that the stripe rust risk is generally low for this year. Historically, years that begin like this have ended with lower-than-average yield losses in Kansas to this disease.

Of course, stripe rust severity in Kansas is still driven by weather conditions in the state in the late spring. Once stripe rust is detected in Kansas, cool evenings and extended periods of canopy moisture will be necessary for disease establishment at levels that would result in yield losses.

The disease situation can change rapidly, and it is important to continue to scout for signs of disease development as the season progresses. K-State Research & Extension will continue to provide updates on stripe rust occurrence and weather outlook as we move toward critical growth stages for fungicide applications in Kansas over the next several weeks. Growers can also get these weekly updates by subscribing to the K-State Agronomy eUpdate newsletter, by googling it and subscribing. 

If you detect any stripe rust please contact me, so we can use this information to update our surveillance maps for stipe rust detection. And of course, if you have any questions or need assistance please do not hesitate to reach out and contact me in the Cottonwood District office in Hays.

Information provided by Kelsey Andersen Onofre and Erick DeWolf K-State Extension Plant Pathologists. 

Stacy Campbell is an Agriculture and Natural Resources agent for Cottonwood Extension District. Email him at scampbel@ksu.edu or call the Hays office, 785-628-9430.