Amongst all the corn planting don’t forget to check on your wheat.  So far disease levels, in general, have remained low in wheat fields in Tennessee, but that can change quickly. Leaf blotch is occurring in some fields, with the possibility of glume blotch also being present. Stripe rust has been reported in Hardin, Haywood, Madison, Fayette, and Shelby counties.

While there have been rain events in most areas of Tennessee in the last couple of weeks, the risk for Fusarium head blight (Scab) is still low due to cooler temperatures.  Risk may increase if moisture persists and temperatures warm up as wheat is vulnerable to Fusarium head blight (Scab) from heading until harvest.

In summary, diseases to be on the lookout for include leaf blotch, glome blotch, stripe rust, leaf rust, and Fusarium head blight (Scab).  For short descriptions of each disease (conditions for disease development, symptoms, and management options) and images view the Fungal Wheat Diseases Worksheet.