Bacterial Leaf Streak More Prevalent in Winter Wheat in 2018

 

Bacterial leaf streak symptoms on the flag leaf of winter wheat are on the rise this June in east central Nebraska. The disease is impacting fields regardless of whether a fungicide was sprayed at flowering, since the causal agent is a bacterium, Xanthomonas translucens pv. undulosa. This is not to be confused with a different bacterium, Xanthomonas vasicola pv. vaculorum, referred to as bacterial leaf streak in corn.

 

Typically, bacterial leaf streak is more common in irrigated wheat fields and in higher rainfall areas like eastern Nebraska. The most noticeable symptoms are dark brown water-soaked lesions within the veins on the flag leaf. As the symptoms progress, the leaf tip will start to die, creating an overall orange-looking canopy from a distance. This disease can significantly damage the flag leaf that is critical to yield contributions during grain fill.

 

 

 

 

Nothing can be done to control bacterial leaf streak this season. The bacteria can survive on residue and in the soil, though most pathologist feel that seed is the main inoculum source. Growers are encouraged to purchase pathogen-free certified seed. There are susceptibility differences among winter wheat varieties to bacterial leaf streak. Selecting varieties that are less susceptible to bacterial leaf streak is an option, but should considered with other traits needed for local adaption and management. For example, SY Wolf and Overland are two varieties known to be less susceptible to bacterial leaf streak.

 

Video: Dicamba Returns for Georgia Farmers: What the New EPA Ruling Means for Cotton Growers

After being unavailable in 2024 due to registration issues, dicamba products are returning for Georgia farmers this growing season — but under strict new conditions.

In this report from Tifton, Extension Weed Specialist Stanley Culpepper explains the updated EPA ruling, including new application limits, mandatory training requirements, and the need for a restricted use pesticide license. Among the key changes: a cap of two ½-pound applications per year and the required use of an approved volatility reduction agent with every application.

For Georgia cotton producers, the ruling is significant. According to Taylor Sills with the Georgia Cotton Commission, the vast majority of cotton planted in the state carries the dicamba-tolerant trait — meaning farmers had been paying for technology they couldn’t use.

While environmental groups have expressed concerns over spray drift, Georgia growers have reduced off-target pesticide movement by more than 91% over the past decade. Still, this two-year registration period will come with increased scrutiny, making stewardship and compliance more important than ever.