Wheat rust is on its way – be prepared!

Wheat farmers in Nebraska should be prepared to scout their fields for rust diseases, which have already been reported in several states to the south and are likely to spread northward.

Wheat in Nebraska is affected by three primary rust diseases – stem, leaf, and stripe rust.  All share some fundamental characteristics, including being favored by wet, humid conditions.  They also normally arrive in Nebraska from the south on wind currents that move up through the Great Plains in the spring. Therefore we can use reports on the status of rust disease presence coming from Texas, Oklahoma,...