1345 EDT [Dow Jones] – Arkansas is facing serious yield losses in wheat due
to disease pressure, including head scab, according to a crop update from the
University of Arkansas extension service. Persistent rains have pushed septoria
leaf blotch, powdery mildew, and head scab to be “major yield impactors,” it
says. Many wheat fields throughout the Arkansas River Valley and Delta are
showing symptoms of head scab, also known as Fusarium head blight. Symptoms
range from less than 1% to 20% of the heads with partial to complete blighting,
the report says. Producers have been inquiring about spraying fungicide on
wheat to control disease problems, but that is not recommended for any wheat
beyond the flowering stage due to label restrictions, it says. Arkansas grows
soft red winter wheat, used to make pastries and snack foods. (TGP)