Time to apply wheat fungicides for rust

By Richard C. Snell

Barton County Extension Agent--Agriculture

Is your gun loaded and ready? Are you prepared to pull the trigger? This isn't just another hunting trip. There may be terrorists out there invading your wheat field!

OK, perhaps that's a little too dramatic, but there may be rust of one kind or another invading your wheat field. Two kinds of rusts have hit our fields on alternate years for several years now. One year it seems to be stripe rust and other years it is leaf rust. Leaf rust was really bad last year. Also, last year was bad for powdery mildew and that is unusual.

Last year, I was just about ready to write an article encouraging everyone to spray their wheat with a fungicide because of the upsurge in wheat prices, the fabulous yield potential and the outbreak of diseases and the potential of it getting worse. Right about then, the Easter freeze hit and it stayed so cold, so long, that we didn't know if the yield would materialize. So I held back. As it turned out, the wheat that was sprayed, yielded considerably more. That was especially true in the west half of the county. East of Great Bend, the freeze did enough damage that we had mostly 15-25 bushel wheat, so I doubt spraying would have helped enough. In the west half though, we had some 40 bushel per acre wheat where fungicide was applied. It seemed to produce about 10 bushels per acre more where it was treated with a fungicide.

Several years ago, we had a plot on the Bob Morgenstern farm, north of Great Bend, where I sprayed some strips with Tilt fungicide on TAM 107. TAM 107 was popular at that time, but was very susceptible to leaf rust. It turned out that was a bad year for rust. Yields were good though. Even where we didn't spray, the wheat made 40, but where we sprayed, it yielded 60 bushels per acre. Think what that would make you at $8 per bushel wheat.

You see, when wheat was $3 per bushel, I had a hard time getting excited about spraying fungicide. However today, price makes all the difference in the world. Let's say it costs you $22 per acre to spray counting application costs. That's less than 3 bushels per acre to breakeven and on any susceptible variety I will almost guarantee you will get that back.

In making your decision, you have to look at your yield potential and the variety of wheat you have. What are the risks? Leaf rust has already moved into southern Kansas. If you are going to spray, the time is now. Fungicide treatments generally will last two to three weeks.

Some of the wheat from Great Bend and west that did not come up until spring, may not have enough yield potential to treat. However, it may be farther behind in maturity and will be hurt worse by disease. On the other hand, hot weather could hurt it even worse.

Remember that virus diseases such as wheat streak mosaic, barley yellow dwarf, triticum mosaic, High Plains virus or soil borne will not be affected by fungicides. It only works on leaf fungus diseases.

There are many fungicide options in terms of product names. Each works a little differently and tends to be better on some diseases than others. They all work on rust though and the decision is probably more critical whether or not to spray rather than which product to use.

Another question relating to spraying fungicides is: Should I use a ground rig or an airplane? Until last year, I would have said it was a no brainer. Use an airplane so you don't knock down any wheat. However, because of the volume of water required to get coverage down in the canopy, a ground rig may do a better job. You also have to balance whether you can get a ground rig to come or whether you own your own sprayer.

I'll have more on this topic next week.

3I show moves to all week days

As you all know, money talks. Thus more changes have been made with the 3i show, largely from input from major exhibitors and farmers. So, this year's 3i Farm Show will be held Wednesday, Thursday and Friday rather than the usual Saturday finale.

The show will run May 7, 8 and 9 at the Expo Complex west of Great Bend. It alternates each year between Great Bend and Garden City.

The show has seen several changes in recent years. Several years ago, the show was moved from mid or late April to early to mid May. I think the idea was to allow the irrigated farmers in the western part of the state time to get their corn planted and get them to the show. The idea to moving it to the week day is to get more of the farm crowd and fewer school kids and city dwellers who were there just to look and not to buy. I do have to admit that more farmers tended to go on Thursday and Friday.

In addition to the exhibits, there will be a couple of other things going on. There will be a Youth Agriculture Seminar on Careers from 9 to 11:30 a.m. on Thursday, May 8. Agricultural industry experts will discuss careers and technology involving crop protection application, feedyard operation, precision agriculture and agricultural equipment development. High school students and their parents, ag teachers, school counselors and extension agents are invited.

Also, my co-worker Donna Krug, Family and Consumer Science Agent for Barton County Extension will have consumer programs each day during the show. Programs will be held in the National Guard Armory on the Show Grounds beginning on the hour at 10 and 11 a.m., 1 and 2 p.m. Consult the show program or call our office at 620-793-1910 for a full schedule.

Hope to see you at the show.

6/2/08
2 Star EK\8-B

Date: 5/29/08

	Web hpj.com

Copyright/Privacy
Copyright 1995-2011.  High Plains Publishers, Inc.  All rights reserved.  Any republishing of these pages, including electronic reproduction of the editorial archives or classified advertising, is strictly prohibited. If you have questions or comments you can reach us at High Plains Journal 1500 E. Wyatt Earp Blvd., P.O. Box 760, Dodge City, KS 67801 or call 1-800-452-7171. Email: webmaster@hpj.com