Useful Publications

Variety Response

Stripe Rust Resistance Ratings
Susceptible	Moderately Susceptible	Intermediate	Moderately Resistant	Resistant
Avery	Brawl CL+	Hatcher	Antero	Joe
AP503CL²	KanMark	LCS Mint	Overland	"Larry"
Armour	PostRock	Robidoux	SY Sunrise	LCS Chrome
Byrd		Winterhawk	SY Wolf	Oakley CL
Danby			WB 4458	SY Monument
Denali			WB-Cedar	T-158
TAM 111			WB-Grainfield	"Tatanka"
TAM 112				TAM 114
				WB 4721

Development of Stripe Rust

This is how stripe rust looks, just prior to the pustules erupting from the leaf surface (lower leaf). There are lighter colored eliptical areas of the leaf surface. They follow the veins of the wheat leaf.

Strip Rust

This is stripe rust as rust pustules begin to appear the leaf surface. There pustules are shiny and have emerged from the leaf surface in the last 24-48 hours.

early pustules

At this time, if fingers are ran over the leaf surface, they will not turn orange. This is because the pustules are not actively sporulating (releasing spores).

begin pust close

This is stripe rust, after pustules appear and spores erupt from the leaf surace. The spores are a light orange color and are in long eliptical shapes on the upper surface of the leaf. If your finger is ran over the surface, orange residue will appear on your skin. Bumps (from erupting spores) will also be visible on the leaf surface. To see these, fold leaf over your finger and look at it while running over the finger in the light.

stripe rust vertical

Treatment for this disease are fungicides. Click on the publication below to learn about fungicide treatments, rates, efficacy ratings and pre harvest intervals for treatments.

Stripe rust close up

Stripe rust-advanced close up

Are fungicides helping slow and stop the development of stripe rust?

Erick DeWolf, Extension Plant Pathology

I visited some fields in south central Kansas this week that were sprayed with fungicide about a week ago. The fungicides appear to have stopped the development of stripe rust. The stripe rust lesions were now tan and dry instead of the normal bright yellow color of active stripe rust. This indicates to me that the fungicide had killed the stripe rust fungus and stopped the production of new spores.

Gary Cramer, Sedgwick County Agriculture Agent, reports that this has also happened in fields that were treated 7 to 10 days ago. In some situations, there were no symptoms of stripe rust on the flag leaves at the time of application; however, the signs of dead stripe rust lesions are now appearing on these leaves. This suggests that the fungus had already infected the flag leaves and was damaging cells inside the leaf when the fungicide was applied -- even though there were no sypmtoms on the surface of the leaves. The fungicide killed the fungus inside the leaves and it never had a chance to produce new spores. Interestingly, the leaf where the fungus was already feeding continued to die even after the fungicide was applied resulting in the tan lesions in the images below.

Yes, the fungicides are helping prevent the damage from stripe rust. In some cases, it looks like the fungicides were applied just in time to prevent further damage to the flag leaves and serious yield losses.

Fungicides Help

Lesions on leaves where the stripe rust fungus was killed by a fungicide application. Photo by Erick DeWolf, K-State Research and Extension.

Useful Publications

Variety Response

Development of Stripe Rust

Are fungicides helping slow and stop the development of stripe rust?

Read more