Wheat rust sightings spread to Scotland

NEW rust sightings in winter wheat crops are now emerging in Scotland. These are in addition to earlier reports from across parts of England.

According to SAC senior researcher Dr Simon Oxley, yellow rust in Scotland has now been sighted in a number of winter wheat crops – mainly in the variety Robigus and in the Lothians.

But while yellow rust isn’t uncommon in wheat, he is concerned that what may catch growers out is its appearance after such a cold winter. "A lot of people assumed disease pressure would be low this year," he observes.

Recent foggy weather could have encouraged the symptoms, he says, so where there’s a risk it should be targeted with an early-season fungicide.

"The advice in the regions is to protect from yellow rust and try to eradicate it." Where growers have yet to apply a T0 fungicide in Scotland, Cherokee is a good option, he says.

Further south, Syngenta cereal disease specialist Rod Burke says these latest sightings add to earlier reports from East Anglia, Warwickshire and Northamptonshire, and even further afield.

"In susceptible varieties yellow rust can cut yield by up to 50%," says Mr Burke. "It could be one of those years where you have to watch for rusts all season. If you’ve yet to apply a T0 or T1 fungicide, Cherokee is a cost-effective way of targeting rusts with a robust dose of triazole fungicide. It also targets Septoria tritici with its Bravo and triazole components," he concludes.