Yellow leaf spot

Yellow leaf spot

Description

• Historically, yellow leaf spot was not considered a major threat to wheat production

• In recent years the wide spread cultivation of susceptible wheat varieties, increased stubble retention, and intense wheat production have seen the incidence of yellow leaf spot increase

Symptoms

• Most often affects seedlings

• As disease progresses, the infection moves up the maturing plant

• Small tan oval spots appear on leaves, often expanding and joining until the leaf tip dies

Damage

• In most years, yellow leaf spot only infects the lower leaves and is generally regarded as causing limited yield loss

• In isolated cases, heavy infestations on susceptible wheat varieties can cause yield loss of up to 25%

Control

Yellow leaf spot is most severe where successive wheat crops are grown on retained stubble. Management strategies such as crop rotation, resistant varities, stubble management, and selected application of foliar fungicides will all reduce the impact of the disease. Seed and fertiliser treatments are not effective against this disease.

Links and Resources

DAFWA - Farmnote 456. Yellow spot Page contains information on cereal seed dressing and in-furrow fungicides used for yellow spot, disease diagnosis, and cautions. Page last updated 2011.

DEPI VIC - Yellow Leaf Spot of Wheat Introduction, symptoms, economic importance, disease cycle, and management. Published 2006, updated 2012, reviewed 2013.

GRDC - Management of yellow spot in wheat Introduction, yellow spot vs stripe rust, host and risk factors, disease cycle, identification, fungicides, early fungicide sprays, and management decisions. Published 2013.

GRDC - Wheat and barley disease management in 2011. Introduction, lifecycle, conditions causing outbreaks, and control. Published 2011.

GRDC - Yellow leaf spot 4 page PDF. Introduction, risk factors, symptoms, disease cycle, management, and frequently asked questions. Published 2011.

Victorian winter crop summary 2014 - Yellow spot Table 6: Wheat disease guide. Page 11. Causal organism, symptoms, occurrence, inoculum source, and control. Updated annually.