Although weather has continued to create planting problems for this year's corn and soybean crop, winter wheat in our area has experienced a pretty good spring with few problems. One specific problem that some wheat growers are seeing though is a fungal disease called Cephalosporium stripe.

Cephalosporium stripe is fairly dramatic looking disease when it shows up. This fungal pathogen is a true vascular pathogen. Unlike many vascular diseases that produce toxins and various compounds that gum up the vascular system of a plant and then cause wilting, Cephalosporium actually grows in the vascular tissue. The leaf symptoms of Cephalosporium stripe can occur from jointing to heading. Growth of the fungus in the vascular tissue causes the dramatic leaf symptoms because nutrients are unable to reach infected portions of the leaf. The symptoms are generally one to four long yellow stripes per leaf. The stripes are quite bright and often extend the full length of the leaf and sometimes even continue down the leaf sheath and stem. As the leaf ages, the yellow stripes eventually turn reddish brown, and gradually the leaf withers and dies. Wheat plants with Cephalosporium stripe are typically stunted or dwarfed in appearance and produce characteristic white, poorly filled heads with shriveled kernels.

Most typically, Cephalosporium stripe in found first in low wet areas of the field. Fluctuating winter temperatures, wet soil, and continuous cropping of cereals and grasses favor development of Cephalosporium stripe. In highly infested areas of the field incidence can be as high as 80% resulting typically in a 50% yield reduction.

Managing this disease and reducing the inoculum for disease development in subsequent years can be accomplished by rotating to a non-host crop (corn or legumes) for at least two years and by managing crop residue and grassy weeds. When rotation with a non-host crop is not practical, removing or plowing under residue to a depth of below 3 inches will help decompose crop residue and manage the fungus. Although some differences in susceptibility are noted, resistant varieties are not available.