STRIPE (YELLOW) RUST OF CEREALS IN ALBERTA

During the 2018 growing season, 85 wheat fields were surveyed for stripe rust incidence and severity. Data were collected from 60 spring and 25 winter wheat fields, in addition 10 fields of barley and 10 grassy land sites were also surveyed. The area surveyed extended from Camrose County in central AB to Cardston in the south (Fig. 1). Commercial fields of winter wheat were free of infection this year, but infection was reported on seven-spring wheat fields, but very late in the season. No stripe rust infection was found on barley and grassy lands. Only one wheat field in Cardston had infection rated as severe (40%) as measured using the modified Cobb scale. The disease was rare this year, but lack of pathogen overwintering during the winter of 2017 and the extensive use fungicides coupled with dry summer conditions may have limited infection by rust this year.