By: Rome Ethredge

Wheat is now jointing and a few fields along the Florida line that are early maturing, early planted, are approaching flagleaf.  We can tell we are jointing by cutting into the stem and finding the hollow joints at the base of the stems. Flagleaf is when the final leaf has emerged and no other leaves are coming.

The Decatur Ag agent and I looked at wheat this week that is really moving along with about 10% flag leaves emerged. You can feel for the grain head in the stem and cut into it to check it out as we did in photo.

She found some Tan spot (formerly Helminthosporium) on lower leaves but it nor powdery mildew should be a problem unless it progresses quickly. Generally if we can keep disease lesions off the top 3 leaves we are ok. Here’s some advice from UGA Plant pathologist, Dr. Martinez-Espinosa. “Monitor the fields so that the infection is not high and it does not progress above flag leaf minus 1 or 2; if it does go to flag leaf minus 1, then a protective fungicide should be considered. Especially if rainy, misty foggy weather continues.

If the infection is low and it is only located on lower leaves and (hopefully) drier sunny weather; might not need a fungicide.”

The grower plans on a fungicide at flowering anyway predominately for Fusarium Head blight and Rust.

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