‘Stripe Rust’ spotted in ENC wheat field

BEAUFORT COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Farmer Wynn Parkinson was inspecting his wheat field when he noticed an unusual yellow patch in the center of his field.

“My first thought was to get in touch with people at NC State,” says Parkinson.

Parkinson says after speaking with agricultural officials, it turned out to be Stripe rust.

Stripe rust is a fungal disease where spores sometimes blow into North Carolina from states to the south, and can thrive when wind picks up and temperatures stay between 60 and 75 degrees.

While rare to find it within the state, the discovery creates concerns.

“It’s very prolific. Once it’s here, it spreads very rapidly and it can rob yield more so than most other diseases that we deal with...this one has the ability to really do damage quickly,” says Beaufort County Agricultural Extension director Rod Gurganus.

Gurganus says that the discovery is not severe yet, but farmers should be proactive in treating it if they find it on their farms. Otherwise, he warns that entire wheat fields could potentially be destroyed.

He also urges farmers to inspect their fields and know what to look for.

“You’re looking for things that catch your eye. In this case, he [farmer Parkinson] saw some unusual striping on the leaves. He saw the orange pustules that are produced by the disease.

Parkinson says he is already jumping onto controlling stripe rust before the rest of his field becomes infected.

“Well, hopefully the application of the fungicide will kind of help. The plant will absorb it and hopefully protect it,” says Parkinson.

Gurganus further says that stripe rust tends not to grow well when temperatures reach beyond 80 degrees, but as for now, farmers should stay on alert.

Farmers who do discover stripe rust or have questions regarding the disease should contact their county’s agricultural extension, Gurganus says.