Yellow rust levels on the rise in UK wheat crops

With yellow rust infections in winter wheat crops on the increase, UK producers are being urged to treat susceptible varieties without delay.

According to Syngenta's Rod Burke, numerous outbreaks have now been reported and the disease is starting to move fast.

He advises that where T0 treatments have not been applied, a rust-active treatment should be applied as a priority.

''Although it might be tempting to wait until T1, if crops aren't at the T1 growth stage and you've already got rust in them, that could be too late,'' he said. ''Also, whether a T0 has been applied or not, T1 fungicides should be applied promptly and include rust activity.''

Yellow rust outbreaks have occurred across Lincolnshire, Nottinghamshire, Cambridge-shire, Oxfordshire, Northamptonshire and Warwickshire, as well as incidences elsewhere, said Burke.

''Up to two thirds of winter wheat planted this year could be susceptible to yellow rust. We're urging growers to treat yellow rust susceptible varieties without delay where they've not already been protected,'' he said.

Malcolm Perry, agronomist with Agrovista at Halesworth in Suffolk, said it is easy to find patches of yellow rust in susceptible varieties such as Oakley, which have not had a triazole treatment this season.