Small Grain Disease Prevention

Bob Mulrooney, Extension Plant Pathologist; bobmul@udel.edu

Be sure that you plant wheat and barley varieties with high levels of disease resistance. Select varieties with high levels of resistance to powdery mildew, leaf rust and stripe rust. Seed should be treated with Baytan, Raxil, Dividend or other labeled product to protect plants from loose smut and common bunt. Varieties that are susceptible to powdery mildew should be treated with Baytan, Dividend, or other seed treatment fungicide that will protect them from early infection.