STRIPE (YELLOW) RUST OF CEREAL IN ALBERTA, 2019

During the 2019 growing season, 46 fields were surveyed for stripe rust incidence and severity. Data were collected from 29 spring and eight winter wheat fields, in addition to nine fields of barley. The area surveyed extended from Highway 529 to south of Cardston (Fig. 1). Out of eight commercial fields of winter wheat, two were found with stripe rust at low levels of infection (Taber). Infection was reported on six of the spring wheat fields, with one field (Picture Bute) having 20% incidence. No stripe rust infection was found on barley in 2019. The most severe infection found was in Lethbridge with a severity rating of 15% (moderate). Stripe rust was relatively sparse this year, likely due to a lack of pathogen overwintering in winter of 2018, and the extensive use fungicide coupled with dry summer conditions may have limited rust infection in 2019.