Fact Sheets And Publications

Introduction

• Parastagonospora nodorum (syn.Septoria nodorum) is a fungal pathogen that can produce symptoms on leaves, stems, glumes, and awns.
• P. nodorum has a wide host range, which includes wheat species, other cereals, and wild grasses.
• Leaf blotch can lead to head infection known as glume blotch.

Identification

• Symptoms begin in the low canopy as small, yellow spots. Over time these lesions enlarge into an oval or “cat eye” shape with a dark-brown center (Fig 1).
• Under favorable conditions, the entire leaf blade may become covered with lesions greatly reducing photosynthetic ability.
• Infected glumes may look dirty from a distance and are purple to brown in color (Fig 2).

Management

• Crop rotation allows stubble to decompose before re-introducing a host crop.
• Varieties with moderate resistance are available.
• Selecting high quality disease-free seed will reduce the chances of introducing inoculum.
• A fungicide application to control FHB at flowering may also help reduce foliar and glume symptoms if disease remains low in the canopy.
• Under high disease pressure, foliar fungicides can be applied to protect flag leaf.
• Read and follow all instructions on any pesticide label before use.

References

Crop Protection Network (2022, January 24). Stagonospora Leaf and Glume Blotch of Wheat. Retrieved from: https://cropprotectionnetwork.org/encyclopedia /stagonospora-leaf-and-glume-blotch-of-wheat

Mehra, Lucky, et al. “Septoria Nodorum Blotch of Wheat.” Septoria Nodorum Blotch of Wheat, American Phytopathological Society, 2019, www.apsnet.org/edcenter/disandpath/fungalasc o/pdlessons/Pages/SeptoriaNodorum.aspx.

Authors: Joseph Cinderella and Dr. Alyssa Koehler