Bacterial Blight is common among cereal crops in the County. The bacteria that causes the infection is soil-borne and is often carried over in stubble and residue from previous crops. Once the bacteria are established on a plant, they are very easily transported by rain and wind.
What to Look For
Leaf Symptoms Leaf Symptoms Leaf Symptoms
Prevention
Bacterial blight is more of an issue during wet and windy conditions. Though weather may be out of our control, there are some ways to avoid the infection being established:
- Avoid infesting clean fields by using a clean seed source treated with a registered fungicide
- Seed resistant varieties when possible
- Use a balanced agronomic package to ensure a healthy plant stand
- Practice a 3-4-year rotation of cereal crops
- Apply a foliar application of a registered fungicide at the recommended stage of the crop