Evaluation of Pacific Northwest Winter Wheat Cultivars for Response to Stripe Rust and Fungicide Application in Pullman, WA, 2024

Stripe rust, a destructive disease of winter wheat, can be controlled by planting resistant cultivars and/or applying fungicides. This study was conducted in a field near Pullman, WA, with the natural infection of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in 2024 to determine yield losses by stripe rust and yield protection by two applications of fungicide Quilt Xcel on 23 commercially grown wheat cultivars, plus a susceptible check (PS 279). The fungicide applications significantly reduced stripe rust in PS 279 and nine commercial cultivars, increased the grain test weight of PS 279 and one cultivar, and increased the yield in PS 279 and four cultivars when compared with their nonsprayed plots, whereas the fungicide applications did not significantly increase yield for the remaining 19 cultivars, indicating adequate resistance. The results are useful for growers to plant winter wheat cultivars that are high yielding and have high stripe rust resistance.