CEREAL RUST BULLETIN Report No. 1 April 3, 1996 Issued by: Cereal Rust Laboratory, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN 55108 (612) 625-6299 FAX (612) 649-5054 Internet: markh@puccini.crl.umn.edu Beginning with this issue, we are posting current Cereal Rust Bulletins on our home page (http://www.umn.edu/rustlab/). We hope that this will provide a convenient and timely way for many of you to receive the information. If you currently receive the Cereal Rust Bulletin by regular mail but would prefer to receive it by email, please send a message to Mark Hughes (markh@puccini.crl.umn.edu) so that you may be added to our CRB email distribution list. If you currently receive the CRB's by email and would rather visit our home page to get the bulletins, please send an email message to Mark Hughes (markh@puccini.crl.umn.edu). Individuals who make the switch from receiving their bulletins by email to visiting the home page will still get a short message to let them know when the latest CRB is posted on the home page. We are particularly excited about the possibilities our home page offers. In addition to the Cereal Rust Bulletins, we are adding other items dealing with the cereal rusts. In an attempt to provide all interested individuals with the latest news on the cereal rust situation in the U.S., we plan to post messages from our cooperators which relate to the cereal rust situation in the U.S. If you have information on the cereal rust situation (or other small grain diseases) that you would like to share, please email your info to David Long (davidl@puccini.crl.umn.edu) and to Mark Hughes at (markh@puccini.crl.umn.edu) or call Dave (612-625-1284). We would like to include your name and email address so others could contact you. If, however, you prefer not to have your name or email address appear with the information, we will omit them. Of course, as this is new to us, we are uncertain how best to handle these messages. Posting these messages will supplement the Cereal Rust Bulletins by making cooperators' reports available on the home page as they come in. Of course, we will continue to incorporate these reports into the regular issues of the Cereal Rust Bulletin. Generally, the Cereal Rust Bulletins are compiled every two weeks during the crop season. We welcome all comments or suggestions on how we can improve the bulletins or our home page. Reports on distribution of races of cereal rust fungi are an important part of our surveys as reported in the Cereal Rust Bulletin. We regularly collect and test isolates of stem rust (wheat, oat, and barley), wheat leaf rust, and oat crown rust. We appreciate receiving collections of these rusts from cooperators around the U.S. If you would like to contribute, please contact Dave Long or Mark Hughes, and they will send you a packet of collection envelopes and forms. The winter of 1995-96 was cooler and drier than normal throughout much of the southern wheat-growing area of the United States causing the winter wheat crop to suffer accordingly. For example, wheat throughout Texas is in poor to fair condition and about 2-3 weeks later than normal in maturity. In parts of the southern soft red winter wheat-growing area, the crop has been destroyed because of freeze damage. For example, in Louisiana 40% of the wheat crop was lost. In Kansas and Oklahoma, conditions have been drier and cooler than normal and much of the wheat crop is in poor to fair condition. Wheat stem rust During the last week in March no stem rust was found in commercial fields or nurseries in southern Texas. Wheat leaf rust During the last week in March, 20% leaf rust serverities were observed on lower leaves of wheat plants in fields 65 miles southwest of Houston, and traces were found in central Texas nursery plots. Generally, by late March, leaf rust is severe throughout southern Texas and moderate in central Texas, but cool, dry weather has kept the rust in check. During late March, leaf rust was light on susceptible southern soft red winter wheat cultivars growing in southern Louisiana plots. These cultivars are in the heading-out crop stage and, therefore, rust probably will not be a problem on wheat growing in this area. During the last week in March, 15% wheat leaf rust severities were reported on cultivars growing in nurseries and fields in the San Joaquin Valley in California. Wheat stripe rust As of April 2, there have been no reports of wheat stripe rust in the U.S. We would appreciate any reports of wheat stripe rust occurrence. NOTE: Stripe rust is vulnerable to heat and does not survive long at warm temperatures; therefore, if shipment of collections for race identification is delayed their viability will be poor. Please send wheat stripe collections (10 or more rusted green leaves) as soon as possible after collecting to: Dr. Roland Line, USDA-ARS, 361 Johnson Hall, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6430. Oat stem rust As of April 2, no oat stem rust has been reported in the U.S. Usually by this date oat stem rust is present in southern Texas, but none was found during a survey throughout that area the last week in March. Also, this year no oat stem rust was found in varietal plots in southern Louisiana where it generally can be found every year by early March. Oat crown rust During the last week in March, traces of crown rust were found in plots in southern Texas but none was found in commercial fields. No crown rust has been found in varietal plots in southern Louisiana. This again is much less rust than is normally reported at these two locations by late March. Barley stem rust As of April 2, no stem rust has been reported on barley in the U.S. this year. Limited amounts of barley are grown commercially in the southern states. Stem rust on barley rarely occurs in this area. Barley leaf rust By the last week in March, severe leaf rust caused by Puccinia hordei was observed in one plot in south Texas. In the other plots in the same nursery, lighter amounts were found. Stripe rust on barley By the third week in March barley stripe rust was found in Central Valley, Davis and Sutter Co., California nurseries. Stripe rust now is established throughout the Central Valley of California. For race identification please send barley stripe collections (10 or more rusted green leaves) as soon as possible after collecting to: Dr. Roland Line, USDA-ARS, 361 Johnson Hall, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-6430. During the last week in March no barley stripe rust was found in southern Texas plots. Rye rusts As of April 2, no leaf or stem rust of rye has been reported in the U.S. Note: As you no doubt know, all Federal Government agencies are reviewing their program priorities. If you feel that this publication and the related activities of the Cereal Rust Lab are important to you, you can help us by calling the USDA, ARS Midwest Area Director, Dr. Richard Dunkle, 1815 N. University Street, Peoria, IL 61604, phone# 309-681-6602 (Internet address: dunkler@ncaur1.ncaur.gov). Dr. Dunkle will be glad to discuss how you can make your feelings known in Washington.