CEREAL RUST BULLETIN       
 Final Report
 August 5, 1997
 
            
 Issued by:      
 CEREAL RUST LABORATORY      
 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE      
 AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE 
 UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA
 1551 Lindig St, ST. PAUL , MN  55108-6052      
       
 (612) 625-6299    FAX (612) 649-5054
 Internet: markh@puccini.crl.umn.edu
 
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 field, subscribe to the cereal-rust-survey
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 (http://www.crl.umn.edu/).
 
 
 __________________________________________________________________
 
 € Only trace amounts of stem rust developed over most of the U.S.
 in 1997.
 
 € Wheat leaf rust was wide spread with yield losses of 3% or more
 in winter wheat from Oklahoma to South Dakota.
 
 €  Several new races of wheat leaf rust appeared in the southern
 Great Plains in 1997, putting resistance of some cultivars at
 risk.
 
 € Oat crown rust in the north central states was less severe in
 1997 than in 1996, partly because of limited infection on
 buckthorn.
 
 € Barley stripe rust was severe in the Pacific Northwest for the
 third consecutive year.
 
 __________________________________________________________________
 
 
 Most of the small grains in the northern Great Plains are in good
 condition and near normal in plant maturity.  Barley, oat and
 winter wheat harvest has begun in southeastern North Dakota and
 northeastern Montana.
 
 
 Wheat stem rust
 This year, wheat stem rust was found scattered in plots and fields
 throughout the lower Mississippi Valley wheat-growing area.  In
 all of these areas, losses to wheat stem rust were light, but
 these fields did provide stem rust inoculum for susceptible wheats
 and barleys farther north.
 
 During 1997, wheat stem rust overwintering sites were found in
 late April in central and east central Louisiana.  For example,
 stem rust foci were scattered throughout a 40-acre field of CK
 9835, while in varietal plots 60 miles away, the rust was so
 severe that much of the wheat in some plots was killed by stem
 rust.  These sites in Louisiana were the only locations where
 wheat stem rust was found during rust surveys through the
 southeastern U.S., southern Oklahoma and northern Texas in the
 last week of April.  This year no stem rust overwintering sites
 were found in south Texas, and in early May only traces of stem
 rust were reported in central Texas varietal plots.  Stem rust
 development in Texas this year was less than normal. 
 In late May, traces of wheat stem rust were found in plots in
 northeastern Louisiana and northwestern Arkansas.  During the
 second week in June, wheat stem rust foci one meter in diameter
 were found in southeastern Illinois and northwestern Kentucky
 fields.  The next report of wheat stem rust in the soft red winter
 wheat area was in early July, in a nursery in south central
 Virginia.
 
 In mid-July, traces of wheat stem rust were found in east central
 South Dakota check plots of highly susceptible spring wheat
 cultivars such as Morocco, and by the fourth week in July 40%
 severities were observed in other susceptible spring wheat lines. 
 In mid-July, traces of stem rust were found in a plot of the
 susceptible spring wheat Max in east central North Dakota.  The
 infections on Max were on the leaf sheaths and originated from
 spores that were rain deposited 7 and 14 days earlier.  The stem
 rust infections in the northern plains this year may have
 originated from rust spores that were released from rusted soft
 red winter wheat fields in southern Illinois or the Ohio Valley
 area.  No other potential sources of wheat stem rust spores were
 known to have existed at the time those infections occurred.  This
 year there were few reports of stem rust in fields and nurseries
 and the number of stem rust collections received at the Cereal
 Rust Lab were 1/4 of normal. 
 
 Several factors delayed stem rust development in the northern
 plains:  First, little stem rust overwintered in the southern
 U.S., second, hot dry weather in June limited infection, and
 third, stem rust resistance in the spring wheats remains highly
 effective in the northern Great Plains.
 
 In mid-July, small foci of stem rust were found on winter wheat
 cultivars in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest.  In late
 July, in late maturing cultivars like Eltan, stem rust was severe
 and will cause yield losses.  Stem rust was severe in a few of the
 susceptible spring wheat cultivars in eastern Washington and
 northern Idaho and will cause lower grain weights in some fields.
 To date, race Pgt-TPMK has been the only wheat stem rust race
 identified in 1997.  Stem rust identifications were made from
 Arkansas, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas collections. 
 This is the first time in the past 79 years that only one stem
 rust race has been identified from the U.S. rust collections. 
 
 
 Wheat leaf rust
 Southern Plains - More leaf rust overwintered in the southern
 Great Plains this year than last year.  In late November, leaf
 rust was found in many locations in Oklahoma and Texas.  In mid-
 March, wheat leaf rust was heavier than normal in plots and fields
 of susceptible soft and hard wheats throughout southern and
 central Texas.  By late March, leaf rust was unusually heavy in
 Oklahoma where it survived the winter (Fig. 1).  During the first
 week in April, 60% wheat leaf rust severities were observed on
 lower leaves of susceptible cultivars in fields and nursery plots
 throughout southern and central Texas.  Cool, wet conditions in
 many parts of Texas and Oklahoma during mid-April created good
 conditions for rust increase.  In mid-April, 80% severities were
 reported on flag leaves of TAM 200, TAM 107 and 2163 at the
 central Texas nurseries.  Leaf rust was more severe in the central
 Texas nurseries at McGregor and Temple than at the two southern
 nurseries, Beeville and Uvalde.  In some fields of susceptible
 cultivars in central Texas, 40% severities were observed on the
 upper leaves at the soft dough stage, and losses to leaf rust
 occurred in these fields.  During the last week in April, wheat
 leaf rust severities in north central Texas and southern Oklahoma
 fields ranged from trace to 2%, and in plots severities ranged
 from trace to 40%.  Most commercial cultivars in Texas expressed
 susceptible reactions to leaf rust this year, which suggested that
 there were new races in the area. The preliminary wheat leaf rust
 race identifications in Table 1 has confirmed there has  been a
 change in the race population of Texas this year.  Resistance of
 the cultivars Big Dawg, Longhorn and Tomahawk held up fairly well. 
 During the third week of May in north central Oklahoma, 60% wheat
 leaf rust severities were observed on the flag leaves of many of
 the cultivars growing in fields and plots.  In north central
 Oklahoma varietal plots, cultivars like Karl 92, 2163 and Chisholm
 had 60% severity readings, while rust severities in cultivars like
 Custer, Jagger and 2137 were less than 5%.  Estimated rust losses
 to leaf rust in Oklahoma this year were near 10%. 
 
 In mid-May, 20% leaf rust severity readings were observed on
 Triticum cylindricum (goatgrass) in western Oklahoma.  This was
 the heaviest leaf rust observed on goatgrass in the last five
 years.
 
 Central Plains - In mid-March, overwintered leaf rust was found in
 the southern tier of Kansas counties.  In early April, where leaf
 rust overwintered in Kansas, rust pustules were found on the
 lowest leaves, and farther north in Kansas rust was found on the
 top two leaves.   On April 12 and 13 in Kansas, frost damaged the
 head and stem but did not destroy all of the rust-infected leaves. 
 Leaf development was set back somewhat by the freeze, but enough
 leaf rust still survived to cause significant losses in Kansas and
 provided inoculum for the wheat-growing areas farther north.  In
 late April, leaf rust was found on flag leaves in extreme southern
 Kansas and rust progress was developing slower than expected
 because of the cool weather.
 
 Leaf rust was found on flag leaves of wheat in the southern tier
 of counties of Kansas (excluding the far southwest) early in May. 
 By mid-May, leaf rust severity on flag leaves in south central
 Kansas was as high as 40% in some fields of susceptible winter
 wheat cultivars.  In plots in the same area, severities on the
 flag leaves ranged from 0 to 60%.  In mid-May, leaf rust was also
 found on flag leaves throughout central and northern Kansas, but
 in those areas there was little rust on the lower leaves.  The
 lack of rust on lower leaves indicates that the flag leaf
 infections came from spore showers from outside the region.  From
 the timing of the infection, it appears that Texas was the most
 likely source of the spores.  Leaf rust that overwintered on lower
 leaves of wheat in southern Kansas was slow to develop due to the
 cooler than normal night temperatures.  In southern Kansas, the
 rust was late in moving to the flag leaves from which it could be
 spread farther north by wind.  In mid-May, wheat in the west and
 south central areas of the state was under moisture stress. 
 Overall, leaf rust was developing more slowly than expected.  In
 late May, in south central Kansas fields, 80% leaf rust severities
 were common on the flag leaves of susceptible winter wheat
 cultivars where rust overwintered.  In varietal plots in south
 central Kansas, leaf rust decimated most of the cultivars and the
 only cultivar showing some resistance was Big Dawg.  Throughout
 northern Kansas, leaf rust development was slow.  The cooler than
 normal night temperatures during the last part of May may have
 been one of the reasons why rust did not develop as fast as
 expected.  By the second week in June, 10% leaf rust severities
 were observed in wheat fields in north central Kansas at soft
 dough.  The estimated loss due to leaf rust in Kansas is 3.7%. 
 
 In late May, traces of leaf rust were observed in plots and fields
 in southern Nebraska.  By the second week in June, 10% leaf rust
 severities were observed in wheat fields in south central Nebraska
 (Fig. 1).  In early June, traces of leaf rust were observed on
 lower leaves of wheat in eastern Colorado.  In late June, leaf
 rust severities ranged from trace to 80% on cultivars in south and
 west central Nebraska varietal plots.  In southern Nebraska fields
 of susceptible cultivars, losses to leaf rust averaged around 5%.
 
 Northern Plains - On June 2, trace amounts of leaf rust were found
 in south central and southeastern North Dakota winter wheat plots. 
 Initial leaf rust development in the northern plains comes mainly
 from windborne spores from the south that are deposited with rains
 on wheat plots and fields in the north.  During the second week in
 June, traces of leaf rust were found in southeastern South Dakota
 fields and varietal plots and in winter wheat varietal plots in
 east central Minnesota.  Fields of susceptible winter wheat in
 central South Dakota had 50% to 80% leaf rust severities on flag
 leaves during the first week in July (Fig. 1).  During the second
 week in July, 60% severities were observed in fields of winter
 wheat at the mid-dough stage in southeastern North Dakota.  Losses
 to leaf rust in winter wheat in South Dakota could be as high as
 10%, according to preliminary estimates.  The rust infections in
 South Dakota probably originated from spore inoculum sources in
 Oklahoma and southern Kansas.
 
 Varietal plots of susceptible spring wheat in east central South
 Dakota had 50% to 80% leaf rust severities in early July.  Fields
 of spring wheat in eastern South Dakota and North Dakota had only
 traces of leaf rust due to their moderate to high levels of
 resistance to prevailing races.  Although most of the spring wheat
 cultivars in the northern plains are resistant to leaf rust, some
 cases of higher than usual leaf rust severities have been
 reported.  During mid-July, in west central Minnesota and
 southeastern North Dakota, trace to 40% leaf rust severities were
 observed on flag leaves of commercial spring wheat cultivars in
 the late berry stage.  In late July, trace to 10% severities were
 reported on spring wheat in northern North Dakota and northwestern
 Minnesota fields.  Only light losses are expected, and most of
 those losses will be in late planted fields.  In plots of
 susceptible spring wheats in west central Minnesota, east central
 South Dakota, and east central north Dakota, 60% leaf rust
 severities were reported on flag leaves in mid-July.  As in South
 Dakota, some yield losses from leaf rust are expected in winter
 wheat in North Dakota.  No rust was reported on durum wheat.
 
 Southeast - In the southeast U.S., in late March, wheat leaf rust
 was severe in plots and fields of susceptible soft red winter
 wheat cultivars (Fig. 1).  Leaf rust in the Southeast was much
 more severe than last year in early spring.  The winter rainfall
 in southeastern U.S. was normal, creating favorable conditions for
 rust infection.  In southern Louisiana, in early April, many of
 the cultivars that previously were resistant were showing
 significant rust development this year.  During the last week in
 April, 60% severities on flag leaves were observed in plots and
 fields of susceptible soft red winter cultivars in the
 southeastern U.S.  In southern Arkansas, during early May, leaf
 rust development on flag leaves was severe in many late-planted
 fields of susceptible cultivars.  Cultivars most affected were
 Wakefield, Hazen, Jackson, Coker 9803, Hickory and Pioneer 2580. 
 While the leaf rust epidemic in southern Arkansas was too late to
 cause major damage to the whole wheat crop, this is the most
 significant rust problem in several years in the state and caused
 damage in late-maturing fields.  In late May, wheat leaf rust was
 severe in varietal plots and light in fields in the bootheel of
 Missouri, northeastern Arkansas and western Tennessee.  Wheat leaf
 rust pustules were found on flag leaves during the first week in
 May in the coastal plain of South Carolina,.  In mid-May, in the
 coastal plain of South Carolina, wheat leaf rust caused premature
 senescence of the state¹s predominant cultivar (Coker 9835).  
 
 Midwest - During the second week in June, trace leaf rust ratings
 were recorded on most of the wheat cultivars in southern Indiana
 plots, while 20% severities were recorded on a few susceptible
 lines.  By early June, traces of leaf rust were reported in soft
 red winter wheat fields in southeastern Wisconsin, south central
 Michigan and northwestern Indiana.  Losses will be light in this
 area since the rust was light and developed later than normal.
 California - Leaf rust was light in wheat fields in the San
 Joaquin Valley during the third week in April and by late April,
 leaf rust was found throughout the Sacramento Valley fields. 
 Since wheat leaf rust developed so late, rust losses were light
 throughout the state.
 
 Northwest - In late May, wheat leaf rust was light in the Skagit
 Valley of western Washington.  In early June, in eastern
 Washington, 1-2% severities were reported in some fields and leaf
 rust was also increasing in the Willamette Valley of western
 Oregon.  In early July, wheat leaf rust was severe on susceptible
 fall planted and spring planted cultivars growing in varietal
 plots in the Skagit Valley in northwestern Washington and the
 Palouse region of eastern Washington and northern Idaho.  In
 commercial fields in these areas, leaf rust developed late on the
 winter wheat and will only cause slight damage to the crop.  Most
 of the spring wheat cultivars have adequate adult plant resistance
 to combat the rust.  In late July, wheat leaf rust was increasing
 in spring wheat fields in the Palouse region of Washington and
 will decrease yields in late maturing susceptible wheat. 
 
 Northeast - By late May, in varietal plots in eastern Virginia,
 wheat leaf rust severities ranged from 10 to 50%.  In mid-June,
 leaf rust was light in winter wheat fields in south central
 Pennsylvania.  During the first week in July, light amounts of
 leaf rust were found in winter wheat fields and plots in central
 and western New York.  Losses to leaf rust were very minimal in
 the northeastern U.S. in 1997.
 
 The wheat leaf rust races identified so far in the 1997 survey are
 presented in Table 1.  Race MBRL, which is virulent to
 Lr1,3,3ka,10,11,30, is the most commonly identified race this year
 and also was the most common race for the last four years.  So
 far, 20 races have been identified in Texas this year and of
 these, 4 were not identified in previous Texas surveys.  Some
 races like MBNL, MBTL and MFDL have Lr 17 as part of their
 virulence package. Lr17 is part of the leaf rust resistance in
 Jagger which has been and will be grown on a large part of hard
 red winter wheat acreage next year.
 
 
 TABLE 1.  Wheat leaf rust races identified through July 31, 1997
 ______________________________________________________________
 PRT                              Number of isolates by state  
 code  Virulence formula1         AL AR CA FL GA KS LA MS OK TX
 ______________________________________________________________
 CBGB  3,11                                   2
 MBBB  1,3                                             1
 MBBL  1,3,10                     1  1  3         
 MBBQ  1,3,10,18                        9
 MBDL  1,3,10,17                                 1
 MBGL  1,3,10,11                  2           1       
 MBGQ  1,3,10,11,18                     2
 MBNL  1,3,3ka,10,17                                         4
 MBRL  1,3,3ka,10,11,30          14 12        5  3  4     1 10
 MBRQ  1,3,3ka,10,11,18,30        6  2     2     4 16  3  1   
 MBTL  1,3,3ka,10,11,17,30                                   1
 MCBL  1,3,10,26                                             2
 MCBQ  1,3,10,18,26                     2
 MCDL  1,3,10,17,26                                         17
 MCJL  1,3,10,11,17,26                           1
 MCRL  1,3,3ka,10,11,26,30                                   3
 MCRQ  1,3,3ka,10,11,18,26,30     5  5     3        9        1
 MCTL  1,3,3ka,10,11,17,26,30                                2
 MDBL  1,3,10,24                                 2  2        6
 MDGL  1,3,10,11,24               2                          1
 MDRL  1,3,3ka,10,11,24,30        8              1          13
 MDRQ  1,3,3ka,10,11,18,24,30     1              8        3
 MFBL  1,3,10,24,26                  3                       2
 MFDL  1,3,10,17,24,26                                       1
 MFRL  1,3,3ka,10,11,24,26,30                             1   
 MFTL  1,3,3ka,10,11,17,24,26,30                          1   
 PNMQ  1,2c,3,3ka,9,10,18,24,30               4              1
 TBBL  1,2a,2c,3,10                        1  1              2
 TDBL  1,2a,2c,3,10,24            1  2                    1 12
 TDRL  1,2a,2c,3,3ka,10,11,24,30  1                          3
 TFCL  1,2a,2c,3,10,24,26,30                  1
 TFBL  1,2a,2c,3,10,24,26                  2                 2
 TFGL  1,2a,2c,3,10,11,24,26                                 4
 TGBL  1,2a,2c,3,10,16                                       1
 TLGG  1,2a,2c,3,9,11,18          2           4     2
 Number of isolates              43 25 16  8 18 20 33  4  8 88
 Number of collections           26 13  8  4 12 11 17  2  5 49
 ______________________________________________________________
 1 Single gene resistances evaluated:
     Lr1,2a,2c,3,3ka,9,10,11,16,17,18,24,26,30
 
 
 Wheat stripe rust
 During late April, stripe rust was first found in the south
 central U.S. in a 50-acre field of Mason in northeastern
 Louisiana.  The rust was severe and was found throughout the whole
 field.  In mid-May in Arkansas, south of I-40, stripe rust was
 still active in many wheat fields because of the cool
 temperatures.  Fungicides were sprayed in some fields to control
 the rust.  In late May, traces of stripe rust were found in wheat
 fields in the bootheel of Missouri and western Tennessee. 
 Generally, every year stripe rust is found in a few locations
 along the southern Mississippi Valley.
 
 During the third week in March, wheat stripe rust was observed in
 California on a new variety, UC 1041, in the Yolo county plots and
 in the Davis campus nursery.  By the second week in April,
 moderate stripe rust severities were reported in the San Joaquin
 Valley and traces were found in the Sacramento Valley of
 California.  During the last week in April, in the Sacramento
 Valley of California, wheat stripe rust foci were found in fields
 of the fall-sown hard red spring wheat cultivar Express.  During
 early May, traces of wheat stripe rust were found in wheat fields
 in the Sacramento Valley.  Several entries in statewide hard red
 spring wheat nurseries showed susceptible reactions.  There may be
 a race change occurring in California where wheat stripe rust
 appeared on cultivars which have had effective resistance since
 the mid-70s.  
 
 In late April, wheat stripe rust was observed in nursery plots in
 the Skagit Valley of western Washington on the lower leaves (20%)
 but not on the upper leaves.  In late April, in the area west of
 Pascoe, stripe rust hot spots were found and rust became a problem
 in this area because crop maturity was delayed due to the cold
 spring.  During the second week in June, stripe rust was very
 severe on many wheat cultivars in the Skagit Valley of western
 Washington.  During the first week in July, wheat stripe rust was
 severe on susceptible fall planted and spring planted cultivars in
 northwestern Washington nurseries, but since most of the
 commercial cultivars in this region have good adult plant
 resistance to stripe rust, losses will be light.  In mid-May,
 stripe rust was increasing in central Washington on hard red
 winter and club wheats.  In mid-June, in the Palouse area of
 Washington, stripe rust ratings of 10-20% were found in wheat
 fields.  In early July, wheat stripe rust was severe on
 susceptible winter wheat cultivars in the Palouse region of
 eastern Washington and northern Idaho, and in mid-July,wheat
 stripe was increasing in spring wheat fields in the Palouse
 region, but will not cause significant losses because the
 commercial soft white winter and spring wheats have good adult
 plant resistance to stripe rust.
 
 In the first week in July, wheat stripe rust was found in
 overwintering centers in the Gallatin Valley of Montana.  The
 stripe rust is expected to increase because of  good moisture
 conditions and cool weather. 
 
 
 Oat stem rust
 In mid-February, traces of oat stem rust were found in the nursery
 plots at Beeville in southern Texas.  During the first week in
 April, hot spots of oat stem rust 0.5 m in diameter were found in
 southern Texas fields and nursery plots.  Along the roadside in
 central Texas, traces of stem rust were observed on wild oat
 (Avena fatua).  The rains during the first week in April were good
 for rust infection and the rust increased significantly.  During
 the second week in May, oat stem rust was increasing rapidly in
 varietal plots in College Station.  The Texas oat stem rust
 provided inoculum for areas farther north, but the lack of oat
 acreage in the central Great Plains tended to interrupt potential
 epidemics.
 
 This year, by late March, stem rust was increasing in oat varietal
 plots in southern Louisiana where it generally can be found every
 year by early March.  During the second week in April, 50% oat
 stem rust severities were observed in varietal trial plots in
 southwestern Alabama.  During the last week in April,
 overwintering centers of stem rust were found in an oat field in
 east central Louisiana and in oat varietal plots in southern
 Georgia, southwestern Alabama, southwestern Mississippi and
 central Louisiana.  Severe oat stem rust was found in varietal
 plots and fields throughout central and northeastern Louisiana by
 mid-May.  These locations provided oat stem rust inoculum for
 areas farther north.  
 
 In early May, oat stem rust was found in plots in the Sacramento
 Valley of California.
 
 In mid-July, traces of oat stem rust were found in plots in east
 central South Dakota, central, and west central Minnesota.  These
 were the first reports of oat stem rust in the U.S. since mid-May,
 when oat stem rust was found in fields and plots in Texas,
 Louisiana and Alabama.  Much less oat stem rust has been found in
 the northern Great Plains the past three years than in previous
 years.  The reduced amount of oat stem rust seems to be associated
 with a decline in oat production.
 
 Race NA-27, virulent to Pg-1,2,3,4, and 8 remains the predominant
 race of the oat stem rust population (Table 2).
 
 TABLE 2.  Oat stem rust races identified through July 31, 1997
 __________________________________________________________________
 
                   Number of           Number of isolates per state
 State       collections  isolates     NA-10       NA-16      NA-27
 __________________________________________________________________
 Alabama         3            9                                  9
 California      2            6           6   
 Florida         4           12                                 12
 Louisiana       5           15                      7           8
 Mississippi     2            6                      3           3
 Texas          13           35                                 35
 Total          29           93           9         10          74
 __________________________________________________________________
 *Virulence formula (Avirulence/Virulence):
 
      NA-10  1,4,8,9,13,16,a/2,3,15
      NA-16  2,4,9,13,15,16,a/1,3,8
      NA-27  9,13,15,16,a/1,3,8 
 
 
 Oat crown rust
 By late February, crown rust was found in southern Texas plots and
 the rust was much more severe this year than last year.  During
 the first week in April, crown rust was severe in southern and
 central Texas fields and plots.  Sixty-percent severities were
 common on the most susceptible cultivars in nursery plots and in
 some cultivars, the rust was killing the host.  In some fields in
 southern Texas, overwintering hot spots 3-m in diameter with
 40-60% severities were observed.  In late April, crown rust was
 severe in central Texas varietal plots, while in oat fields,
 severities were moderate(1-20%).  The Texas oat crown rust
 inoculum is available for areas farther north, but the lack of oat
 acreage in the central Great Plains tends to interrupt potential
 epidemics.
 
 In late March, severe crown rust was found in varietal plots in
 southern Louisiana.  By mid-April, crown rust was severe (>80%) in
 oat varietal plots and moderate (1-20%) in oat fields.   In plots
 in southwestern Alabama and central Louisiana, the rust was so
 severe it killed some of the oats.  This widespread crown rust
 development is equal to the rust development of the last three
 years in the southeastern U.S.  Crown rust development in the
 southeastern U.S. has provided inoculum for areas farther north. 
 In mid-June, traces of oat crown rust were found in oat fields in
 west central Indiana.  
 
 Crown rust pycnia appeared on buckthorns in St. Paul, Minnesota,
 on May 19.  The infections apparently came from basidiospores
 released from germinating teliospores on infected straw during
 rains on May 7-8.  Buckthorn bushes are the alternate host for
 crown rust and generally provide the initial spores for crown rust
 infections of the northern oat crop.  In late May, aeciospores,
 which can infect oat, were found on buckthorn leaves in southern
 Minnesota and southern Wisconsin.  In early June, moderate to
 severe aecial infections were found on buckthorn bushes in south
 central and southeastern Wisconsin.  By June 17, 20% crown rust
 severities were observed on lower leaves of oats growing near the
 buckthorn bushes in the nursery on the University of Minnesota,
 St. Paul campus.  By the second week in June, traces of crown rust
 were found in southern Wisconsin oat fields.  Crown rust developed
 slowly due to cool weather in the northern oat-growing area.  By
 June 30, crown rust infection was severe (50-80%) on susceptible
 oat cultivars near the buckthorn nursery on the University of
 Minnesota, St. Paul campus.  In early July, light levels of oat
 crown rust were detected in a few fields in southern Minnesota,
 central Wisconsin, and south central Pennsylvania.  During mid-
 July, crown rust severities ranged from trace to 10% in oat fields
 and trace to 40% on flag leaves in plots in west central and
 southern Wisconsin.  In late July, oat crown rust severities
 ranged from trace to 60% in plots and trace to 10% in fields in
 northwestern Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota.  The most
 severe crown rust was found where rust occurred early and
 conditions were conducive for rust development.  Buckthorn growing
 in close proximity to oat fields provided the initial inoculum in
 these areas, i.e., southern Minnesota and southern Wisconsin.
 
 In early June, aecial development was light on buckthorn bushes in
 eastern South Dakota.  In early July, 10% crown rust  severities
 were found on lower leaves of susceptible oat cultivars in eastern
 South Dakota varietal plots.  During mid-July, crown rust
 severities ranged from trace to 5% in oat fields and trace to 40%
 on flag leaves in plots in eastern South Dakota and east central
 North Dakota.  No crown rust was found in oat plots in central
 South Dakota.  Lack of moisture in May and cooler than normal
 weather in early June delayed rust development, but warmer and
 rainy weather than normal in early July favored crown rust
 increase.  Rainy weather, however, washed much of the inoculum off
 infected plants before spores could spread.  This was one of the
 lowest levels of crown rust infections on buckthorn and oats in
 recent years in South Dakota.
 
 Losses to crown rust were less severe than last year in the
 northern oat-growing area, with the latest planted fields
 suffering the most damage.
 
 The incidence of virulence for 1997 crown rust isolates tested to
 date is presented in Table 3.
 
 TABLE 3.  Incidence of virulence in 1997 crown rust isolates
 tested to date (7/31/97)
 ___________________________________________________________
                          Per cent isolates virulent                     
 Differential     TX      LA     FL,MS,AL,GA      SC      CA
 ___________________________________________________________
 Pc14             91      89          88          73      86
 Pc35             42      26          50           0      14
 Pc36              2      68          44          82      43
 Pc38             58      53          50          45      14
 Pc39             48      42          38           9      43
 Pc40             97      95         100         100      86
 Pc45             12       5          25           0      86
 Pc46             55      21          31          27      86
 Pc48              9       0          19           0      57
 Pc50             55      42          44          82      29
 Pc51             97      74           5           9      29
 Pc52             15       0          13           0      43
 Pc53              0       0           0           0       0
 Pc54             15      26          25          45      86
 Pc55             45      42          31           9      43
 Pc56             39      58          31          82      43
 Pc57             45      16           6           0      43
 Pc58             15      11           0           9      29
 Pc59             30      37          19           0      14
 Pc60             91      84          69         100      29
 Pc61             76      89         100         100      29
 Pc62              0       5           6           0       0
 Pc63             36      32          25           9      14
 Pc64              0       5           0           0       0
 Pc67             36      68          13          73      57
 Pc68              0       0           0           0       0
 Pc70             55      37          44          36      29
 Pc71             52      47          31          18      43
 ___________________________________________________________
 Total            33      19          16          11       7 
 
 
 Barley stem rust
 races of barley stem rust were first found this year on May 19 in
 barley plots in south Texas at Beeville.  Limited amounts of
 barley are grown commercially in the southern states and stem rust
 on barley rarely occurs in this area.  In mid-July, traces of
 barley stem rust were found on spring barleys in east central
 South Dakota plots.  Less barley stem rust was found in the
 northern plains this year because nearly all barley cultivars are
 resistant to wheat stem rust race TPMK.  Race QCCJ, which infects
 barley cultivars with the resistance gene Rpg 1, was not found in
 the southern U.S.
 
 
 Barley leaf rust
 During the first week in April, trace to 10% leaf rust severities
 were observed on lower leaves of barley in southern and central
 Texas plots. 
 
 In late May, light amounts of barley leaf rust were reported in
 south central Pennsylvania and in the Skagit Valley of western
 Washington on winter barleys.  By the second week in June, barley
 leaf rust was moderate to severe, and in early July, it was severe
 on susceptible fall-planted and spring-planted cultivars in
 varietal plots in the Skagit Valley.
 
 In mid-July, trace - 40% barley leaf rust severities were observed
 in barley plots in west central Minnesota and northeastern South
 Dakota, but no leaf rust was found in fields.
 
 This year, losses to barley leaf rust were light in the United
 States.
 
 
 Barley stripe rust
 In early March, ³hot spots³ of  barley stripe rust were observed
 in nurseries and variety strip tests on the Davis, California
 agronomy farm.  By the first week of April, barley stripe rust was
 severe on the Davis campus and Yolo county plots in California. 
 During the second week in April, barley stripe rust was present in
 light to severe amounts in commercial fields in the San Joaquin
 Valley of California.  In some fields, the infections were lighter
 than 1996, but in other fields, 20% severities were observed on
 flag leaves.  It was observed that even under dry conditions,
 barley stripe rust increased.  During late April, barley stripe
 rust was widespread in California¹s fall-sown spring barley crop. 
 Some advanced lines that tested resistant last season are
 susceptible this season.  Many of the commercial cultivars are
 extremely susceptible, while UC 603 exhibits a high level of
 tolerance.  By early July, stripe rust on barley was appearing on
 spring-sown barley in the intermountain area of northeastern
 California.  Eighty to 100% severities were reported in
 northeastern California nurseries, and in commercial fields, 100%
 severities were reported on flag leaves at the milk growth stage,
 which may lead to a 50% or more loss in yield.  Many fields in
 this area were being sprayed with Folicur in order to control the
 rust. Except for northeastern California, total crop damage will
 be less than in 1996, since stripe rust onset was late this
 season, while crop development was earlier.
 
 In early March, barley stripe rust was found in winter barley
 plots at Corvallis, Oregon.  By late March, stripe rust pustules
 were found at low levels in susceptible varieties within a 16-m
 diameter circle of the original infected plots, and by mid-April,
 barley was heavily infected with stripe rust in winter trial plots
 at Corvallis.  During the last two weeks in April, cool, wet
 weather slowed stripe rust development in winter barley plots, but
 in late May, barley stripe rust was increasing in spring barley
 plots at Corvallis. 
 
 In late April, 20% stripe rust severities were reported on lower
 leaves of barley, and by late May, stripe rust was severe on
 susceptible winter cultivars growing in the Skagit Valley of
 western Washington.  By the first week in July, severe barley
 stripe rust was found on susceptible fall-planted and spring-
 planted cultivars growing in varietal plots in the Skagit Valley. 
 In early July, light amounts of barley stripe rust were detected
 in the Palouse region of the Pacific Northwest.
 
 In mid-July, 70% severities were observed in spring barley test
 plots in west central Idaho and traces in the northern tip of
 Idaho.  Since the plants were in an advanced plant growth stage,
 the rust should not significantly affect the yield.
 Barley stripe rust is now firmly established in California and the
 Pacific Northwest, where the climate is most favorable for its
 development.  Losses to barley stripe rust occurred in fields
 throughout California and the Pacific Northwest. 
 
 
 Crown rust on barley
 During the second week in July, 20% crown rust severities were
 observed in barley growing 15 meters from Rhamnus bushes in east
 central North Dakota.  Barley crown rust was found in commercial
 fields throughout the Red River Valley.  Crown rust reached 80%
 severity on susceptible barley cultivars planted in an east
 central South Dakota nursery.  Light losses to barley crown rust
 occurred in barley fields growing in close proximity to Rhamnus
 bushes.
 
 
 Rye stem rust
 In late July, traces of rye stem rust were found in plots in
 central Minnesota.
 
 
 Rye leaf rust
 During the first week in April, 40% leaf rust severities were
 observed on the flag leaf in winter rye plots in central Texas. 
 By the last week in April, in central and north central Texas
 plots, rye leaf rust severities ranged from 1-5% on the flag
 leaves.  Forty-percent leaf rust severities were observed on
 winter rye in fields in north central Oklahoma on May 19.  
 
 In a field of rye in southern Alabama, 20% leaf rust severities
 were observed on the flag leaves in late April.  Rye leaf rust was
 found in a nursery in Plains, Georgia on May 13. 
 
 In late June,  40% rye leaf rust severities were reported in a
 plot in east central South Dakota.  In late July, 5-50% rye leaf
 rust severities were observed in spring rye plots in central
 Minnesota and northeastern North Dakota.
 
 Rye leaf rust was scattered throughout the U.S. in plots and
 fields and losses will be light in 1997.
 
 
 Stem rust on barberry
 During mid-May, aecial development was observed on common barberry
 (Berberis vulgaris) bushes (alternate host for stem rust) in south
 central Wisconsin.  During the second week in June, aecial
 development was observed on barberry bushes in southeastern
 Minnesota. 
 
 
 Rust on other grasses
 During the first week in April, severe crown rust was observed on
 ryegrass and severe leaf rust on little barley (Hordeum pusillum)
 in southern Alabama and Louisiana.  During the first week in July,
 stem rust was found on quackgrass (Elytrigia repens) and redtop
 (Agrostis alba), which were growing within 30 meters of the common
 barberry in southeastern Minnesota.
 
 This is the last issue of the Cereal Rust Bulletins for the
 1996-97 growing season.  I would like to thank all of those who
 helped with the bulletin this year, especially Mark Hughes who
 coordinates its distribution through the CRL web page
 (http://www.crl.umn.edu), email (markh@puccini.crl.umn.edu) and
 the post.  As most universities and research facilities now have
 access to the Internet, we would like to use this system for
 exchanging information.  Any reports of rust that you find in your
 area will be appreciated and this information will be added to the
 CRB and possibly our web page.  My username is
 davidl@puccini.crl.umn.edu.
  - David Long