Specialists of the branch of the Federal State Budgetary Institution “Rosselkhozcenter” in the Stavropol Territory constantly monitor winter grain crops. To date, in the Stavropol Territory, 389.5 thousand hectares have been surveyed for disease infestation of seedlings of the winter wedge.
Along with already known pathogens, such as helminthosporiasis and fusarium, this year 1.8 thousand hectares of winter wheat crops were infected with white stem disease (hibellinous root rot or gibellinosis) in the region this year. The causative agent is Gibellina cerealis.
The harmfulness of the disease is:
– in the dying off of affected shoots at the tillering stage, that is, the tillering coefficient is sharply reduced;
– due to the long period of infection, as a rule, all tillering shoots of one plant are affected;
– fragility of stems affected by gibellinosis in the late stages at the stage of stalking;
– an empty head in case of defeat of the flag leaf.
White stem disease manifests itself in the form of eye spot with a clearly defined border above the tillering node. In the center of such spots, a dark gray coating is visible – the so-called stroma of the fungus, which in appearance resembles charcoal or ash. On one stem there can be from 1 to 3 such eyes.
During the tillering period, the disease can also affect the leaves of the lower tier. In this case, spots similar to rhynchosporium appear on them, but unlike the latter, the stroma of the fungus is also clearly visible in their center. Affected leaves turn yellow and die.
The Stavropol Rosselkhoztsentr recommended to carry out constant monitoring of the winter wedge for disease infestation. This will allow to carry out protective measures of crops in a timely manner and preserve the harvest.
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