HGCA has today (6th November), published updated information on wheat yellow rust to help growers plan disease management strategies for the year ahead.

A new diversification matrix available on a new HGCA Topic Sheet divides winter wheat varieties into groups according to their susceptibility to different races of yellow rust.

The UK Crop Pathogen Virulence Survey (UKCVPS) – funded by HGCA and Fera – carried out the research to group varieties by susceptibility.

The yellow rust resistance ratings have been updated incorporating the 2012 inoculated and naturally infected HGCA Recommended List trials.

Simon Oxley, Senior Research and Knowledge Transfer Manager at HGCA, explained, "The appearance of new races of yellow rust has caused some big changes in the resistance ratings of wheat varieties. Understanding the risk of the disease spreading from one variety to another and knowledge about natural resistance helps growers prioritise fungicide treatments."

Several varieties are now classed as more susceptible and have moved from the high resistance DG1 group to the less resistant DG2 group, while a number of new varieties have been added to DG1 group.

Two varieties, Oakley and Torch, are now in DG0. Both are susceptible to yellow rust and are likely to spread yellow rust to all other varieties except those in DG1.

Full information can be found on Topic sheet 119 which is available from the HGCA website.

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