06/07/05 Stripe rust outbreak in Power County

It's the first big outbreak of stripe rust in southern Idaho and Power County extension educator Stan Gortsema says the disease exploded within the past week. GORTSEMA "Widespread in the dryland areas and the particular variety that we first noticed it in is hard red winter wheat called Delores." That Utah release was previously tested for resistance to strip rust but Gortsema says for some reason it isn't resistant now. GORTSEMA "In our worst case scenarios we've seen fields go from, appearance wise at least, completely green and healthy to up to 30 percent infection within two days." So how did the stripe rust get there? There are outbreaks in Oregon and Washington but Gortsema is looking to the rains that came from California and Nevada. GORTSEMA "This disease is spread by spores on wind currents and cool, wet thunderstorm type weather is ideal for it and the thought now is that we probably got the spore infestation directly from those southern storms." Will the stripe rust spread? What can growers do? More tomorrow. Voice of Idaho Agriculture Bill Scott