Yellow rust and Brown risk

Both yellow rust and brown rust can only grow on green plants. They survive the harvest period on late tillers and then spread successively to volunteer plants, then to autumn-sown and subsequently to spring-sown cereals.

Annual monitoring of the incidence of brown rust and yellow rust races in untreated susceptible varieties is carried out by NIAB. Regular updates will provide information on current races present and identify the specific varieties which will be at risk. View NIAB monitoring

Yellow rust
The fungus over-winters as pustules on the foliage or as tiny threads (mycelium) unseen within leaf tissues. The disease is favoured by cool, wet weather (10 - 15°C) but high temperatures kill the fungus. A spell of warm, dry weather (20 - 22°C) will check an epidemic.

The most effective way to control yellow rust is to grow resistant varieties link to RL-Plus. To choose varieties which best suit your needs see R L Plus.

Diversification schemes are helpful in reducing spread of the disease and allow growers to select varieties with different resistance characteristics. Diversification scheme

Brown rust
Severe attacks do not usually occur until late in the season, mainly after ear emergence. Brown rust can build up very rapidly at this time if weather conditions are favourable, i.e. periods of warm (15 - 22°C) weather with dew formation.