Latest news with #WheatStreakMosaicVirus
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
‘A very upbeat trip': Kansas wheat tour projects big jump in yield
MANHATTAN, Kan. (KSNW) — Kansas farmers are expected to bring in a significantly better wheat crop this year compared to the past two seasons, according to results from the 2025 Wheat Quality Council's Hard Winter Wheat Tour, which concluded Thursday. After three days of scouting more than 449 fields across Kansas, participants estimated the state's wheat harvest at 338.5 million bushels, with an average yield of 53 bushels per acre. That's up from an average in the mid-40s last year and well above the drought-stricken numbers seen in 2023. 'Basically, after three days of scouting up in Nebraska down into Oklahoma and all of Kansas, we ended up with a trip average of 53 bushels per acre, which was probably 6 or 7 more than last year on the same route and a lot more than the year before,' Dave Green, the executive vice president of the Wheat Quality Council, said. The tour, which brings together grain buyers, flour millers, bakers, researchers, exporters, and international guests, is designed to provide a snapshot of the state's wheat crop ahead of harvest. This year, 67 participants from 21 states and six countries traveled in 17 vehicles across six different routes. Each participant also submitted an independent estimate of total production, and the average prediction—338.5 million bushels—was released Thursday afternoon. Green noted that the number closely aligns with projections from state leaders. While the outlook is generally optimistic, tour participants did encounter scattered cases of Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus, a disease that can dramatically affect yields. Still, Green believes the worst of it may be behind. Storm Track 3 Forecast: Not as hot today, severe storm chances this weekend 'I think that damage has been done … maybe it'll take a little off the top yield,' he said. 'We did not consider what's left of the disease is going to be that important.' Weather also played a critical role in shaping the crop's current condition. While timely rain was crucial, Green said cooler spring temperatures likely helped boost potential. 'I personally think the low temperatures also have a lot to do with this. You know, we really weren't warm until this week. I think that has a big bearing on the plant. The wheat sometimes would rather have it cool than wet. It's the heat that really bothers it,' he said. With wheat now entering its grain-fill stage, Green said the coming weeks will be critical. 'If it were 95 to 100 degrees and no rain for the next three weeks, there would be a lot of horror stories for sure,' he said. 'But the crop is showing the stress of the heat this week … that doesn't mean it can't fill kernels and reach its potential. So I think, barring a catastrophe kind of situation, I think we're going to have a good crop.' According to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service, Kansas farmers planted about 7.4 million acres of wheat last fall, with 6.9 million acres expected to be harvested this summer. The agency's May 1 forecast placed Kansas production at 345 million bushels, yielding 50 bushels per acre. While the tour focuses primarily on yield, Green emphasized the crop's broader importance for domestic and international markets. 'We're all about production on our tour; you know we want wheat quality as it's in our name,' he said. 'But there's a demand for this wheat … both the millers and the exporters were at this meeting, and so they're more than happy to see that we've got plenty of wheat. It was a very upbeat kind of trip.' For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
How the 2025 Kansas wheat crop is faring so far
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The Kansas 2025 wheat tour kicked off on Tuesday across the northern part of the state. The tour is part of the Wheat Quality Council's evaluation tour and is made up of grain buyers, flour millers and quality managers. The first day of the tour included 196 stops on six routes at wheat fields across north central, central, and northwest Kansas. Most participants reported seeing the Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus complex and drought conditions. For the first day, the yields calculated were 50.5 bushels per acre, with the southern routes having a higher average. Drought emergency in 3 Kansas counties Statewide, based on May 1 conditions, Kansas' 2025 winter wheat crop is forecast at 345 million bushels, according to the USDA's National Agricultural Statistics Service. Average yield is forecast at 50 bushels per acre. Acreage to be harvested for grain is estimated at 6.9 million acres. For the week ending May 11, Kansas winter wheat condition was rated 7% very poor, 15% poor, 30% fair, 42% good, and 6% excellent. Kansas winter wheat jointed was 92%, near 96% last year and 90% for the five-year average. Headed was 71%, near 70% last year, and well ahead of the 47% average. The tour will continue through southwest and southcentral Kansas on Wednesday, with six routes between Colby and Wichita. For more Kansas news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news by downloading our mobile app and signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track 3 Weather app by clicking here. To watch our shows live on our website, click here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Kansas wheat farmers facing worst Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus outbreak since 2017
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Wheat farmers in Kansas are facing one of the worst Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus (WSMV) outbreaks in years. The wheat curl mite is a small but mighty adversary of Kansas wheat producers as the vector for WSMV, Triticum mosaic virus (TriMV) and High Plains Mosaic Virus. Federal court gives Missouri 60 days to remedy SNAP program violations Experts with Kansas Wheat said producers across the state appear to be losing the battle against these tiny critters and the diseases they carry in what could be the worst WSMV outbreak since 2017. 'We have some fields that are close to total losses,' said Kelsey Andersen Onofre, K-State assistant professor of plant pathology, who has been across the state scouting fields. 'It's hard to walk in a wheat field in Kansas right now and not find at least low-level, trace-level symptoms of WSMV—and that's pretty unusual.' Andersen Onofre explained that symptoms of WSMV – symptomatic leaves with dark green coloring and light-yellow discolorations or stunted plants with a distinct yellow discoloration – are showing up more clearly over the past few weeks as temperatures warm up. Experts suspect that a high population of mites from this past summer managed to survive the mild winter and disperse over long distances up to one or two miles away. There are now concerning levels of the diseases they carry across the state, Kansas Wheat said in a news release. 'If we have an extended, warm fall, like we did in 2024, it's a perfect storm for mite populations to stay at high levels and increase later in the season,' Andersen Onofre said. 'The more populations increase, the higher the chance they will be blown by wind into neighboring fields. If the weather stays warm, we can see this spread continue over long distances.' The group said this is certainly the case in Saline County, where more diverse cropping systems are making it an emerging issue where it hasn't traditionally been found. 'This is by far the worst year I've seen for impact of wheat streak mosaic virus in our area,' said Gypsum farmer Justin Knopf. 'Many fields have been affected with a high level of presence of the virus. Some fields…right next to a field where the source was have significant impact.' Producers with infected fields should expect yield loss, especially in fields where the flag leaf has already turned yellow, experts warned. 'Unless we have a significant weather event such as hail or excessive heat during grain fill, wheat streak mosaic virus is likely to be the number one cause of yield loss in this area,' Knopf said. Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for WSMV once the infection has occurred. Kansas Wheat said in its news release that producers must balance estimated yield loss, requirements for crop insurance and the economics behind terminating the most severely infected fields in favor of planting a summer crop. FOX4 Newsletters: Sign up for daily forecasts and Joe's Weather Blog in your inbox 'Unfortunately, there is not much to do at this point in the season if you have a field that has severe WSMV infection,' Andersen Onofre said. 'These fields are likely not good candidates for a fungicide application. Fungicides will have no effect on wheat streak, and it will be difficult to recover yield losses from foliar diseases if yield potential is already reduced by wheat streak. 'We do not recommend spraying insecticides or miticides. There is no immediate action you can take to slow down the spread of WSMV or preserve yield in affected fields.' Knopf attributed the widespread infection this year to three really dry falls and winters in a row, more hail in the area in 2024 (areas with hail are virus hot spots) and more diverse cropping systems, including warm season cover crops and double cropping. For more advice on how to deal with WSMV, click here. You can read more about the virus at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-04-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
Some Kansas wheat suffering drought stress
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — The rain Wednesday into Thursday was not enough for many Kansas wheat fields. Agriculture experts say they see signs of drought stress in some wheat, such as bottom leaves turning yellow. The U.S. Drought Monitor shows that 66% of the state, the tan area on the map, is in a moderate drought as of Tuesday morning. That is an 11% increase over last week. Also, in the last week, 8% of the winter wheat crop has dropped from being rated as good to excellent, dropping from 51% last week to 43% this week. Winter wheat condition Very poor Poor Fair Good Excellent Last week 5% 12% 32% 45% 6%4% 14% 39% 38% 5% The Kansas Wheat website reports that topsoil and subsoil moisture are also worse in many areas of the state after there has been no significant moisture for nearly five months. Farmers weather dry spring planting season Farmer Josh Debes in central Kansas told Kansas Wheat that a month ago, he could still find moisture four to five inches deep in his fields. Now, the ground is cracking, and he is seeing the bottom leaves of the wheat turn yellow. 'We started seeing issues two to three weeks ago, but the wheat has looked progressively worse as we've missed all of the rain,' Debes told Kansas Wheat. 'In the northern part of the county, the wheat is no longer looking so promising. We're now on par with the previous three summers of abnormally dry, drought-limiting crops.' The right amount of rain at the right time is always essential for crops. Experts say 46% of the Kansas wheat crop has jointed, and stems are forming and need more moisture. 'At this stage, the wheat plant has already set the total potential kernels that will develop in the wheat head,' Kansas Wheat reported. 'Any stress from here until harvest will drop that number down, although the impact of the current dry weather and temperature swings will not be realized until the plant is more fully developed.' Jeanne Falk-Jones, a Kansas State University agronomy specialist, said there are other reasons farmers might see yellow in the wheat. If the yellow is mottled with green on parts of the leaf, it could be a disease like Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus, Triticum Mosaic Virus or High Plains Mosaic Virus. She also said she has driven by some fields in western Kansas that look very good. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
