Pest Management
The South Dakota Wheat Commission has an excellent working relationship with researchers at South Dakota State University. In addition to financial support from check-off fees, the Commission maintains a close association with faculty and extension personnel, ensuring that current or developing problems in production agriculture are addressed.
Pest management research tries to address the problems in production agriculture. Wheat diseases have significant economical impact on producers. With funding from the South Dakota Wheat Commission and grants from federal programs, research projects address various aspects of important diseases with emphasis on sources and genetics of disease resistance, germplasm enhancement and cultivor improvements for disease resistance. Studies show that the wheat streak mosaic virus alone causes losses of 2.5 to 5 million bushels of winter wheat annually and greater losses in epidemic years.
An extremely successful research effort is exploring the fungal disease Fusarium head blight (commonly called scab). Scab has plagued wheat and barley production in many areas of the United States since the early 1990s, resulting in farm losses in at least 18 states valued conservatively at over $2 billion, according to university and industry estimates. The South Dakota Wheat Commission in conjunction with South Dakota State University are part of concerted national research initiative to solve scab in wheat and barley. The $4.3 million national research initiative began in 2000 fiscal year involving 73 scientists working on 104 projects, carried out in 23 states at 22 land grant universities and the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, which helps fund the initiative. Comprehensive information on the national initiative can be found at www.scabusa.org
For more details on South Dakota Wheat Commission funded research projects in the pest management area, click on the project title.
Pest Management Projects
2015 Projects
- Evaluation of Wheat for Resistance and Response to Viral Diseases in South Dakota
- Integrating Disease Forecasting, Cultivar Selection and Timely Fungicide Application for Effective Wheat Disease Management
- Upper Great Plains Wheat Pathology Collaboration
- Wheat Disease Research and Education
- Winter Wheat Management
2014 Projects
- SD Plant Pathology Working Group – Collaboration & Outreach on Wheat Pathogens & Diseases
- Wheat Disease Research and Education
- Evaluation of Wheat for Resistance and Response to Viral Diseases in SD
2013 Projects
- Weed Management Research and Publications for Small Grains in SD
- A Comparison of Recommended & High Seeding Rates and Zero-Fungicide and Recommended Fungicide Testaments for SD Wheat Growers
- Wheat Diseases and Vectors: Integrated Management Diagnostics & Germplasm Evaluation
2012 Projects
Archived Projects
SOUTH DAKOTA WHEAT COMMISSION
Box 549 | 116 North Euclid | Pierre, SD 57501 | 605.773.4645 | info@sdwheat.org