Controlling volunteer wheat important for producers

Volunteer wheat serves as a 'green bridge' that allows for disease spread and insect infestation from this years' harvested crop to the wheat planted later in the year. As a result, control of volunteer wheat should be an important part of your management program.

"Volunteer wheat is an unintended consequence of producing wheat," said Jeff Whitworth, a crop pest specialist with Kansas State Research and Extension. "We cannot avoid it, but we can manage it so that it will not help nurture many of our common wheat problems."

This wheat can serve as a reservoir for wheat streak mosaic, barley yellow dwarf, leaf rust, stem rust, and take-all root rot. It can also harbor wheat curl mites, Hessian flies, chinch bugs, and Russian wheat aphids.

Volunteer wheat should be destroyed at least one-half mile away from wheat plantings, since Hessian flies and aphids have wings. All of the pests are small and light, too, so wind can carry them considerable distances.

"The general rule, however, is to make sure all volunteer patches are dead at least two weeks prior to planting," Whitworth said. "That way, any pests using the volunteer as a host will have to leave in search of a live host. If those pests are not successful in finding a new host, they will perish before your planted wheat becomes available."

Many producers may look at volunteer wheat from rose-colored glasses. They may see potential pasture or ground cover to prevent erosion. They also may not want to spend the time or money to control it. Left alone, volunteer wheat can cause some severe problems that will end up costing the producer and his neighbors more in the long run.

Volunteer may be destroyed one of two ways, by tillage or herbicides, or these efforts may be combined.

Tillage is relatively inexpensive, but reduces ground cover and increases moisture loss. Tillage works best when plants are small and the ground is relatively dry.

Herbicides are more expensive, but leave the ground unbroken therefore conserving moisture. The best time to treat for burndown is when the volunteer wheat has emerged but not yet began tillering. As with any herbicides it is vital to read and follow label directions.

Grazing of volunteer wheat does not serve as a means of control since the wheat is not completely destroyed; the diseases and insects will survive and infest the new crop.

When you control your volunteer wheat and your neighbors do not, the pests may still migrate to your fields. Neighbor cooperation is vital in stopping the spread of these diseases and insects.

More information on controlling volunteer wheat is available in the bulletin, "Be a Good Neighbor: Control Your Volunteer Wheat." This publication and others are available from the Bourbon County Extension Office, located on the first floor of the Bourbon County Courthouse.

Editor's Note: Delta George is a K-State Research and Extension agriculture and 4-H extension agent assigned to Bourbon County. She may be reached at (620) 223-3720.