When herbicides are used to control infested volunteer wheat before direct seeding of wheat without tillage, the infested stubble from the previous wheat crop and volunteer plants are left largely intact, allowing the Hessian fly to complete its life cycje. Under reduced tillage, Hessian fly survival will depend on the proportion of infested straw and volunteer plants which remain intact on the surface. Other management factors influence the impact of the tillage system selection on Hessian fly potential. The researchers stress that one of the most important factors is crop rotation. If the previous crop was not a wheat crop, the choice of tillage system will not influence the Hessian fly potential.
Crop rotation is also important for reducing the potential of several soilborne diseases of wheat.
Seeding date can also influence the potential for Hessian fly infestation of winter wheat in the most susceptible early seedling stage. Delaying the winter wheat seeding date past the optimum seeding time, however, also reduces yield potential. Economic losses in winter wheat because of the Hessian fly have not been common in the Inland Northwest. Hessian fly distribution has been sporadic from year to year and from area to area in the Inland Northwest. Before changing residue management strategies, producers should be fairly certain that they have a significant Hessian fly problem, as indicated by a heavily infested previous wheat crop or volunteer wheat, or consistent losses under irrigated wheat.