It has been a serious problem in winter wheat in Europe, and is a threat in Idaho. Leaves are up to inch wide and 4 inches long, with veins and margins appearing roughened. Stems of plants in dense stands are weak and spindly, requiring adjacent vegetation to hold them upright. Panicles are open and up to 8 inches long, approximately 25 percent of the plant's mature height. Seed heads appear in May, and seeds mature in June.
Herbicides are available, but there are no biological control agents.