Greenbugs and Russian wheat aphid are the primary pests. Other pests include mites, fall armyworms, and cutworms. Lorsban is primarily used for greenbug control. Diseases Wheat is bred with genetic resistance to most fungal diseases. Disease resistant varieties are the most effective means of disease control.
Principle diseases are rusts, powdery mildew, septoria leaf blotch, and viruses in some areas.
Fungicides are available to protect against leaf rust and stem rust but are not cost-effective in most dryland fields. Weeds Crop rotations, fallow and soil tillage are widely practiced as a form of integrated weed management. Common weed problems include field bindweed, and other perennial weeds, such as annual grasses, such as ryegrass and rescue grass, and winter annual broadleaf weeds, such as mustards. All of these herbicides are essential for economic wheat production. Outlook Irrigated and dryland wheat will continue as a major crop in Texas for food use and winter pasture.