With much of the early planted wheat already flowered and into grain fill, symptoms of whitened wheat heads may soon appear in some fields. Diseases, insects, or various stresses may cause these prematurely whitened heads. With all of the saturated soils this spring, root rot may be a common culprit and cause prematurely whitened plants and heads this year. The accompanying table describes many of the possible causes of white heads, and ways to differentiate those causes. Plant Disease Alert .
White mold is a serious problem on dry beans, especially under irrigation.
University of Minnesota trials at Staples, MN have demonstrated that proper irrigation management is very important. Producers can make these determinations on a field by field basis simply by using a rain gauge. Reports indicate that some dry beans are flowering before the rows close. These plants may dry out quicker, reducing white mold potential. However, plants could form a canopy quickly in warm, wet weather, increasing white mold risk.