Wheat diseases were at their highest level in five years in 2024. Speaking at the Best of the Best in Wheat 
and Soybean Research, NDSU Extension Plant Pathologist Andrew Friskop said timing is critical for fungicide applications. “Our recommendation for scab timing is a seven-day window; it starts at early flowering and you have about seven days which is a huge win for us because Mother Nature can throw us curve balls.” The timing of the application may be even more important than fungicide selection. “Oftentimes, timing can be more artwork because not every wheat head is flowering at the same time and we have those logistical challenges that we go through.”
