An accounting of the value of agriculture in Louisiana. Agents and specialists of the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, as well as other agencies - both private and public - compile this information. It focuses on the animal, forestry, fisheries, plant and wildlife commodities that comprise our vital agricultural industry. This industry continues to contribute significantly to the state's economy with the potential for increased impacts through value-added processing.

This 2013 guide was compiled by LSU AgCenter experts and includes regulations, precautions and suggestions for pest control in Louisiana. Detailed topics include drift of pesticides, hazards of pesticides to beneficial insects and wildlife, phytotoxicity and use of beneficial insects to control pest populations. A section on organic gardening also is included.

This 2013 guide includes helpful information on herbicides and weed control with detailed suggestions for aquatics, commercial nursery stock, field crops, forestry, fruit crops, home gardens, lawns and many other Louisiana crops. It includes information on different types of herbicide registrations, as well as information on herbicide labels and restricted uses. Also included are sprayer calibration techniques, suggestions for reducing herbicide drift and a guide to proper spray tip selection.

Bacterial streak is one of the most common bacterial diseases of cereal crops. The pathogen attacks wheat and other grasses. (PDF format only)

Leaf rust, also called brown rust, is caused by the fungus Puccinia triticina. This disease is widespread in Louisiana and is probably the most destructive wheat disease. (PDF format only)

Septoria spp. are mostly parasitic leaf-spotting fungi that attack and damage more than 100 species of small grains and other grasses. The actual damage to wheat caused by Septoria leaf blotch is difficult to measure under field conditions because more than one organism is nearly always involved in foliar infections. (PDF format only)

Downy mildew usually is associated with wheat plants grown in poorly drained areas. (PDF format only)

The scab fungus causes seedling blight, crown rot, root rot, stem blight and scab or Fusarium head blight in wheat. Damage to wheat from scab varies greatly from year to year and is associated with warm, moist environmental conditions that occur after wheat heads emerge. (PDF format only)

Powdery mildew is not a major problem of wheat in Louisiana. In limited cases, however, the disease can reduce plant vigor, cause lodging and reduce yield, kernel size and test weight. (PDF format only)

Example of early stripe rust.

Wheat stripe rust.

Severe stripe rust.

Image of stripe rust early stages.

Early stripe rust.

Typical stripe rust.

Stripe rust linear pustules.

Stripe rust, also called yellow rust, is caused by the fungus Puccinia striiformis. This disease is a common problem in Louisiana during cooler conditions. (PDF format only)

Wheat diseases, wheat disease identification, wheat disease photo galleries, wheat disease articles, and wheat fungicide links information.

Stem rust, also called black rust, is caused by the fungus Puccinia graminis. Although stem rust is found in Louisiana wheat fields nearly every year, significant damage occurs only to a few isolated, late-maturing fields. (PDF format only)

Wheat disease photograph collections to help diagnose and understand wheat diseases found in Louisiana.

Bacterial streak of wheat.

Filed view of wheat bacterial streak.

Typical symptoms of wheat bacterial streak.

Close up of wheat plant with downy mildew.

Typical symptoms of wheat downy mildew.

Puccinia triticina. Microscopic reddish-brown leaf rust uredial spores.

Ustilago tritici. Microscopic spores of the loose smut fungus.

Early leaf rust symptoms showing flecks and young pustules.

Late-season leaf rust symptoms showing teliospore production.

Wheat leaf rust on stem.

Severe leaf rust on wheat.

Closeup stripe rust pustule.

Image of severe stripe rust.

Stripe and leaf rust.

Stripe rust in field.

Stripe rust closeup in field.

Batch of stripe rust.

Stripe rust spores.

Septoria leaf blotch field view.

Wheat septoria leaf blotch.

Typical septoria on wheat leaves.

Septoria leaf spot reproductive.

Wheat septoria leaf spot upclose.

Photo of septoria leaf.

View of stem rust.

Field shot of stem rust.

Image of stem rust on a stem.

Stem rust head.

Wheat stem rust field.

Stem rust on a wheat leaf.

Image of aged stem rust.

Severe stem rust on wheat.

Photo of stem rust.

Example of stem rust on wheat.

Upclose wheat stem rust.

Stem rust spore.

Powdery mildew field view.

Photo of powdery mildew.

Typical powdery mildew.

Older stem rust.

Wheat stem rust leaf.

Example of Scab disease in wheat.

Scab damage of a wheat field.

Scab damage on wheat.

Wheat scab resistant and susceptible.

Scab wheat disease next to healthy wheat.

Photo of scab disease on wheat.

Wheat scab signs.

Wheat scab damage upclose.

Wheat scab sporulating.

Wheat scab fungal spores.

View of scab wheat disease.

Image of scab wheat disease.

Image of loose smut.

Field view scab.

View of leaf rust field.

Example of wheat with Leaf Rust.

Exampe of severe loose smut in wheat.

Wheat loose smut infected heads.

Late season symptoms of loose smut after spores are washed.

Field view of wheat infected with loose smut.

Typical wheat loose smut signs and symptoms.

Green island effect of wheat leaf rust.

Puccinia triticina. Mass numbers of microscopic reddish-brown uredial rust spores.

Field view of severe wheat leaf rust.

Leaf rust resistant and susceptible wheat varietal leaves.

Typical leaf rust symptoms showing uredia and uredial spores.

Close-up view of uredial pustules and spores on wheat leaf.

Close-up view of uredial pustule on a wheat leaf erupting through epidermis.

Typical leaf rust damage.

Close-up view of teliospore producing pustules.

Links to important information about wheat fungicide.

This page contains the 2005 small grain data report.

The 2006 statewide wheat performance trials included 51 varieties and experimental lines. Recommendations are based on the relative performance of an entry for two years within a region.

The 2007 statewide wheat performance trials included 51 varieties and experimental lines. Recommendations are based on the relative performance of an entry for two years within a region.

Small grain variety trials are conducted annually by scientists of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES) to evaluate grain yield, agronomic performance, and disease reaction of varieties and advanced lines. The trials are conducted at seven LAES research stations representative of the major soil and climate regions of the state. The 2008 statewide wheat performance trials included 60 varieties and experimental lines.

Small grain variety trials are conducted annually by scientists of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES) to evaluate grain yield, agronomic performance, and disease reaction of varieties and advanced lines. The trials are conducted at seven LAES research stations representative of the major soil and climate regions of the state. The 2009 statewide wheat performance trials included 70 varieties and experimental lines.

Small grain variety trials are conducted annually by scientists of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station to evaluate grain yield, agronomic performance and disease reaction of varieties and advanced lines. The trials are conducted at seven LAES research stations representative of the major soil and climate regions of the state. Entries are included in the trials based upon previous performance or at the request of the originating agency.

Small grain variety trials are conducted annually by scientists of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station to evaluate grain yield, agronomic performance and disease reaction of varieties and advanced lines. The trials are conducted at seven LAES research stations representative of the major soil and climate regions of the state. Entries are included in the trials based upon previous performance or at the request of the originating agency.

Small grain variety trials are conducted annually by scientists of the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station to evaluate grain yield, agronomic performance and disease reaction of varieties and advanced lines. The trials are conducted at seven LAES research stations representative of the major soil and climate regions of the state. Entries are included in the trials based upon previous performance or at the request of the originating agency.

This page contains the small grain variety trials research reports & recommendations.

This publication emphasizes the use of a total integrated management system to reduce wheat diseases and the damage they cause in the field. (PDF format only)

This page contains the map of Louisiana Research Stations and Soil Map

Wheat acreage in Louisiana has increased significantly because of higher wheat prices. With the increase in wheat acreage, interest has risen considerably in double-cropping cotton after wheat is harvested. Recommendations for growing cotton in a double-cropped production system with wheat in 2007 are included. (PDF format only)

This page contains pictures of wheat and oats planting and harvesting activities.

This page contains some important wheat and oat links.

In Louisiana, southern green stink bugs and brown stink bugs (Figures 1, 2 and 3) have become common pests of corn, cotton, grain sorghum, soybean and wheat. In corn, an infestation can cause injury to the plant from seedling emergence through ear formation and grain development. Seedlings punctured by stink bugs exhibit small holes surrounded by localized dead tissue.