Key Technical Points for Pest and Disease Control During the Wheat Sowing Period

Grasping pest and disease control from the autumn sowing period to the seedling stage of wheat is an important technical component for ensuring full and strong seedlings. The sowing and seedling stages of wheat are also critical periods for the control of many pests, diseases, and weeds. If control is not timely, it often results in missing seedlings and broken rows, or weak and diseased seedlings. In response to the occurrence characteristics of pests and diseases during the wheat sowing period, it is necessary to adhere to the plant protection policy of "prevention first, integrated control", adapt measures to local conditions, and carry out integrated control.

1. Manage the seed well and select disease-resistant and tolerant varieties

Select varieties with good quality, high yield, and good comprehensive stress resistance. Varieties promoted in recent years include: Shixin 828, Shixin 733, Jimai 22; water-saving varieties include Shimai 15, Shiyou 17, etc. The varieties selected must be healthy, disease-free seeds that have passed plant quarantine.

2. Agricultural measures

1. Carefully select seeds. Before sowing, sun the seeds and select them, removing shriveled grains, damaged grains, sprouted grains, grass seeds, etc., to improve seed quality and reduce the spread of grass weeds.

2. Sow late at the appropriate time   and plant at a reasonable density.

The suitable sowing period in Zhaoxian is October 5-15, with a sowing rate of 20-25 jin. Sowing too early leads to severe pest and disease occurrence. Therefore, the sowing period should not be too early.

3. Remove diseased residues and weeds in the field and around it, and destroy the habitats and overwintering sites of small brown planthoppers, crickets, and pathogens, which can reduce the occurrence and harm of wheat rosette dwarf disease.

3. Chemical treatment before sowing

1. Soil treatment   For fields with severe soil-borne diseases such as wheat sharp eyespot and take-all, use 1 kg of 50% carbendazim + 1 kg of 15% triadimefon (triadimefon) + 100 kg of water, pour into the soil with irrigation water or spray on the surface, then plow and prepare the soil; or use 2 kg of 50% carbendazim or 70% thiophanate-methyl per mu + 100 kg of water sprayed on the surface, or mix with 50 kg of fine soil and broadcast on the surface, then plow and prepare the soil. For fields with severe occurrence of underground pests such as wireworms, crickets, mole crickets, and white grubs, use 2 kg of 2.5% isofenphos-methyl granules or 40% phoxim emulsifiable concentrate per mu, mix evenly with 15-20 kg of fine soil, broadcast on the surface, and plow into the soil together with fertilizer during tillage.

2. Seed dressing with chemicals:

To control white grubs, wireworms, mole crickets, small brown planthoppers, and aphids, and prevent rosette dwarf disease and yellow dwarf disease. Use Kefeng Wuyahai seed dressing or use 70 g of 70% imidacloprid wettable powder + 50 g of 40% isofenphos-methyl emulsifiable concentrate, dilute with 1.5-2 kg of water, evenly dress 20-25 kg of seed (the seed quantity for two mu), pile and cover for 3-4 hours, and sow after absorption and drying.

To prevent root rot, sharp eyespot, and smut, use: (1) 6% tebuconazole suspension seed coating agent for seed dressing, pile and cover for 6 hours, dry and sow; (2) 2.5% Celest (fludioxonil) seed coating agent 100 ml to dress 100 kg of seed, stir evenly and pile and cover for 3-5 hours; systemic fungicides such as carbendazim or thiophanate-methyl can also be used for seed dressing.

For fields with severe occurrence of wheat take-all, use 20-40 ml of Xiaoshijing per mu for seed dressing, or 200 ml of 12.5% Xiaoshijing diluted with 5 kg of water to dress 100 kg of wheat seed, pile and cover for 4-8 hours, dry and sow. Note: when mixing insecticides and fungicides for seed dressing, first dress with insecticide, pile and cover, dry, then dress with fungicide.

In areas where the above diseases and pests occur together, select related fungicides and insecticides for mixed seed dressing to achieve the effect of one dressing controlling multiple targets, but note: first dress with insecticide, pile and cover, dry, then dress with fungicide; first dress with emulsifiable concentrate, and after absorption and drying, dress with powder. Seed after dressing generally should not be stored for long, and should be used as soon as it is dressed.