Integrated wheat disease management Stephen N. Wegulo, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, USA

Wheat is grown on the world’s largest crop area. It is the most widely consumed grain and most internationally traded agricultural commodity (Fischer, 2009). Diseases are a major constraint in wheat production. In 2001-3, worldwide potential losses in wheat due to diseases were estimated at 18.1% and actual losses were estimated at 12.6% (Oerke, 2006). Four groups of microorganisms cause biotic diseases: bacteria, fungi, nematodes and viruses. These microorganisms reside in the soil, crop residues or living plant hosts. All parts of the wheat plant (roots, crown, stem, leaves and spike) can be affected by disease.