For the first time since the Dust Bowl, wheat flag smut has returned to Kansas wheat fields, reports Kansas AgLand.
While this rare fungal disease is not a threat to humans or animals, it can reduce yields. That’s why some countries that trade with the US place restrictions on buying wheat from areas affected by the disease.
Flag smut was first discovered in a Rooks County field in May, and has since spread to 39 other locations in north central and south central Kansas. However, the percentage of infected tillers has been low.