Karnal bunt found in Texas
Quarantines issued by APHIS

By LORI COPE | Country World East Texas

June 14, 2001 -- The wheat fungus Karnal bunt has been detected in about 40 percent of San Saba County's wheat crop, according to Texas Agricultural Extension Service agronomist Dr. Travis Miller.

Also, one sample in Young County, and another in McCulloch County, have also been found to contain the disease.

Karnal bunt is a fungus that discolors flour and gives it a harmless, but unpleasant, odor.

Although the fungus presents no threat to humans or livestock, Texas wheat producers could suffer if the disease spreads.

"The main concern is the wheat market is competitive worldwide," said Miller. "So we don't want people concerned about buying wheat from Texas.

"In reality, this is not a serious problem for yield," he continued. "But nobody wants to eat fishy-tasting pancakes."

Other states in the wheat belt, which extends from Central Texas to Alberta, Canada, have voiced concern that custom harvesters will spread the disease with their equipment.

On June 8, Oklahoma ag officials issued a quarantine on combines used to cut wheat in the Texas counties of San Saba, Young, McCullough, and Throckmorton. To enter Oklahoma, the combines will have to be certified by inspectors who were sent to six points of entry in southern Oklahoma.

Also, the Kansas Agriculture Department is urging farmers in that state to question harvest crews about where they have been before allowing them into their fields.

In North Dakota, Agriculture Commissioner Roger Johnson said "procedures such as quarantines virtually ensure that Karnal bunt will not infect the nation's wheat supply."

The U.S. Animal, Plant, Health Inspection Service (APHIS) is on the job in Texas containing the fungus, Miller pointed out. The agency has placed a quarantine in the area and is conducting numerous inspections trying to locate the source of this year's outbreak.

The quarantine placed in the affected areas will last five years, the agronomist added. Nearby areas, within a three-mile radius, will be considered "regulated, which means every load of wheat will be inspected before it comes out of there.

"APHIS is bringing in all the stops to find out where it all is," Miller continued. "In a nutshell, it's contained but (APHIS) has stepped up the number of samples collected (for testing). With this big of an outbreak, that probably means there was some not found in 1997."

In 1997, the first infestation in the San Saba area was detected. In the year before, the fungus was found in the spring wheat crop in other states.

"This year it showed back up," Miller said. "There were 56 confirmed samples in San Saba. ... It's a very vigorous infestation."

Of Texas' 5.8 million acres in wheat production, Miller estimated San Saba County contributes 30,000 acres of wheat. "It's a minuscule portion of the state's total wheat production," he said.

Miller also pointed out that this recent discovery of Karnal bunt is the first U.S. case found in winter hard wheat; others have only been found in spring wheat crops.

As for harvesters, Miller cited they should steam-clean their machinery, and this fall, buy certified, inspected seed. Producers in the affected area might also consider planting another crop, such as oats or barley, next year.