A new multiyear study has revealed that between 2018 and 2021, wheat diseases caused the loss of approximately 560 million bushels—valued at US$2.9 billion, or $18.10 per acre, in farmer revenue—across 29 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada.
Published in Plant Health Progress ™, the study was led by Andrew Friskop (Department of Plant Pathology, North Dakota State University) in collaboration with dozens of university-based specialists and the Crop Protection Network . It represents the most comprehensive survey of wheat-related losses to date. The findings underscore the widespread economic impact of crop diseases and offer critical insights to shape future disease management and research priorities.
Estimates presented in the study were based on annual surveys completed by Extension specialists and plant pathologists working directly with wheat growers across major production regions. These experts assessed yield losses tied to nearly 30 distinct diseases, offering a rare, field-level perspective of how disease pressure affects productivity across states and regions.
Fusarium head blight, stripe rust, and leaf rust emerged as the top three yield-reducing pathogens, although losses varied significantly from year to year depending on local weather patterns and environmental conditions. In 2019 alone, wheat growers saw approximately 188 million bushels lost to disease—the most severe single-year impact in the study.
Researchers say the multiyear scope and collaborative approach make this work especially valuable for understanding longer-term disease trends and guiding future investment. The data are expected to support decision making across multiple disciplines.
"Farming and food production are incredibly complex," said Friskop. "This research helps us understand just one of the many invisible threats to crop productivity."
Adam Sisson, Extension specialist with Iowa State University and a co-author on the study, emphasized the practical value of the findings: "Having this information helps us make smarter decisions—whether that's guiding research funding, breeding for disease resistance, or advising farmers on management strategies."
To complement the findings, the Crop Protection Network maintains a free online tool, the Field Crop Disease and Insect Loss Calculator , which allows users to explore estimated historical yield loss data for wheat, corn, soybean, and cotton. The interactive platform is updated annually and is increasingly being used by Extension professionals, industry agronomists, commodity groups, educators, and funding agencies to support planning and risk management.
As new disease threats emerge and growing conditions change, ongoing data collection will be critical. This study is just the beginning of an ongoing effort to track, understand, and reduce crop losses in real time—an essential step toward building more resilient agricultural systems.
Read " Estimated Yield Reductions and Economic Losses on Wheat Caused by Disease from 2018 Through 2021 " to learn more.
About Plant Health Progress
Published by The American Phytopathological Society (APS), Plant Health Progress (PHP) is a peer-reviewed, multidisciplinary, online journal of applied plant health. An official APS journal founded in 2000, its goal is to publish new scientific information to enhance the health, management, and production of agricultural and horticultural crops.
