Texas Panhandle wheat crop faced disease, pest pressure in 2026

AMARILLO, Texas (KFDA) - The 2026 wheat season was difficult for producers in the Texas Panhandle and across the state, according to Bailey Sipes, director of producer relations for the Texas Wheat Producers Board and Association.

Sipes said drought conditions and unseasonably warm weather contributed to greater disease and pest infestation on an already stressed wheat crop.

“I think 2026 overall was just a really tough year for wheat, not only in the Panhandle, but across the state of Texas,” Sipes said. “Some of that was drought-related, some of that was the unseasonable warm weather. But all of those factors also influenced a greater infestation of disease and pests on an already stressed wheat crop. So it was pretty detrimental.”

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Sipes said Panhandle producers faced a long list of challenges this past season, including significant drought and infections from wheat streak mosaic virus, Triticum mosaic virus and High Plains disease virus.

Sipes said those viruses and diseases are vectored by wheat curl mites.

“A lot of those diseases just pushed down an already really stressed crop and made it hard to harvest,” Sipes said.

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