The National Agricultural Technology Center has issued guidelines on “one spray, three protections” for wheat to address the heightened risk of recurrent outbreaks of Fusarium head blight, stripe rust, and aphids.

Recently, in order to implement the requirements of the “Notice from the General Office of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs on Effectively Carrying Out Policy Measures for Wheat ‘One Spray, Three Protections,’” and to ensure the successful execution of the mid-to-late-stage “one spray, three protections” program for wheat—thereby providing strong support for the initiative to significantly increase per‑unit yields of grain and oilseed crops—the National Agricultural Technology Extension Center has formulated technical guidelines for wheat’s “one spray, three protections.” Details are provided below.

Technical Guidance on the “One Spray, Three Controls” Wheat Management Approach

According to the consultation and forecast analysis conducted by the National Agricultural Technology Extension Center, major diseases and pests in the mid-to-late growth stages of wheat this year are showing a trend of severe recurrence. Fusarium head blight poses a high risk of widespread outbreaks in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the Jianghuai region, the Huang-Huai Plain, and southern North China; stripe rust is expected to occur at a moderate-to-severe level on the Jianghan Plain and in western Guanzhong; and aphids are likely to infest most wheat-growing areas nationwide at a moderate-to-severe intensity. “One spray, three protections” is a key technical measure for controlling diseases and pests, mitigating damage from hot, dry winds, and preventing premature senescence after wheat heading; it helps reduce disaster losses, improve grain quality, and increase yields, making it an important strategy for boosting average yields across large wheat‑producing regions. To fully leverage the policy benefits of the “one spray, three protections” approach, these technical guidelines have been specially formulated.

I. Prevention and Control Strategies

Adhering to the principle of “zonal management and categorized guidance,” we scientifically determine control targets, pesticide types, and formulations tailored to local conditions, taking into account the wheat growth stage, seedling vigor, pest and disease status, and weather patterns. The critical spray‑application period is from heading to grain‑filling, with precautions taken to avoid premature spraying, thereby ensuring the effectiveness of the “one spray for three protections” approach.

II. Technical Measures

In the Huanghuai and North China wheat-growing regions, the primary concerns are stripe rust, Fusarium head blight, and aphids, with powdery mildew and wheat spider mites also requiring attention. Given the varying growth conditions across fields, it is advisable to initiate control measures after heading and flowering. In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, the focus is on Fusarium head blight and aphids, with stripe rust as a secondary concern. The critical period from full heading to the early stage of flowering should be closely monitored; for biological control agents, applications may be advanced to the early heading stage. If rain occurs 4–6 hours after treatment, follow-up applications should be made promptly. Should prolonged cloudy and rainy weather persist during heading and flowering, an additional application—rotating to a different fungicide or insecticide—should be carried out every 5–7 days to ensure effective disease and pest management. In the Northwest wheat region, stripe rust, powdery mildew, and aphids are the main threats, with Fusarium head blight also warranting attention in parts of central and southern Shaanxi and southern Gansu. In the Southwest, the primary targets are stripe rust, Fusarium head blight, and aphids, with powdery mildew as a secondary concern.

For fungicide selection, consider fludioxonil‑hydroxamic acid, cyproconazole, prothioconazole, prothioconazole‑tebuconazole, prothioconazole‑cyproconazole, epoxiconazole, flusilazole, triadimefon, and tebuconazole to control Fusarium head blight, rusts, and powdery mildew. Biological agents such as Jinggang·Kuya‑fungus can be used in combination to manage Fusarium head blight and reduce toxin accumulation. Pyraclostrobin, oxyma‑tebuconazole, and other QoI‑type fungicides should be applied early, ideally at the onset of flowering. For insecticides, use single‑ or mixed‑formulation sprays of flonicamid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, pymetrozine, and lambda‑cyhalothrin to control wheat aphids; when field populations of wheat spider mites are high, add abamectin or bifenthrin for additional control. Plant growth regulators include brassinolide, coronatine, red‑indole‑acetic‑brassins, thidiazuron, and iron‑dihydrochlorophyllin, as well as immune‑inducing products such as amino‑oligosaccharides and immune‑activating proteins, to enhance wheat’s stress tolerance. Apply foliar fertilizers like potassium dihydrogen phosphate in appropriate mixtures.

III. Precautions

(1) Seize the critical period. The key spraying and protection window is from wheat heading to grain-filling; based on crop growth, pest and disease dynamics, and weather conditions, select appropriate pesticides and incorporate plant growth regulators and foliar fertilizers to promote grain filling and increase 1,000-grain weight.

(2) Enhancing application efficacy. When applying pesticides with unmanned aerial vehicles, it is essential to clearly define the formulation requirements for protective agents and to set operational parameters scientifically. When preparing a “one‑spray‑three‑protections” tank‑mix solution—such as insecticide + fungicide + plant growth regulator + foliar fertilizer + adjuvant—conduct a stability test first to ensure that the mixture remains homogeneous, without layering, flocculation, or sedimentation, thereby preventing phytotoxicity and guaranteeing the effectiveness of the “one‑spray‑three‑protections” control strategy for wheat.

(3) Standardize operational practices. In accordance with relevant regulations, publicly announce in advance the scope, timing, types of pesticides to be applied, and associated precautions for the “one spray, three protections” operations, and implement effective measures to mitigate safety risks arising from pesticide drift.

Source: National Agricultural Technology Extension Network