The National Agricultural Technology Extension Center has issued guidelines on “one spray, three protections” for wheat to address the heightened risk of recurrence of diseases such as 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 Huanghuai Plain, and southern North China; stripe rust is likely to occur at a moderate-to-severe level on the Jianghan Plain and in western Guanzhong; and aphids are expected 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 per‑unit yields across large areas. To fully leverage the policy benefits of the “one spray, three protections” approach for wheat, these technical guidelines have been specially formulated.

I. Prevention and Control Strategy

Adhering to the principle of “zonal management and categorized guidance,” we scientifically determine the target pests and diseases, the types of pesticides, and the formulation of spray mixtures based on local wheat growth stages, seedling conditions, pest and disease pressures, and weather patterns. The critical period for preventive spraying is from wheat heading to grain-filling, with measures taken to avoid premature applications and ensure the effectiveness of the “one spray, three protections” strategy.

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 warranting supplementary attention. 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 spraying should be carried out promptly. Should prolonged cloudy and rainy weather persist during heading and flowering, a second application—rotating to a different fungicide or insecticide—should be made 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 some areas in central and southern Shaanxi and southern Gansu also needing protection against Fusarium head blight. In the Southwest, the primary targets are stripe rust, Fusarium head blight, and aphids, with powdery mildew requiring additional attention.

For fungicide selection, consider fluoxastrobin‑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, pyraclostrobin‑tebuconazole, and other QoI‑type fungicides should be applied early, ideally at the onset of flowering. For insecticides, use single‑ or mixed‑formulation sprays containing flonicamid, dinotefuran, thiamethoxam, acetamiprid, pymetrozine, or 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‑phthalocyanine, as well as immune‑eliciting 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 spray‑application window is from wheat heading to grain‑filling. Based on crop development, pest and disease pressure, 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