A study of U.S. and Canadian wheat producers estimates pathogens caused about $2.9 billion in losses over four years, led by head blight, stripe rust and leaf rust. Climate-driven heat, humidity and extreme weather are accelerating fungal outbreaks and enabling invasive pests. Laboratory advances — including a protein target for head blight, early-warning systems for rust, and potential genetic protections for blast — offer hope but are still developing. Impacts will be uneven across regions, with some areas potentially gaining new growing opportunities.
Plant Diseases Cost North American Wheat Farmers Nearly $2.9B Over Four Years — Climate Change Is Making Things Worse
A study of U.S. and Canadian wheat producers estimates pathogens caused about $2.9 billion in losses over four years, led by head blight, stripe rust and leaf rust. Climate-driven heat, humidity and extreme weather are accelerating fungal outbreaks and enabling invasive pests. Laboratory advances — including a protein target for head blight, early-warning systems for rust, and potential genetic protections for blast — offer hope but are still developing. Impacts will be uneven across regions, with some areas potentially gaining new growing opportunities.
01:16, 06.11.2025Environment
Widespread plant pathogens inflict heavy losses on North American wheat
A recent analysis reported by The Weather Network finds that the expanding spread of plant diseases imposed roughly $2.9 billion in losses on wheat producers across the United States and Canada over a four-year period.
Key findings
The study attributes most of the damage to fungal diseases, naming head blight as the leading cause of losses, followed by stripe rust and leaf rust. In total, nearly 30 distinct diseases were implicated in the reported crop damage.
Climate change amplifies disease risk
More frequent and intense weather extremes — including floods, heat waves and humid episodes — are increasing the pressure on farmers. Higher temperatures and greater humidity can dramatically accelerate fungal outbreaks, threatening food security and contributing to higher grocery prices.
Climate shifts also help invasive pests expand into new regions by creating suitable habitats and longer reproduction windows. These invasives, which include crop‑damaging insects and pathogens, can produce economic costs measured in the hundreds of billions annually.
Research and mitigation efforts
There are promising scientific advances that could reduce future losses. Researchers have isolated a problematic protein involved in head blight that could be targeted by a new fungicide, while other teams are developing early-warning systems to detect rust infections before they spread. Additional work points to potential genetic approaches to protect wheat from a disease known as blast. These solutions are at various stages of development but offer practical tools for reducing risk.
The impacts of climate change will not be uniform across Canada, nor will they be uniform across seasons. In terms of production, there are likely to be opportunities, in some regions, to grow warmer-weather crops and take advantage of a longer growing season with fewer cold weather events that can damage crops. — Canadian government
Outlook
While scientific advances provide reason for cautious optimism, the study highlights a growing, uneven threat to wheat production across North America. Addressing it will require continued investment in monitoring, rapid-response tools and resilient agronomic practices to protect farmers and stabilize food supplies.