Common root rot causes premature death of wheat, resulting in patches of white heads scattered throughout a field. Infected plants are often dark at the base and have poor root development. A key diagnostic feature of common root rot, however, is dark-brown lesions on the thin stem extending from the base of the plant to the remnant of the seed. This thin stem is known as the “subcrown internode.” Healthy subcrown internodes should be cream colored and firm.
