- Symptoms: Numerous diseases cause chlorotic flecking, but "self-inflicted" or genetically controlled flecking is a common occurrence in small grain cereals. The flecks may vary from small pinpoints to large blotches (see picture below). In some cases, leaves may be a pale green color, which may be a genetic trait for low chlorophyll content.
- Development: Genetic flecking or blotching may develop at any point in the crop cycle, but is more apparent at later stages of plant development (especially in spring wheats).
- Hosts/Distribution: Found in many genotypes of wheat.
- Importance: Genetic flecking does not necessarily make a wheat genotype unsuitable for cultivation. Several commercial wheat cultivars have high yield potential and have been released despite genetic flecking.
