A stem rust survey is conducted annually in the major bread wheat and triticale producing areas of South Africa to monitor pathogenic variability inPuccinia graminisf. sp.tritici.During 1991 to 1996 the incidence of stem rust on susceptible wheat and triticale cultivars and lines planted in trap nurseries was low. No stem rust was found during 1997. The low incidence of stem rust was also evident by the absence of the disease in commercial wheat and triticale fields. During the survey period stem rust pathotypes 2SA4, 2SA36 and 2SA100 were detected on bread wheat and 2SA102 and 2SA103 on triticale.